As Netflix’s Squid Game returns for its third season, viewers around the world are once again drawn into a dystopian world where desperate individuals risk their lives in deadly competitions. But beyond the show's gripping plot and social commentary, some Christian observers are asking deeper questions about the spiritual hunger behind its themes.
In a recent column for Christianity Today, Michelle Park explores Squid Game: Season 3 through a biblical lens, arguing that the show’s narrative highlights not only societal decay but also a deeper, often unspoken, yearning for redemption and trust.
“In a world where betrayal is expected and trust is punished,” Park writes, “the series reveals a spiritual vacuum that no amount of money or survival can fill.”
A Mirror of Modern Isolation
Park suggests that Season 3 presents a more fractured and isolating environment than its predecessors. Unlike earlier seasons where cooperation occasionally emerged, the new episodes portray a setting in which players no longer even pretend to trust one another. This shift, she says, reflects broader cultural patterns of polarization and self-preservation.
“The games are no longer just metaphors for capitalism,” she notes. “They now resemble a spiritual battlefield—one where people grasp for meaning but find only manipulation.”
Faith Without Hope?
Certain scenes in the new season portray rituals, superstitions, and manipulative faith practices that Park identifies as symbolic of a society clinging to religion without relationship. While these moments stop short of directly critiquing faith, they nonetheless suggest a public imagination where belief is transactional, and God is silent.
“The religious imagery in Squid Game is empty, even haunted,” Park writes. “It points to a hunger for transcendence, but offers no path toward it.”
The False Savior and the Real One
In one pivotal episode, the protagonist chooses to sacrifice his chance at victory for the sake of another, evoking comparisons to Christ-like self-giving. But Park cautions against conflating fictional martyrdom with gospel truth.
“Unlike the cross, which redeems through divine love,” she explains, “the show’s version of sacrifice emerges from despair, not hope.”
For Park, this distinction underscores the need for Christians to engage pop culture not just as consumers, but as interpreters—ready to name the difference between imitation grace and the real thing.
Cultural Relevance and Gospel Opportunity
The massive popularity of Squid Game, especially among younger viewers, presents both a challenge and an opportunity for Christian communities. Rather than condemning the series outright, Park encourages believers to enter the conversation with compassion and clarity.
“This isn’t just a show about violence,” she writes. “It’s a global expression of longing—for justice, for connection, for something beyond survival. That’s where the gospel still speaks.”
Squid Game: Season 3 premiered globally on June 28 and is currently trending in the top 10 across multiple countries.
*This article is based on the original article by Christianity Today.
