‘Squid Game’ Star Lee Jung-Jae Talks Casting, Gi-Hun And Season 3

Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae might be one of the busiest actors at the moment. I interviewed him at Netflix’s New York City office in early June, shortly after he’d participated in Netflix’s Tudum fan event in Los Angeles and right before he was scheduled to fly back to Seoul. From Seoul he would travel to London, then back to New York City for the U.S. premiere of Squid Game, then back to Seoul—all to promote the highly anticipated third and final season of Squid Game.

When our interview starts, I mention that I saw him just a few days prior at the Los Angeles Tudum event, where he and his Squid Game castmates took to the stage to introduce season 3 and even taught the audience how to count down in Korean. Surely that moment felt special to Koreans and many members of the Korean diaspora (including me), so I ask him whose idea that was.

“I think that was Netflix’s idea. Netflix seems to really pay attention to that kind of thing,” Lee says in Korean. “When it comes to Korean content, they seem to consistently suggest using Korean whenever possible.”

His answer isn’t surprising at all, considering how much the streamer has been investing in Korean titles, which are hands-down some of its most popular content. The day before our interview, Netflix had launched its “Welcome to Your K-Era” campaign video featuring Martha Stewart, Lil Yachty and T.O.P bonding over their shared love of Korean culture. As if watching Stewart engage with a bevy of Netflix K-content wasn’t enough, the campaign also included billboards in Los Angeles and New York City that were written only in Korean.

How Lee Jung-Jae Was Cast In Squid Game

However, just five years ago, no one could’ve predicted that millions of people around the world would soon be regularly bingeing South Korean shows on Netflix—or that the streamer’s biggest show ever would be a dystopian thriller from a tiny country roughly the size of Indiana. In fact, when Lee first received a casting offer to be in Squid Game, his agency wanted him to turn it down.

“I personally enjoyed reading the script, but my agency thought the content was a bit strange,” he says, laughing. “Also, Netflix wasn’t as established in South Korea back then. Netflix Korea was just starting to try things out and putting in a lot of effort, but it wasn’t like now when so many people are subscribed and watching. So my agency suggested that I stick to more traditional films or linear TV shows. They weren’t too enthusiastic about it.”

Lee admits that he too found the script to be unconventional. “I had always liked Director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s work,” he says. “I thought all his past projects—from his early films to his latest—were excellent. But when I read the script for Squid Game, it felt completely different from all of his previous stuff. I thought it was so strange that he wrote something like this!”

But Lee—a veteran actor with over three decades of success starring in numerous Korean blockbusters like Sandglass, New World and the Along with the Gods franchise—knew to trust his gut. “There’s a death game and a lot of scenarios that couldn’t happen in everyday life, but within that story, you could see humanity and our society reflected. And I thought, This is actually meaningful. So I said, ‘Yes, I’ll do it.’”

And as they say, the rest is history.

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On Gi-Hun’s Transformation From Squid Game Season 1 to Squid Game Seasons 2 And 3

In Squid Game Lee plays the protagonist Seong Gi-hun, a divorced father and gambling addict who enters the games for a chance to pay off his debts, pay for his mother’s medical treatment and provide for his daughter. After winning the cash prize in the first season, Gi-hun reenters the deadly games in season 2 to end them once and for all. He’s a drastically changed man, much more somber and hardened than his character from the first season.

To Lee, Seong Gi-hun’s transformation felt only natural as he was portraying the character. “Having experienced such unbelievable violence and brutality in season 1, there’s no way that Gi-hun could go back to being the way he was before,” Lee says.

Yet although Gi-hun has lost his goofy cheerfulness and optimism by the end of the first season, one thing remains intact: his conscience. “Gi-hun has such a clean and pure conscience,” says Lee. “That’s why many viewers really loved him in season 1 and rooted for him. Even though Gi-hun isn’t particularly smart or strong, I think many people liked his character because of his heart.”

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Ultimately, it’s Gi-hun’s conscience that drives him to rejoin the games and that serves as both the starting point and impetus for the second season. “Instead of going to his daughter, he decides he needs to stop the games. He thinks, There might still be people out there dying because of this, so I have to put an end to it,” Lee says. “I think that good conscience of his—the part of him that realizes that he just can’t accept the prize money and go live a happy, normal life with his daughter—is why the audience was rooting for him again (in season 2).”

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How Squid Game Explores Humanity

The unprecedented global success of Squid Game can be partly attributed to its insightful commentary on society and human nature. Critics and fans have praised the show for tackling issues like economic inequality, greed, friendship and betrayal. Lee shares that for him, the overarching theme of humanity is especially significant.

“I think one of the most important themes running through seasons 1, 2 and 3 is the question of how far we can go before we lose our humanity—and to what extent we can hold on to it,” he says. “Is it okay to kill someone to get that cash prize? How far am I willing to go to preserve my humanity? Do I have the humanity that I think I have? Would I able to summon up my courage, even in the face of death? It’s a show that brings up these kinds of questions incessantly, and I think that’s why viewers of all ages and from different cultures have responded with so many questions, interpretations and theories.”

Much of the series’ compelling plot boils down to the choices the characters make, whether it’s Gi-hun deciding to return to the games instead of boarding a plane bound for the U.S., or players voting whether to proceed with the games.

“There are characters who choose to kill in order to get the money, and others who think, How could I possibly kill someone for money? And so they can’t bring themselves to do it. In our society, there are many people who, even in similar situations, end up making very different choices. So it feels like what you see in the games is a condensed version of the real world,” says Lee.

Lee On Saying Goodbye To His Squid Game Character Seong Gi-Hun

With Squid Game coming to an end with its third and final season, I ask Lee how it feels to part with a character and a series that have brought him even greater global recognition and earned him a slew of international awards, including an Emmy and a SAG award. His answer is both thoughtful and humble, and perhaps perfectly fitting for a seasoned actor who’s taken on countless roles in Korean film and TV over the past 32 years.

“Actors are always destined to meet their characters and then eventually let them go—that’s just the nature of the life we live,” he says. “Fate has given me many projects over the years, but as time passes, those works and characters gradually fade from memory. I’ve experienced this for a very long time, so even though Squid Game and the character Seong Gi-hun are receiving so much love and support right now, I can’t help but think that soon, they too will be forgotten.”

When I promptly interject to inform him that I don’t think Squid Game will be forgotten anytime soon, he laughs and appears to acknowledge that, given the show’s global appreciation, it might continue to be remembered fondly by fans.

“Of course, I’d be really happy with people remembering the themes that our show explored. It’s also great if you just enjoyed it as entertainment and thought it was fun, or if you found it to be original. We’d be very grateful if fans remembered it in any of those ways,” he says.

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What Viewers Can Expect From Squid Game Season 3

So with Squid Game season 3 premiering on Friday, June 27th, what should fans expect from this season?

“Well, there are some recurring themes, but also new ones being introduced. Since there are new games and new characters in season 3, the themes naturally shift a bit,” Lee says. “That’s one of the show’s strengths—the games aren’t repetitive, and neither are the emotions. When a story becomes repetitive, it can get boring, right? But the director wrote the script in such a way that you don’t feel that at all. So I think each season—1, 2, and 3—will feel distinctly different in tone and style. That’s what I’m hoping viewers will experience.”

Will There Be Another Season Of Squid Game?

As our interview draws to a close, I ask him if he has any regrets about Squid Game.

He pauses for a while before responding. “Hmm… It would be nice if there were more seasons,” he answers with a laugh. “Like a season 4 and maybe 5.”

“Wait, really?” I ask.

“Yeah. You know, even during season 1, the director said there would never be a season 2 or 3, so who knows what will happen,” Lee says, laughing. “He’s saying there won’t be one now, but even during season 1, he firmly said there wouldn’t be another season. But then he went on to make seasons 2 and 3. So really, you never know!”

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Many thanks to Lee Jung-jae for taking the time to chat about Squid Game!

Squid Game season 3 premieres on Netflix on June 27th.

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