So long, Squid Game: Lee Jung-jae thanks fans for Gi-hun memes, Lee Byung-hun’s juggling act

LOS ANGELES – The third and final season of the survivalist series Squid Game premieres on Netflix on June 27, closing out a pop culture phenomenon that has won six Emmys, including for Outstanding Lead Actor (Lee Jung-jae) and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Hwang Dong-hyuk).

Speaking through an interpreter at an event in Los Angeles in May, members of the South Korean cast of Squid Game (2021 to present) – still the most-watched Netflix show of all time – share some of their most memorable moments on set, and what the characters and story have meant to them.

Gi-hun the meme magnet

Director Hwang created “quite an eccentric and unique character” in the protagonist Seong Gi-hun, says Lee, the 52-year-old actor who plays him.

Gi-hun, or Player 456, is one of the cash-strapped contestants who find themselves competing in deadly versions of children’s games, staged for the amusement of a group of wealthy viewers.

“He’s also full of surprises, and maybe a character you’ve never seen on screen before, so it’s almost like you’re tasting a new dish,” says Lee.

“So, I think a lot of the love shown towards this character has to do with his originality and him being so refreshing.”

He was blown away by Gi-hun and the story’s twists when he first read the script. “I was in awe of Hwang’s ability to create such a three-dimensional character. And as an actor, I thought, ‘How can I bring even more uniqueness to this character?’”

Lee is thrilled the result has resonated with audiences.

“And to be at the centre of so many great memes, I’m so thankful for that,” he adds. “Thank you all for making memes about me and also posting them on your social media. I’m having a lot of fun watching them.”

This is also the most immersive role he has ever played, says Lee, who began his career in the 1990s and has starred in films such as City Of The Rising Sun (1999) and The Face Reader (2013).

“When I walked back onto the set (for Season 2), it actually almost felt as if I was really walking in to play the game. Even though I’ve been an actor for a very long time, the emotions I felt were very strange, complex and intense. I also began to wonder where this journey was going to take Gi-hun.

“So, to have wrapped everything up, I’m extremely excited and happy.”

The Front Man’s many faces

Lee Byung-hun plays the enigmatic Front Man, who won a previous edition of the game and returned to oversee it. And in Season 2, he disguises himself as Hwang In-ho, or Player 001, who pretends to be Gi-hun’s ally.

“I finally got to take my mask off and I had to portray a newer character,” says the 54-year-old star, who has also appeared in Hollywood action films such as the G.I. Joe franchise (2009 to 2013) and The Magnificent Seven (2016).

“There was the Front Man himself. There’s also In-ho, where you get to see more of the backstory where he led a very desperate life as a police detective.

“And there’s a third part, where I am portraying a person who’s a game player.”

This juggling act “was quite daunting, and I did feel a bit of pressure”, Lee says.

“But I had a lot of fun with it. In each moment, it was about how much of each persona do I bring to the surface, and the degree and tone.

“I would constantly discuss this with Hwang for each scene. And now, looking back at it, it comes back to me as really wonderful memories that I hold dear.”

Thoughtful portrayal of trans character

Park Sung-hoon stepped into the shoes of Player 120, Cho Hyun-ju, a transgender woman and former soldier hoping to win money for gender-affirming surgery, and quickly turned her into a fan favourite.

“Unlike the other players, Hyun-ju is selfless, brave and knows how to be compassionate around people, and she shows leadership as well,” says Park, 40.

“It was like a nice Christmas present to me, to be able to work on this role.”

But he did not want the character to turn into a caricature.

“My biggest priority, which I discussed with Hwang, was that I did not want to portray her in a mocking way,” says the actor, who most recently played villains in K-dramas The Glory (2022 to 2023) and Queen Of Tears (2024).

“I think her being transgender is just one of the traits she has, and I wanted to focus on the many admirable qualities she has as a person.

“So, I tried to avoid any forced gestures or voice tones, so that it doesn’t feel like a mockery.”

Calibrating craziness with Thanos

Rapper-singer Choi Seung-hyun, better known as T.O.P when he was a member of K-pop boy band BigBang, also won viewers over as Player 230 Choi Su-bong, a failed rapper who goes by the name Thanos.

The 37-year-old says the main challenge in portraying the cocky and brash antagonist was calibrating his level of instability.

“Hwang and I had a lot of talks and we agreed that we wanted to create a never-before-seen character,” says Choi, who was in the war movie 71: Into The Fire (2010).

“The direction he gave me was either to go more crazy or less crazy.

“And by acting as Thanos, I learnt how far I could push my craziness,” says the performer with a smile.

Quoting the character, he gleefully yells: “I’m so angry, man!”