Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of Netflix's megahit "Squid Game," is shutting down speculation that the third season's final scene was designed to launch a US spinoff.

The finale ended with a tense moment between the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and a mysterious American recruiter, played by Cate Blanchett in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo.

While the surprise appearance of an English-speaking recruiter sparked talk of a continuation in the US, Hwang told The Hollywood Reporter that wasn't his goal. "I didn't end it on that note in order to deliberately leave room for further stories to happen," he said. "Gi-hun and Front Man, through these characters, the Games in Korea have ended."

Instead, Hwang said the ending was meant to highlight how deep-rooted these violent systems are. "Even if one comes down, it's not easy to dismantle the whole system – it will always repeat itself," he explained. "That's why I wanted to end it with an American recruiter."

Blanchett's Surprise Appearance

Blanchett's role wasn't just stunt casting. Hwang initially debated who should portray the recruiter but ultimately felt a female figure would better contrast with the Korean version. "Having a woman who's a recruiter for the American system would be a nice contrast and also quite a powerful, impactful element," he said. "There's only one line, so we needed someone who had that level of presence and charisma... That naturally led me to Cate Blanchett."

The casting wasn't meant to lead into a new series, but rather leave a powerful impact. "I wrote that scene wanting an impactful ending for the show, not in order to open rooms for anything else," he clarified.

A Message Through Gi-hun

Hwang also confirmed that Gi-hun's death was not always the planned conclusion. "I thought the person who witnesses the American recruiter woman would be Gi-hun," he said. "But as I began writing the story, and as I began to think more and more about, 'What do I want to deliver with the ending of this story?' And also, 'What should Gi-hun's journey and what should his destination be?'"

And the unfinished final line – "Humans are..." – was meant to provoke reflection. "I came to the conclusion that we cannot define what humans are," he said. "Rather than saying what humans are, I believe his actions have shown what he believes."

The final season of "Squid Game" is now streaming on Netflix.

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