Lee Byung-hun's Netflix Projects: Squid Game Season 3 and Mr. Sunshine

Lee Byung-hun's Netflix original series 'Squid Game Season 3' garnered significant attention, ranking No. 1 in all 93 countries where Netflix Top 10 is tracked during its first week. Despite its massive viewership, the series received a low audience score of 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest in the series, indicating a divided reception regarding its ending. The conclusion, particularly concerning the fate of protagonist Seong Gi-hun, sparked considerable debate.

'Squid Game Season 3' achieved 368.4 million hours of viewing time and 60.1 million views in its first week, making it the first Netflix title to top the charts in all countries in its debut week. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk revealed that an alternative ending where Gi-hun survived was considered, but the current ending was chosen to convey the message that the world does not change easily. Lee Byung-hun also starred in 'Mr. Sunshine,' a 2018 tvN historical romance drama by writer Kim Eun-sook, for which Netflix invested approximately 30 billion won in production costs.

Bloggers noted that despite the controversy surrounding 'Squid Game Season 3's ending, Lee Byung-hun's performance as the Front Man received positive reviews. Additionally, director Lee Byung-hun's 'Alice in Borderland,' which aired on Watcha, was praised for its originality and entertainment value, with some expressing regret that it wasn't released on Netflix, suggesting it could have achieved greater success.