Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Squid Game season 2!Despite drawing substantial parallels between the Front Man and Gi-hun,Squid Game’s creator could not force Gi-hun to become the Front Man. Both characters were introduced in season 1, butthe Front Manonly received an in-depth depiction when he entered the games in season 2. In doing so, he learned that he shared many similarities with Gi-hun.
In the wait between seasons 2 and 3, there was ample speculation thatGi-hun could become the next Front Man, given that he was deliberately kept alive. Though he had no clue that his newfound friend was actually a figure who could stop the games outright, he connected perfectly with Hwang In-ho, and he seemingly shared In-ho’s sensibilities.
Despite those expectations, creatorHwang Dong-hyuk could not force Gi-hun to become a villain. Despite initially having “a different ending in mind,” Hwang realized that Gi-hun could never realistically run the games. One season early in the show’s run was proof, as Sae-byeok’s (Jung Ho-yeon) season 3 cameo saved him from himself. Check out Hwang’s comments below, perVariety:
The showdown between the Front Man and Gi-hun began in Season 2, and it is about whose beliefs and whose values are right. It is really about a clash of their philosophies. And so in Season 3, it is going to be the ultimate showdown, and also a story that explores how these two characters affected and influenced one another.
I think that the line that [Sae-byeok] delivers in that scene is one of the most important scenes in Season 1. The moment when Gi-hun is tempted to kill Sang-woo in his sleep, Sae-byeok tells him,“You’re not that kind of person,” and that line is what really wakes him back to his senses. It touches his conscience and his humanity. And they’re very simple words, yet they are the most accurate words that really pierce through him. So I thought that in that moment, for Gi-hun to come back to his senses and come back to himself, it had to be those very simple but powerful words spoken by Sae-byeok, and I thought that would be the strongest tool that could stop his knife.
What This Means For Gi-hun’s Character
He Even Managed To Change The Front Man
The decision to keep Cho Sang-woo alive was one that had a signficant ripple effect throughout the show. Instead of killing his childhood best friend to violently save the lives of others and himself, Gi-hun realized that he would need to maintain his sense of self. He could never allow the games to shape his identity, as In-ho seemingly did.
Ever since that moment,Gi-hun became a beacon of hope against the horrorthat he was forced to witness. He tried his best to saveSquid Gameseason 2’s new competitors, swore to protect the baby, and deliberately returned to the games just to destroy them. Ultimately, he gave his life to save the next generation from his own reality.
Both times that these games ended, the potential winners sacrificed themselves for another candidate.
Gi-hun was never a man with the power to stop the games. Even when he won an absurd amount of money, he lacked the influence and resources to truly save people from their own greed.He was simply one man who clung to his morals, and that was what made him better than the rich and powerful Front Man.
Our Take On Gi-hun’s Story Arc
It Exemplifies The Themes Of Squid Game
Despite how callous and hopeless these games appear to be,Gi-hun is proof that the world is not wholly terrible. As divisive astheSquid Gamefinaleis, it showcases a different side of humanity. Both times that these games ended, the potential winners sacrificed themselves for another candidate, proving that the very concept behind the games is flawed.
Sang-woo sacrificed himself for his mother, both to redeem himself and to ensure that Gi-hun would protect her. Just as Gi-hun could not live with knowing that he killed a baby, Sang-woo could not live with the idea of killing and manipulating so many. It is proof that, even at its lowest, humanity is not always horrible.
In a show as philosophically damning asSquid Game, it is a fascinating approach. The idea ofGi-hun becoming the Front Manwas undoubtedly interesting, but it never actually fit his character.Gi-hun believes in the good in humanity, even despite seeing the worst of it, and that is what madeSquid Gamesuch a beloved show.
