Warning! This article contains spoilers for Squid Game season 3.
Some of the most controversial characters return inSquid Gameseason 3 and, somehow, seem even worse than one remembers them to be.Squid Game’s roster has always been jam-packed with many different characters. AlthoughSquid Gameseason 1 endedwith the death of many leads in the show, season 2 introduced a whole new set of them to mark the beginning of another line of games. While some of these characters have become fan favorites over time, others have had a relatively controversial reception since the beginning.
For instance, South Korean rapper T.O.P left many viewers divided with his portrayal ofThanos inSquid Gameseason 2. Some loved his role, claiming that his over-the-top portrayal of the pretentious character brought some much-needed levity to the otherwise serious show. Meanwhile, others complained his exaggerated performance felt a little too out of place.Squid Gameseason 3marked the return of another group of similarly controversial figures and made them seem even more polarizing than ever before.
The VIPs Play A Huge Role In Squid Game Season 3
The Overarching Villains Were Less Significant In Season 1
Despite being the main overarching antagonists inSquid Game, the VIPs first appeared almost midway throughSquid Gameseason 1. The show intentionally portrayed them as shallow, one-dimensional characters to emphasize its portrayal of the extreme class divides that exist in capitalistic societies and how the one at the top of the social hierarchy grow insensitive towards the struggles of the poor. For obvious reasons, the VIPs were not received too well by audiences.
Apart from hating them in the show’s narrative,many viewers even questioned the acting abilities of the actors portraying them. The criticism towards the actors was a little unfair, though, since they see tried their best to portray their soulless elite characters.Squid Gameseason 2 did not feature them at all, but season 3 attempts to give them a bigger role after their absence in the preceding installment, despite their divisive reception after season 1.
The VIPs Did More Than Just Watch The Games In Season 3
They Get To Pull Many A String From Behind-The-Scenes
In Squid Game season 1, the VIPs were nothing more than mere spectators of the titular games. They treated the games like a horse race, where the participants were disposable pawns of entertainment. Their perception towards theplayers inSquid Gameseason 3 does not change all that much. However, this time around, they seem more actively involved with several behind-the-scenes decisions surrounding the games.
For instance, after noticing Jun-hee’s baby during the Jump Rope game,the VIPs together come to an agreement that the child should be treated as a separate player in the games. Even though their demeanors and dialogue were heavily criticized after season 1, they seemed even more annoying and hate-worthy inSquid Gameseason 3. The characters completely disregard the struggles of the players and show no empathy towards them. They only seem to care about their own entertainment as they bring strange new changes to the games.
Squid Game Season 3 Reminded Us That The VIPs Are The Real Villains Of The Show
The Front Man, Too, Was Nothing But A Victim Of Their Insensitivity
For a long time, it was hard not to see theFront Man as the main villain inSquid Game. After his betrayal inSquid Gameseason 2’s ending, the character became even more irredeemable and hard to like. However, the VIPs' appearance in season 3 serves as a grim reminder of howthe Front Man, too, was once merely a victim of the brutal system created by the overarching villains. Like Gi-hun and the other players, he only decided to participate in the games because he thought they gave him the opportunity to turn his life around.
With its unsettling portrayal of how the VIPs do not even care about a newborn child and put the baby’s life in danger just for their entertainment, Squid Game season 3 highlights how they need to be blamed for the true rot at the heart of the games.
His circumstances gradually made him lose the little humanity left in him as he became an enforcer of the VIPs' cruel system. With its unsettling portrayal of how the VIPs do not even care about a newborn child and put the baby’s life in danger just for their entertainment, Squid Game season 3 highlights how they need to be blamed for the true rot at the heart of the games. The Front Man makes the mistake of losing his morals and upholding the games inSquid Game, but the VIPs created the twisted and unfair system that runs them.
Squid Game
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
