Squid Game season 3 'Jack and Jill' game theory explained

2 January 2025, 12:06

Will Squid Game season 3 include a 'Jack and Jill' game? Picture: Netflix

By Katie Louise Smith

Several theories have gone viral at TikTok suggesting Squid Game season 3 will include a 'Jack and Jill' game involving the Young-hee and Cheol-su dolls.

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Could Squid Game season 3 be about to introduce a deadly version of the Jack and Jill game? Thanks to season 2's mid-credits scene, fans are now theorising about the new game involving the Young-hee doll and her boyfriend Cheol-su...

After seven intense episodes, Squid Game season 2 draws to a dramatic close leaving fans on quite the cliffhanger. For those that stick around after the first batch of credits, there's a very brief sneak peak at Squid Game season 3.

The clip shows players walking into the arena with two giant dolls looming over them and a train crossing sign with red and green lights.

So far, no details have been revealed about the game but theories have now starting circulating on TikTok and people are convinced that players will have to take part in a 'Jack and Jill' game in order to survive the next round.

What exactly is the Jack and Jill game? And who are Young-hee and Cheol-su in South Korean culture? Here's everything we know, and what fans think will happen next.

Read more: Is there more episodes of Squid Game? Here's why season 2 is so short
Read more: Squid Game season 3 release date window confirmed by creator

Will Squid Game season 3 include a Jack and Jill game? The viral theory explained

Squid Game season 2 spoilers ahead! Picture: Netflix

Who are Young-hee and Cheol-su in Squid Game? Who is the boy doll?

Squid Game viewers will already know Young-hee from season 1's Red Light Green Light game. She also makes her grand return in season 2. Cheol-su is the boy doll who can be seen in the season 2 credits scene. He will feature in season 3.

Young-hee and Cheol-su are based on two characters from Korean student books. During an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show back in 2021, Jung Ho-yeon (who played Sae-byeok) explained that she knew the two characters from her education.

According to Koreaboo, 'Younghee' and 'Chulsoo' were two best friends who were seen in textbooks from the '70s and '80s. The two characters are said to represent the power of childhood memories, and Cheol-su is said to be the trouble maker.

Their western counterpart is Jack and Jill, which is where the season 3 game theory has come from.

Who is the boy doll in Squid Game season 2? Picture: Netflix

What is the Jack and Jill game?

Over on TikTok, fans have already started theorising about how Young-hee and Cheol-su will factor into season 3's first game.

Several viral videos, including one with 10.2 million views posted by user @xclogic, have now sparked a massive theory that the two dolls will be part of a game based on the 'Jack and Jill' board game.

According to Board Game Geek, the object of the game is to be the first player to climb their hill and reach the well.

Players start at the bottom of their hill and have to roll the coloured dice to climb to the top, moving to the next space with that colour. Players then spin a wheel and if it points to a well, they stay on their spot and the next player goes. If it points to a bucket, the player has to go back to the start and wait their turn. To win the game, the player must reach the top and spin the wheel to point to the well.

However, nothing has been confirmed and there's several other details that suggest it could be a completely different game entirely.

Squid Game season 3 will continue on with the games from season 2. Picture: Netflix

Will the 'Jack and Jill' game be in Squid Game season 3?

While it's a very plausible theory, and one that would make for an absolutely brutal game, there's several key factors that point towards it not being a game based on 'Jack and Jill'.

First of all, the games themselves are based on simple Korean childhood games that players already know how to play. Several of the games are also played across the world under different names. Jegi, for example, is the traditional Korean version of hacky sack or footbag.

The Jack and Jill game, however, is not a classic Korean game. It's based on a western nursery rhyme and it's also a board game, not a playground game.

What is the game in the Squid Game season 2 credit scene? Picture: Netflix

The other detail that hints at something else entirely is the inclusion of the red and green lights below a Railroad Crossing sign in the game arena.

Could Young-hee and Cheol-su's next game actually just be an even more advanced version of Red Light Green Light with two sets of lights happening at once?

Viewers are also starting to theorise that it could be a twisted version of The Trolley Problem in which players will have to decide whether to kill one person and save five people, or kill five people and save one person.

Hwang Dong-hyuk has teased that it's set to be the "most exciting game in season 3" so we'll just have to wait and see what those terrifying dolls have got cookin'.