Mel Gibson Has Recovered after Coronavirus Hospitalization

Mel Gibson. (Getty Images)
Mel Gibson. (Getty Images)
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Mel Gibson Has Recovered after Coronavirus Hospitalization

Mel Gibson. (Getty Images)
Mel Gibson. (Getty Images)

Mel Gibson spent a week in a Los Angeles hospital in April after testing positive for COVID-19, his representative said Friday.

The 64-year-old actor and director has completely recovered and is doing "great" according to the rep. He also said Gibson has tested negative "numerous times" since then.

Gibson is the latest in a long string of high-profile figures to go public with coronavirus diagnoses and recoveries including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, George Stephanopoulos and the singer Pink.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and those with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and even be fatal.

The US has more than 4 million known cases of the coronavirus, with more than 140,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.



Fans Celebrate ‘Squid Game’ Finale with Seoul Parade

Performers dressed as "Squid Game" soldiers march in a parade through central Seoul, followed by a fan event with cast to celebrate the release of the third season of Netflix's hit series, in Seoul, South Korea, June 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Performers dressed as "Squid Game" soldiers march in a parade through central Seoul, followed by a fan event with cast to celebrate the release of the third season of Netflix's hit series, in Seoul, South Korea, June 28, 2025. (Reuters)
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Fans Celebrate ‘Squid Game’ Finale with Seoul Parade

Performers dressed as "Squid Game" soldiers march in a parade through central Seoul, followed by a fan event with cast to celebrate the release of the third season of Netflix's hit series, in Seoul, South Korea, June 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Performers dressed as "Squid Game" soldiers march in a parade through central Seoul, followed by a fan event with cast to celebrate the release of the third season of Netflix's hit series, in Seoul, South Korea, June 28, 2025. (Reuters)

Thousands of fans gathered in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate the final "Squid Game" season, ending a global Netflix hit that is seen as a symbol of South Korea's cultural clout.

The third and final season was released Friday, concluding the series that sees desperate people compete in deadly versions of traditional children's games for a massive cash prize.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said he had "poured everything" into the series, which launched nearly four years ago.

"So while it's sentimental to see it end," he said, "there's also a sense of relief".

Fans gathered near Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace, led by marchers dressed in the bright pink uniforms worn by the show's mysterious masked agents.

They were followed by others carrying oversize toys from one of the games featured in the series, along with the show's flag.

Park Sang-gyu, a fan who stayed up all night watching the final season, said the dystopian drama was "ultimately a story about people".

"As you watch, you realize it's not just about the games -- it reflects many aspects of real life."

The walls of the Seoul Metropolitan Library were lit up with key scenes, including Young-hee -- the giant motion-sensing animatronic doll featured in one of its brutal games.

Lee Byung-hun, who played the masked Front Man overseeing the competition, said the show had become "something of a cultural phenomenon".

"One that has drawn one of the boldest lines in the history of Korean content," he said.

The first two seasons of the series are among Netflix's most-watched shows, and in 2022, Hwang and the show's leading actor, Lee Jung-jae, became the first Asian men to win Emmy Awards.

The final season follows its hero Gi-hun, played by Lee, as he returns to the ultra-violent games to dismantle them from within after surviving the first round.

Along with filmmaker Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning 2019 thriller "Parasite" and K-pop sensation BTS, "Squid Game" is considered one of the most powerful examples of South Korea's rise as a global cultural force.