Latest news with #TheFrontMan
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Lee Byung-Hun on Squid Game Season 3, the global reception and starring alongside Lee Jung-jae
There is this gripping crescendo that Season 1 of the dystopian Korean thriller show Squid Game builds up to, as we ready ourselves to find out who exactly The Front Man is. A shadowy figure who is seemingly shown to oversee a series of brutal, bloody games that has 456 debt-ridden contestants battle it out for a prize pot, he walks around in a trench coat, speaks in a robotic voice and wears a chiselled black mask. The big revelation that followed proved to be the result of one of the most exciting casting coups for a TV show. A household name in South Korea and one of the earliest crossover stars to feature in expansive Hollywood projects, Lee Byung-hun's first appearance onscreen on Squid Game as the chief adversary of Lee Jung-jae, another seasoned actor, proved to be one of the biggest surprises in a show that already had much shock and awe going for it. Four years after the show first premiered, the world is now gearing up for the third and final season of Squid Game. Since its release in 2021, the show has broken several streaming records on Netflix, won Emmys and a Golden Globe, cemented its place in pop-culture (think everything from Halloween outfits to trending nursery rhymes from the show), spawned reality show spin-offs, and more. Given the themes the show deals with, the political and social discourse has also been immense; the sharp writing satirises capitalism, and holds up a mirror to working class struggles and the debt trap. Even in the middle of a whirlwind press tour in the run up to the release, Lee Byung-hun is calm, collected and all smiles as he readies to speak to The Hindu about the show, having just finished an event with the ensemble cast earlier in the day. He is seated against a backdrop of a large poster from the show featuring creepy killer doll Young-hee and another creepier boy doll. 'As you well pointed out, this character is so multifaceted that I did feel some pressure going into the show,' he says, when asked about the many complexities that riddle The Front Man. 'It was such a fascinating character and I had so much fun playing him in the show.' In Season 2 of Squid Game, Byung-hun sheds his shadowy Front Man persona and infiltrates the games as the earnest yet secretly conniving contestant Hwang In-ho(player 001), prepping to pull off the ultimate betrayal. He harkens back to his own filmography, recalling the 2012 period drama film Masquerade where he played two different characters. 'Every time I take on a role that is multidimensional like this, I find it challenging and fascinating. I had to share a lot of conversations with director Hwang Dong-hyuk,' he says of his Squid Game experience. Season 3 will once again see him take up the mantle of The Front Man to keep the games going after a failed rebellion and a heartbreaking betrayal. There is much that is at stake here for The Front Man, who has to keep simmering tensions in check, and a watchful eye on Gi-hun, player 456 (Jung-jae). Byung-hun shared considerable screentime in Season 2 with Jung-jae, the show's protagonist and his contemporary as an actor. Their forged friendship was one of the high points of the season, especially given their opposing ideals and beliefs with regard to humanness and greed simmering beneath the surface. 'Interestingly enough, this was the first time that we were acting alongside each other. Both of us are experienced as actors, and we have been acquainted with each other throughout our career, and connected as friends. This meant that we did not have to try or make a special effort to coordinate our acting, it just came naturally,' Byung-hun says. Free time between takes meant that the two would spend time catching up on everything else except the show, like enquiring about which 'gym the other person was visiting', Byung-hun laughs. While renowned for his versatile roles in iconic South Korean films such as Joint Security Area, A Bittersweet Life, I Saw The Devil, Inside Men, and this year's hit The Match, Byung-hun's K-drama roles have been memorable as well. He amassed fans worldwide with the 2018 smash-hit period drama Mr Sunshine and was more recently seen in the 2022 K-drama, Our Blues. No stranger to global audiences as well, Byung-hun has previously starred in the franchise as Storm Shadow, and was also a part of Terminator Genisys and Red 2. 'For Squid Game, the story was created by a Korean team, worked on by Korean crew members and actors, and I was blown away by the overwhelming love and support we have been receiving from across the world. The reception even exceeded what I experienced when I was a part of Hollywood blockbuster projects,' Byung-hun says. Platforms like Netflix, he says, are now proving to people that they can have an equal and fair chance to introduce their stories to every place in the world, wherever they are. 'This is a message that relates to not just the Korean film and entertainment industry but across the globe. We now live in an era where as long as we have a great story and content, we can reach out to the entire community,' he says. Adding to the chatter about a possible spin-off focussed on The Front Man, Lee Byung-hun's recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon where he expressed his support for this has pleased fans. For now, however, the final season looms large. Is anyone going to make it out of the dreaded island alive? Or will The Front Man reign? Squid Game Season 3 streams on Netflix on June 27
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Squid Game' Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk Teases 'Possibility' of a Spinoff Ahead of Final Season
Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk told PEOPLE there's a "possibility" for a spinoff of the hit Netflix series While he said there are no additional details at the moment for "when and how" it happens, he said "there is a chance" Squid Game returns for its third and final season on June 27The Squid Game universe could be expanding. Hwang Dong-hyuk — the South Korean creator and writer-director of the hit Netflix series — spoke to PEOPLE exclusively at the season 3 premiere on Wednesday, June 18, at The Plaza Hotel in New York City, where he teased that there's "possibility" of a spinoff. "I cannot just tell right now when and how it's going to happen," he said. "But there is a chance." Season 3 is set to pick up right where the previous season left off, with Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) — a.k.a. Player 456 — licking his wounds after he and some of his fellow contestants attempted an ill-fated rebellion against those running the Squid Game competition. The story left off with the players' revolt failing, Hwang In-ho (Lee Byung-hun) revealing himself as The Front Man and the murder of Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) right in front of Gi-hun. "The third and final season of Squid Game follows Gi-hun after losing his best friend in the game and being driven to utter despair by The Front Man, who was hiding his true identity to infiltrate the game," the official season 3 synopsis reads. The synopsis continues, "Gi-hun persists with his goal to put an end to the game, while the Front Man continues onto his next move and the surviving players' choices will lead to graver consequences with each round." "Why didn't you kill me? Why did you keep me alive? Why did you let me live?" Gi-hun screams in the clip as he's restrained. We also see the surviving players forced to finish out the Squid Game — including a twisted and deadly round of jump rope — that they were participating in before the rebellion. The trailer ends with Gi-hun being escorted to the control room to come face to face with The Front Man once again. "Player 456, do you still have faith in people?" The Front Man asks Gi-hun as it comes to a close. Squid Game season 3 streams June 27 on Netflix. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Squid Game star ‘nervous' for final season as trailer drops for hit series
Squid Game lead Lee Jung Jae said he was 'nervous' about the forthcoming season as Netflix dropped the final trailer of the hit series. In the trailer for the third and final season, Lee's Gi Hun, or Player 456, is still searching for answers as the games continue after his failed rebellion at the end of the second season which leads to the death of his friend Jung Bae, played by Lee Seo Hwan, at the hands of Lee Byung Hun's The Front Man. 'We are going to be releasing quite soon and I am very nervous. I know that a lot of you out there are curious about what's going to happen in season three, but all of us are more curious about how much you're going to enjoy it. So, I can't wait, I'm very nervous,' Lee told The Hollywood Reporter at Netflix's Tudum event on Saturday. Fans reacted with excitement and trepidation as they scoured the trailer for clues about whether their favourite characters would survive the games. NAMGYU FINALIST?? IM GOING TO THROW UP — namgyuHUGGER#1 (@th2ngyuri) June 1, 2025 Protect her😭😭😭 — Shrooq (@shrooq63_13) June 1, 2025 Give my babies myunggi and junhee their happy ending that's all I'm asking for — 𝑳𝒆𝒂 || STREAM TILT (@reveswan_) June 1, 2025 my honest reaction after watching the trailer for Squid Game 3: — 𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐀(𝐣𝐮𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞) (@ANN_R1ZUN4) June 2, 2025 The second season of Squid Game was watched a record-breaking 68 million times in the first four days after its launch on Netflix on Boxing Day. Its viewership in premiere week beat that of Jenna Ortega thriller Wednesday, which had raked up 50.1 million views on release in 2022. Squid Games follows hundreds of cash-strapped people as they compete in deadly games for a life-changing sum of money, and their lives. 'Can Squid Game capture lightning in a bottle for a second time? Well, yes and no. It is impossible to replicate the shock of that first outing, and Hwang Dong Hyuk does well not to try. Instead, his script finds the horror in witnessing the brutality again, through the eyes of Lee Jung Jae who returns in his Emmy-winning lead role,' Annabel Nugent noted in a four-star review of the second season for The Independent. 'As reluctant hero Seong Gi Hun, he's easy to root for – all weary-eyed empathy and straight-arrow justice.' The third season is set to release on 27 June.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix Reveals New Trailer for Squid Game Season 3: Watch
The post Netflix Reveals New Trailer for Squid Game Season 3: Watch appeared first on Consequence. Netflix revealed the full trailer for Squid Game Season 3 during its Tudum fan event on Saturday, May 31st. Watch the clip below. The third and final season of the international hit will feature the return of Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) alongside familiar faces like The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), as well as several players introduced in Season 2: Myung-gi, Dae-ho, Hyun-ju, Yong-sik, Geum-ja, Jun-hee, Min-su, and Nam-gyu. The new trailer finds Gi-hun back in the game after Season 2's rebellion, unsure why he's been allowed to live. But the answer may have something to do with The Front Man's plans for him, as 'Player 456' finds himself getting closer than ever before to the ones running the games. Because, as the trailer text says, 'all games come to an end.' Squid Game remains Netflix's most popular show to date. Season 1 holds the record for the streamer's most popular non-English TV show overall with 265.2 million views (as of May 5th, 2025), while Season 2 made its own mark by breaking the record for most views for a show in its premiere week. Revisit our deep dive into all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into dubbing Squid Game into English. Squid Game Season 3 premieres June 27th on Netflix. Popular Posts King of the Hill Revival Gets Hulu Release Date, New Opening Sequence Man Wearing Nazi T-Shirt Gets a Beatdown from Fans at Punk Rock Bowling Fest Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence Are Now In-Laws David Lynch's Personal Archive Going Up for Auction Dave Mustaine: Metallica Stole "Enter Sandman" Riff from Another Band Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening Announces Summer 2025 North American Tour Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
Independent Singapore
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
'Squid Game' Season 3 premieres June 27 with new brutal twists and final showdown
KOREA: The teaser poster, trailer, and stills for Squid Game Season 3 have been revealed by Netflix, increasing anticipation for the last round of its deadly competition, as reported by Allkpop . The last season will focus on Gi-hun as he jumps back into the game. This time, it's really personal for him because he's on a mission, and sadly, he's lost his best friend along the way. Also, viewers will see 'The Front Man' going undercover, sneaking into the game with a secret identity. Plus, the people who made it through the previous games will be back, facing their final destiny. In the teaser poster, Gi-hun (Lee Jung Jae) stands among pink-ribboned coffins while staring ahead with a determined look. Losing a friend After a failed uprising cost him his closest ally, Jeong-bae (Lee Seo Hwan) and fellow candidates, his look conveys the anger and grief he feels. Seeing the row of coffins and the tagline 'the final game for 45.6 billion won' makes you wonder how the contestants go through the challenges to emerge as the winner. It definitely amps up the suspense and makes you even more curious about how it's all going to play out. At the start of the teaser, a scene shows the Pink Guards carrying a coffin into one of the dorm rooms, with cheerful music in the background. Gi-hun wakes up, and that is when the story begins. And the very first thing you're thinking is, 'Whose coffin is that?!' It just throws you right into the mystery of what's going to happen. We also get a glimpse of the contestants picking coloured balls and then they bump into each other in this maze-like area, which definitely suggests some new and twisty games are coming our way this season. Game becomes more intense The game appears to be coming to a close as a scene featuring a lavish banquet for the VIPs, which was not present in Season 2, is shown. Contestants face extreme emotions as the game becomes more intense. In the teaser, Jun-ho (Wi Ha Joon) continues to find the game's location while No-eul (Park Gyu Young), a Pink Guard, surveys the grounds alone for unknown reasons. Adding all these new elements to the story in the third season definitely makes it way more exciting and unpredictable. One wonders about Jun-hee (Jo Yu Ri), who is pregnant, as the sound of a baby crying in the trailer gives a glimpse of it. How will she handle being part of the dangerous games? It adds a whole new layer of concern for her character. Characters' changing dynamics The characters' changing dynamics following the rebellion are further hinted at by the still shots. One depicts Gi-hun sobbing while being held by the Pink Guards, expressing his suffering. On the other hand, The Front Man (Lee Byung Hun), who was 001 Young-il's competitor before taking over the game, is confident and teases a potential confrontation with Gi-hun. Seeing the remaining survivors – Myeong-gi, Dae-ho, Hyun-joo, Yong-sik, Geum-ja, Jun-hee, Seon-nyeo, Min-soo, and Nam-gyu – looking so scared and worn out really hits you. You can just see the toll it's all taking on them. At this point, it's anyone's guess who will actually make it through to the end. Netflix Korea also dropped a picture of Jun-ho, who was hooked up to an oxygen tank by the sea. This definitely makes you wonder if he's actually tracked down the island where all the games are happening. Another still shows No-eul without her mask on and seems to be in the middle of a confrontation. It appears that she might have broken one of the Pink Guard's rules. A brand-new game may be in the works as the final image shows the contestants gathering in an enigmatic chamber with a door that looks like a keyhole and a knife. This adds anticipation to the viewers. This coming June 27, look forward to the Squid Game Season 3 premiere on Netflix.
