Squid Game 3: New York Premiere & Activation

Client

Year

2025

The Context

Immersing Fans in the World of Squid Game

To build excitement for the final season of Squid Game, MATTE partnered with Netflix to create a one-day activation at Domino Park. The event transformed the park into a cinematic arena, immersing fans in the series’ high-stakes world and celebrating the climactic conclusion of the cultural phenomenon.

The Approach

Designing Suspense in Real Time

MATTE utilized cinematic storytelling and environmental design to craft a playground mirroring the series’ visual tension. Iconic scenic builds, spatial audio, and actors enhanced immersion, while interactive challenges kept fans physically and emotionally engaged. Complementary elements, such as Korean food trucks and exclusive merchandise, created a holistic experience that honored the show’s impact and provided fans with a tangible connection to the Squid Game universe. Every element worked together to deliver a live, adrenaline-charged experience, immersing players and spectators in the show’s unmistakable atmosphere.

The Outcome

Bringing the Endgame to Life

Domino Park was transformed into a fully realized extension of the Squid Game universe. Fans competed in signature challenges, with the presence of iconic characters and immersive environments heightening the stakes. Surprise appearances by Lee Byung-hun and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk created moments of genuine connection and excitement. The event deepened fan engagement by delivering a tangible, shared experience that echoed the show’s psychological intensity, marking the moment where storytelling, design, and community converged in real time.

The activation

For one day only, Domino Park became something else entirely—a live wire between fiction and reality. Players moved through a dystopian playground inspired by Squid Game’s final season, facing off in fan-ready versions of Mingle, Pentathlon, and the all-new Jump Rope. Scenic builds towered overhead, actors roamed the crowd in character, and the line between spectator and participant dissolved. At the center: the Endgame Circle, a final chamber for the brave, the lucky, or maybe both. Surprise talent drops, authentic Korean eats, exclusive prizes. This wasn’t a viewing party. This was the game.

EARLY SKETCHES

Inside the Frame

Before the chaos came the calibration. From the razor symmetry of the Jump Rope rig to the architectural tension of the Endgame Circle, the sketches mapped a world where pressure meets play. This was the planning phase as performance, part stagecraft, part psychological experiment. What began in schematic pink and wireframe shadows became a battleground of motion, light, and chance.

the premiere

A premiere experience rooted in cinematic scale and cultural spectacle. Set in the heart of New York City, the multi-part event mirrored the show’s tension, surrealism, and high-stakes energy, capturing the attention of a global fanbase. The premiere drew the cast, global press, and cultural tastemakers for a night that captured the internet’s attention and set the tone for the season’s release.

, attendees at the fan activation
Premiere Attendees

MATTE Partner
Matt Rowean
Group Client Director
Morgan Checkley
Client Director
Allison Margolis
Experiential Creative Director
David Orellana
Experiential Designer
Adriana Avendano
Senior Designer
Nick Wilson
Jr. Graphic Designer
Jess Mays
Associate, Creative Director
Caleb Ekeroth
SVP Production
Thad Somoza
Director, Production
Jimmy Tran
Executive Producer
Jesse Patch
Senior Experiential Producer
Karina Smith
Experiential Production Coordinator
Kay Cui
Gameplay Producer
Aaron Gaines
Producer
Claire Campbell
Photographer
Kathryn Huang

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