Netflix Korean drama series squid game has a twisty ending that promises more to come, but viewers may need an explanation of events before season two. squid gamethe conclusion ends the titular tournament in an emotional and tragic wayechoing the themes of other critically acclaimed survival thrillers such as The Hunger Games and Royal Battle. The series' messages about wealth and survival are poignant, and its twists and turns will keep viewers hooked until the end.
After an entire season following the down-on-his-luck divorcee Seong Gi-hun in his attempts to win the Squid Games, viewers finally get to see the result of his efforts in episode 9, “One Lucky Day.” Gi-hun is one of many contestants burdened with debt and desperate to escape, even if it means competing in the deadly tournament. And at the end of squid game season 1, It's up to Gi-hun and his childhood friend, Cho Sang-woo, to determine who will win the grand prize. of 45.6 billion won (approximately US$38 million).
Who wins the Squid Game tournament? Gi-hun's victory explained
Why Sang-Woo kills himself instead of leaving
squid game season 1, episode 9 opens with the final challenge of the tournament, and the game that Gi-hun and Sang-woo play gives its name to Squid Game. The game tasks one player with being on the attack, while the other takes a defensive position. The person on the offensive – in this case, Gi-hun – must pass through a squid-shaped court, slamming their foot on the squid's head to win. Meanwhile, the defender must try to stop them and push them out of bounds. Contestants play until one of them can no longer do so, with the game typically ending with the death of one of them.
This leads to a tense and emotional fight between Gi-hun and Sang-woo during the finale, and the VIPs callously watch as the two violently try to win the prize. But while Sang-woo almost kills Gi-hun with a knife he smuggles, Gi-hun chooses mercy over money in the end. After gaining the upper hand and finding an opportunity to win, squid gameThe group's leadership takes advantage of the tournament rules, which indicate that games can end early if the majority agrees.
Unfortunately, offering Sang-woo the chance to leave with him doesn't work out for Gi-hun. His childhood friend stabs himself in the neck, making Gi-hun the winner in the end. As for why Sang-woo kills himself during the squid game season 1 finale, there are a few possible explanations. On the one hand, Sang-woo feels guilty about the lives lost during the tournament and suggests that he won't let them die in vain at the beginning of his fight with Gi-hun. He also knows that he will return to his mother empty-handed if he stays alive, something he seems unwilling to accept.
What happens to Hwang Jun-Ho after the end of Squid Game season 1
Actor Lee Wi Ha-Joon is confirmed for season 2
After successfully infiltrating the Squid Game tournament as a guard, police officer Hwang Jun-ho collects evidence to take to his colleagues in Seoul. However, Jun-ho's attempts to expose the tournament fail and he is unable to escape the island where the tournament is held. During a confrontation with the Front Man who reveals himself to be his missing brother In-ho Jun-ho is shot and presumed dead. He falls off a cliff into the ocean, and is not heard from again. squid game The end of season 1 does not confirm Jun-ho's fateand many have speculated that he is still alive.
Jun-ho's shoulder wound may not be fatal, but the squid game ending suggests the tournament is still going on, meaning Jun-ho's evidence never reaches Seoul. Even so, actor Wi Ha-joon is confirmed for squid game 2nd season. This means that Jun-ho is among the few characters who returned to squid gamesecond season. While it's possible he appears in flashbacks, he could also have survived the fall. The series will need to explain what happened after his confrontation with In-ho, as well as why his evidence had no impact on the deadly tournament.
Squid Game Season 1 Villain Twist Explained
The ending reveals that Oh Il-nam is behind the tournament
Gi-hun and Sang-woo's fight can be expected to be the most shocking moment of squid game season 1 finale, but that's simply not the case. The Season 1 finale reveals that Il-nam didn't actually die during Marbles - and he was never actually in danger. In one of squid gamethe brightest twists, the series establishes Il-nam as the creator of the titular tournament. He summons Gi-hun to his bedside shortly before he dies from a brain tumor and explains that he is hosting the Squid Games with Front Man's help.
Il-nam is presented as an ordinary player, so this revelation is shocking to both the audience and Gi-hun. When Gi-hun asks more about Il-nam's identity and motive, he is faced with a harsh revelation: that Il-nam is a rich man who lends money to people to make a livingwhich means he's the reason people are desperate enough to participate in the Squid Games in the first place. He also holds the tournament because he is bored and tells Gi-hun that having a lot of wealth makes life "it's not fun."
This offers a striking representation of who Il-nam really is, and he's a far cry from the elderly man Gi-hun believes to be his friend. Il-nam also admits that he entered the tournament to "feel something", emphasizing how empty his life is. The older man clearly enjoys deception and games, and plays one last one with Gi-hun before he dies. The two make a bet during their final conversation in squid game season 1, and adds another layer of commentary to the finale.
The true meaning of Seong Gi-Hun and Oh Il-Nam's last bet
This speaks to the greater meaning of the game Squid
The scene that reveals Il-nam's true identity is not only one of the best twists in recent K-drama history; also establishes the most crucial conversation in squid game. As the two speak for the last time, Il-nam convinces Gi-hun to agree to one final bet. Looking down from the top floor of a tower in Seoul, the two see a drunk homeless man lying on the street in the winter cold. The man will freeze to death if no one comes to get him soon. Il-nam bets Gi-hun that no one will help the man when midnight arrives.
Although Gi-hun considers the bet absurd, is the perfect metaphor to punctuate the subsequent conversation about what squid game really mean. Il-nam's admission that he started and joined the games because he and his fellow billionaires were bored with life shows how the morality of the rich is often driven by ego. On the other hand, Gi-hun barely touched the money he won out of guilt for participating – even though he had practically no choice. As for the final bet, Gi-hun ends up getting it right, as someone ends up helping the drunk. However, Il-nam dies before he can learn from the exchange.
How Squid Game Season 1's Final Scene Sets Up Season 2
Gi-Hun wants revenge against the frontman
The Salesman makes another appearance as Gi-hun boards a train on his way to the airport to see his daughter in the US. While Gi-hun fails to catch the Salesman, he confronts the person the Salesman recruited for the game, telling him not to come in and get his Squid Game card. As he is about to board the plane, Gi-hun calls the number on the card and is intercepted by Front Man. He and Front Man exchange threats and Gi-hun decides not to board his flight. This provokes your journey into squid game 2nd seasonwhich promises to see Gi-hun seeking revenge.
Netflix's first footage squid gameThe next season shows more of Gi-hun's conversation with Front Man, confirming that the enemy knows he's coming after them. This will present an obstacle to Gi-hun's revenge in Season 2, but it doesn't seem like it will stop him from seeking out the other people behind the tournament. Fortunately, this means squid game could continue well beyond the end of the first season, which leaves a lot of questions for the show to answer.
An alternative ending would have negated the second season
The creator had a separate idea, just in case
The shocking events of squid game The season 1 finale turned the series upside down and fans eagerly awaited season 2 for several years. However, during production, it was unclear whether the show would become a hit (especially to the degree that it actually was a hit). With that in mind, creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk planned an alternate ending that would allow the story to play out and function as a miniseries (via Weekly entertainment).
"We actually wrestled between two different scenarios for the ending. There was one, the other alternate ending, where Gi-hun would get on the plane and leave. And then there was, of course, the one where he would come back and walk toward the Camera Us we constantly ask ourselves: is it really right for Gi-hun to make the decision to leave and go see his family, in search of his own happiness? Is this the right way to really propose the question or message that we wanted to convey through the series? ?”
Ultimately, Hwang decided to go with the cliffhanger ending for a few reasons. The prospect of a follow-up season was obvious, but he also felt there was a deeper meaning behind it. Hwang said: “We came to the conclusion that the question we wanted to propose could not be asked if he left on the plane.” He and the other people behind the series felt this could only be answered if he stepped away from the plane. Without this moment, squid game season two would have been difficult to pull off.