Squid Game Season 3: Why Geum-ja stabbed her own son – The devastating truth explained

Squid Game Season 3 has left fans heartbroken, and at the center of its most painful moment is the tragic story of Geum-ja and her son Yong-sik. What starts as a tale of a mother's selflessness turns into one of the most emotionally gut-wrenching plot twists in the TV series.

Geum-ja, an older contestant who joined the games to help clear her son’s debts, quickly became a fan favorite. Her warmth, wisdom, and protective nature made her stand out in a room full of desperate players.

But what viewers didn’t see coming was that the greatest threat to her child wouldn’t come from another contestant. It would come from herself. In Episode 2 of Squid Game Season 3, Geum-ja makes an unthinkable decision. When her son Yong-sik begins losing control during a deadly round of Hide-and-Seek, she chooses to stab him.

Her reason? To protect Jun-hee, a pregnant player, and her newborn baby, who had no way of defending themselves. In that moment, Geum-ja sacrificed the one person she loved the most to preserve innocent life. It was brutal. It was horrifying. But it was, in her eyes, the only choice left.

Keep reading to dive deep into one of the final season's shocking moments.

Geum-ja and Yong-sik in Squid Game Season 3

The relationship between Geum-ja and Yong-sik in Squid Game Season 3 begins as a rare sight: a family inside the games. Geum-ja, much older than most contestants, joined out of desperation to save her son from the consequences of his gambling.

Despite his mistakes, she stood by him. She also formed deep bonds with fellow players, including Jun-hee, a pregnant woman, and Hyun-ju, a trans woman who looked after her during the rounds. Yong-sik, however, started to break under the weight of the game.

As the tension grew, so did his inner conflict. His mother remained loyal, but even she noticed a shift in his behavior. The situation worsened during the Hide-and-Seek round, which divided players into hunters and prey. Yong-sik ended up with the hunters, while Geum-ja and Jun-hee were among the ones being hunted.

It was in that round that everything came crashing down. The son she risked everything for was now seconds away from harming a helpless baby.

Also Read: Squid Game Season 3: Thanos’ return isn’t what it seems – Explained

Geum-ja's unthinkable decision in Squid Game Season 3

In one of the most emotionally heavy scenes of Squid Game Season 3, Yong-sik corners Jun-hee and her newborn during the deadly Hide-and-Seek challenge. While he hesitates, torn between his humanity and the game’s demands, Geum-ja sees what must be done.

She pleads with him, but her words fall on deaf ears. Realizing the danger, she makes a split-second decision: she stabs him from behind, ensuring he can’t harm anyone. As if the moment wasn’t tragic enough, Yong-sik is then executed by the guards, marking a brutal end to their journey.

Geum-ja is left shattered. That night, unable to cope with the weight of her actions, she takes her own life. Her last request is simple yet powerful: protect Jun-hee and the child. This moment didn’t just break the hearts of viewers. It added a painful layer to the already dark reality of Squid Game Season 3.

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Also Read: Squid Game Season 3: What Happened to Player 222 and her baby? Their fates explored

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