Lee Jung-jae Breaks Down Gi-hun’s Death, Harsh Diet

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains major spoilers from the “Squid Game” series finale, now streaming on Netflix.

Lee Jung-jae‘s Seong Gi-hun has always been the beating heart of “Squid Game,” and his ultimate sacrifice allows the dour finale to have a flash of humanity shine through.

Lee spoke with Variety about the day he learned Player 456’s fate, his conversations with “Squid Game” creator Hwang Dong-hyuk about the series finale and his hopes for Gi-hun’s daughter.

What are your thoughts on the ending now that it’s out in the world?

Now that it’s all been released, I think the ending was definitely something that a lot of the audience didn’t expect to see. I know there are a lot of people with a wide variety of different opinions about the ending, and I’m following up on all of them. I know a lot of you like to express what you thought about the ending on social media, so I’m trying to check all of them.

What were your initial feelings when you first learned how the show was going to end?

I got the entire script for Seasons 2 and 3 at the same time, and I read everything the day that I got it. That’s when I learned about my character’s fate and the ending. I was very shocked too, because it was not something I had expected to see. I remember speaking a lot about this ending with Director Hwang, and I asked him, “Did you have different endings in mind? Were there different versions?” And he told me that he did think of other endings. However, he did share with me that he believed this was the right way to end the story of “Squid Game.” He also shared with me that I shouldn’t look at Gi-hun’s sacrifice as just simply a sacrifice itself, but what if we could look at it as something that shows or symbolizes hope for humanity?

Your last words are so powerful, and they’re also cut off, which is unique and leaves interpretation for the audience. What does it make you feel when you look back on those last words we hear from your character?

That was part of the many conversations between the director and me, and we thought a lot about how the audience was going to respond to Gi-hun making his choice before he finishes what he was saying. I remember, even on the day that we shot that sequence, I believe a lot was going through his mind. I think he was also considering a different version of Gi-hun finishing what he was saying. I was also thinking a lot about different versions of that, too. But I believe Director Hwang wanted the audience to finish the sentence in their own way and in their own interpretation. I believe he designed the scene and the sequence so that the end of the sentence belongs to all of the audience, and they are the ones who will finish it with their own emotions and their own journey.

What was the most challenging scene for you to film this season?

Of course, it was that very last scene, that last moment of Gi-hun. I had been on a very strict diet for about 14 months leading up to that point. Especially for the last two months, I was on an extremely harsh diet compared to before we shot the series. I had lost about 10 kilograms from my regular weight. I really wanted to make sure that not only did I express Gi-hun’s emotions, but I also wanted the audience to know just how completely dry and depleted he was just by looking at him. I also remember we had to shoot that last moment for a very long time. It took a lot longer than you might expect on that filming day. That was the only scene we were able to shoot, so it was extremely important and also very challenging.

What are your hopes for Gi-hun’s daughter? Do you think she discovers the truth about what happened? Do you think she makes it her mission to take down the L.A. games?

Thinking about the “Squid Game” storyline, I would like to see Gi-hun’s daughter dismantle the entire system. But on a personal note, I hope she doesn’t learn anything about the truth of it all. I hope she doesn’t know anything about her dad. I just wish she would live a very happy and stable life with her stepdad and mom.

This interview was conducted through an interpreter and has been edited and condensed for clarity.