On Friday, June 27, 2025, global audiences were treated to two very different, yet equally gripping releases: “Squid Game: Season 3”, the final chapter of Netflix’s Korean survival series, and “Ms Kanyin,” a supernatural thriller from Nigeria that debuted on Prime Video.
A Baby Wins the Game
After months of anticipation, Squid Game returned for its final season, closing a story that began in 2021.
Set once again in the shadow of a deadly competition, Season 3 raises the stakes beyond individual survival.
Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), once a reluctant participant, now reenters the game with one aim: to bring it down. But the six-episode run does not lead him to victory but leads him to self-sacrifice.
Unexpectedly, the winner of the final round, titled Sky Squid Game, is a newborn baby. Jun-hee (Jo Yuri), a mother and player, gives birth during the game and later dies protecting her child. Gi-hun steps in to defend the infant, eventually choosing to end his life so the baby can live and win.
“I believe we have the responsibility to leave a better world for the next generation,” said creator Hwang Dong-hyuk in an interview with Netflix’s Tudum. “The baby represents hope.”
Critics described the finale as both “moving” and “unforgiving.” Decider called it “violent and focused,” while Vulture noted it “ends on a deeply human, but cynical note.”
A surprise cameo by Cate Blanchett as a recruiter in Los Angeles, hinted a new chapter for the franchise in the form of a planned English-language spinoff.
The season has received an 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with most reviews praising the emotional depth of Gi-hun’s arc and the bleak but intentional conclusion.
As Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) flees the collapsing game world, he leaves Jun-hee’s baby along with the prize money in the care of his brother, closing the Korean story but opening doors to more.
Ms Kanyin: A Spirit Walks the Hallways
While Squid Game explored death through humans insatiable needs, Ms Kanyin finds horror in a myth. Also released on June 27, Ms Kanyin tells the story of a boarding school plagued by a ghost bound to a long-forgotten rule. Drawing from the popular “Madam Koi Koi” urban myth, the film uses a simple model girls’ school setting.
The Prime Video original stars Temi Otedola as Amara, a bright but rebellious student and Michelle Dede as the mysterious Ms Kanyin, a teacher whose presence signals doom. Set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s moral codes, the film doesn’t rely on jump scares alone, but mystery.
According to early YouTube reviewers, the tension builds “with precision.”
On X (formerly Twitter), viewers praised the film’s ambition. “Ms Kanyin on Prime Video is such a good watch,” wrote user @ugoccie, adding, “Kudos to the team that pulled off such a beautiful movie.”
Though critical reviews are still emerging, The Nollywood Reporter commended the film for “tapping into shared folklore with restraint and style.”
In a nutshell, the film is a strong entry into Nigeria’s growing supernatural genre, following titles like Ile Owo and The Origin: Madam Koi Koi.
