The final season of Netflix’s global phenomenon ‘Squid Game’ premieres today, Friday, 27 June, 2025, with all six episodes dropping simultaneously worldwide. The South Korean series, which became a cultural juggernaut after its debut in 2021, returns with its third and final chapter, marking the end of protagonist Gi-hun’s journey and the deadly game’s dark legacy.

Netflix confirmed that Season 3 will be the shortest instalment yet, with only six episodes, compared to nine in Season 1 and seven in Season 2. The full season will be available in one go, breaking away from the streaming platform’s recent trend of split or weekly releases.

Global release times

While the premiere date is uniform across all regions, release times vary by time zone. In the United States, the series goes live at 12 am PT / 3 am ET. Viewers in the United Kingdom can stream from 8 am BST, while those in Central Europe will have access at 9 am CEST.

In India, the show begins streaming at 12:30 pm IST. Australian fans can watch from 5 pm AEST, and the release time for New Zealand is 7 pm NZST.

Other global release times include 4 am BRT in Brazil, 5 am in Argentina, 10 am SAST in South Africa, 11 am TRT in Turkey, 3 pm in Thailand, 4 pm in the Philippines and 5 pm JST in Japan.

Sneak peek teases Gi-hun’s fate

Hours ahead of the premiere, Netflix Tudum released a six-minute exclusive preview, “the beginning of the end,” from the new season, giving viewers a glimpse of what’s to come.

In the clip, the surviving contestants receive a gift-box-style coffin of their own. Gi-hun—portrayed by Lee Jung-jae—is shown being delivered back to the Squid Game dormitory in one of the same black-ribboned coffins used for eliminated players. The scene suggests a grim fate but reveals that he is, in fact, still alive. Gi-hun was last seen leading a failed rebellion in Season 2.

Story picks up from Season 2

The new season follows directly from the events of Season 2, where Gi-hun learned the shocking truth about the Front Man’s real identity and vowed to stop the game. Season 3 will centre on his mission to dismantle the operation, while the Front Man continues to run the games in the background.

According to the official synopsis, Gi-hun will face serious consequences and growing obstacles, with each game round raising the stakes further for the remaining players.

Final season and cast

Netflix has confirmed that Season 3 will serve as the conclusion to the ‘Squid Game’ story. The cast includes returning stars Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun and Wi Ha-joon, alongside Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ha-neul, Kang Ae-shim, Park Gyu-young, Yang Dong-geun, Jo Yu-ri and Roh Jae-won.

The series was created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, who initially envisioned it as a one-season project but extended the story after its massive international success.

Since its debut in September 2021, ‘Squid Game’ has become Netflix’s most-watched non-English language series of all time, earning widespread acclaim and six Primetime Emmy Awards. Season 2 premiered in December 2024, setting the stage for the final confrontation.