Actor Yim Siwan expressed his desire to stop playing villain roles and shared his honest feelings after wrapping up "Squid Game 3."

On the 2nd, an interview with Yim Siwan, the lead actor of the Netflix series "Squid Game" Season 3, was conducted at a cafe in Sokgyeok-dong, Seoul.

"Squid Game 3" depicts Gi-hun, who re-enters the game with his own objectives only to lose his best friend, and the Front Man, who infiltrates the game while hiding his identity, as well as the final fates of the participants who survive the brutal games. Season 1 premiered in September 2021, sparking a global phenomenon and breaking viewership records, captivating audiences worldwide. Season 2 was released in December 2024, culminating in this final series.

"Squid Game 3" recorded 60,100,000 views just three days after its release, maintaining the top spot in Netflix's Top 10 in all 93 countries, including South Korea, the United States, Japan, France, and Brazil. This made it the first Netflix original to top the charts in all countries during its opening week, proving its monumental success. Additionally, it entered the ninth spot in Netflix's all-time series (non-English) ranking during the first week of release, with Seasons 1, 2, and 3 all making the top 10 in the all-time most popular series (non-English) category. Furthermore, Season 2 ranked third and Season 1 sixth in the global Top 10 based on view counts from the past week, demonstrating the significant interest from fans worldwide.

Yim Siwan plays the role of Myung-ki, participant number 333, a YouTuber who causes significant losses for both himself and his subscribers due to poor investments while running a cryptocurrency investment broadcast. Myung-ki is also the ex-boyfriend of another participant, Jun-hee (played by Jo Yuri), who learns that she is pregnant and makes efforts to escape together. Over the course of the series, he transforms into a villain and becomes the ultimate antagonist.

Yim Siwan stated, "Myung-ki is receiving a lot of backlash, but I've often heard that receiving a lot of criticism as a character is a blessing. So, I'm trying to view it positively and experience the criticism pleasantly." He added, "I feel like he's a much worse villain compared to Thanos or Nam-kyu. I think there were various types of criticisms directed at him," eliciting laughter.

When asked if he agrees with the assessment of being the worst villain, he said, "I didn't agree while filming. I thought the embodiment of absolute evil was Thanos or Nam-kyu. So, during filming, the director's guidance was confusing because I didn't think that way," he said, adding, "I tried to decipher the director's directions, but when I saw the results, I thought ‘Ah, even if I'm not a karma or a villain, I would still be the most disliked’."

Regarding the difference between Myung-ki and his actual self, he commented, "There's a lot of difference. Myung-ki would be unpleasant to compare with.(laughs) Rather than understanding Myung-ki as a good or bad character, I approached him as a cowardly and 'loser' figure. He thinks he is smart, but ultimately, his dominant feeling is that of a coward or a loser, which provides justification for his actions. Looking for common ground with Myung-ki, it seems that he has a lot of fear inside him too.

Yim Siwan added, "I never thought of Myung-ki as absolute evil, nor did I think he was simply bad. He was problematic due to his cunning, which led to bad outcomes, but at least his feelings toward Jun-hee were sincere. I approached the filming with that mindset."

He picked the scene 'the baby throwing scene' as the most shocking moment while acting. "The scene where he has to decide whether or not to throw a baby was very shocking. I wouldn't want to face that scene again. Personally, it was a scene I didn't want to encounter. Preparing for such a scene requires emotional readiness, and it brought up feelings I didn't want to address," he analyzed his character, stating, "Ultimately, Myung-ki wouldn't think he could throw the baby. He wouldn't have had the intention to harm the child. Though it is an unthinkable action, in that situation, he would be scheming.

He noted that he was extremely careful about spoilers before the release, saying, "Now I've encountered a new phase.(laughs) Previously, I was in a position where I was busy defending myself, but now, if I want, I can share all the endings anywhere. I can tell them 'special appearance by Cate Blanchett.' The situation has changed."

When asked about his feelings on topping charts in 93 countries, he said, "Today, I heard about being number one on set. It’s a grateful feeling that a project I've appeared in is receiving global interest. With that, I think Myung-ki will attract a lot more criticism.(laughs) If I’m going to be criticized anyway, it wouldn’t be bad to be criticized a lot. That’s the mindset I have," he added with a bright smile.

As Yim Siwan's global recognition has grown due to the "Squid Game" series, his idol past has also been revealed to overseas fans. Recently, a video surfaced of him dancing with the members from his time in Empire’s Children. The post's author noted, "Ultimately, the truth was dug up. Overseas fans are in chaos," adding, "Please explain this situation in the video."

In response, Yim Siwan remarked, "If they are going to look for it, I would prefer if they showed interest in my normal dancing and singing instead," expressing, "I lived my life earnestly," bringing laughter.

To the question of whether he has any recommendations from his past works now that overseas fans have increased, he replied, "Since they've seen the Myung-ki character, I hope they'll check out 'Run On' too. Unlike Myung-ki, it features a righteous character, and after watching 'Squid Game,' I think it could be a character and work that provides a sense of redemption. So please don't just watch those on the dark web," he added with a smile.

After Season 2 was released, Yim Siwan, whose personal social media following increased by over 1 million, mentioned that this Season 3 feels different. He said, "I see that messages are coming in and Instagram followers are increasing, but I think the intention is different this time. I feel like they came to my Instagram to criticize me after watching Season 3. Messages come in not only in Korean and English but also in other languages, and I don’t want to translate them," he confessed, eliciting laughter.

Yim Siwan has been portraying villain roles in works such as 'Emergency Declaration,' 'I Just Dropped My Smartphone,' and 'Squid Game,' stating, "I want to stop now. That thought hasn’t changed, and it became firmer while filming 'Squid Game.' If possible, I want to appeal a softer or virtuous side rather than being a villain.”

[Photo] Provided by Netflix.

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