Netflix’s Squid game took the world by storm with its thrilling and brutal depiction of survival, turning seemingly innocent childhood games into life-or-death challenges.
Starring Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun and Park Hae-soo as Cho Sang-woo, the Korean drama follows a group of financially troubled individuals – 456 of them to be exact – who are recruited to participate in a mysterious competition.
Players must compete in a series of traditional children’s games for a chance to win life-changing prize money, but the stakes are far deadlier than they appear. With each match eliminating contestants in shocking and violent ways, the series portrays themes of human desperation and the lengths people will go to survive.
As the season progresses, the tension builds to a thrilling finale in which Gi-hun and Sang-woo—childhood friends turned adversaries—face each other in the final match. The showdown forces Gi-hun to face the moral cost of victory, culminating in a bittersweet ending. Although Gi-hun wins the prize, the experience leaves him emotionally damaged, leading to a head-scratcher that points to a larger conspiracy behind the games.
After the show earned the title of Netflix’s biggest series ever with 111 million viewers, it earned multiple wins at the Emmys, Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Now, more than three years since the first premiere, Squid game is back with a second season, which premiered on December 26.
Before we jump back into the dystopian thriller, here’s everything you need to know about its ending Squid game season 1
Who wins in Squid game season 1?
Park Hae-soo as Cho Sang Woo and Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in the first season of ‘Squid Game’.
Netflix © 2024
In the final game of the first season, childhood friends Gi-hun and Sang-woo face off in the titular Squid Game — their once-close relationship shattered by the brutality of the competition.
Sang-woo’s willingness to betray others in order to survive clashes with Gi-hun’s desire to retain his humanity, even under immense pressure.
In a shocking twist, Gi-hun wins the game but refuses to claim his prize when Sang-woo takes his own life rather than face defeat and shame.
Despite being declared the winner and earning a huge cash prize, Gi-hun remains emotionally broken, struggling with the trauma of what he endured to win it.
How to Squid game end?
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Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in the first season of ‘Squid Game’.
Netflix © 2024
The series ends with Gi-hun discovering the truth about the game’s mastermind, Oh Il-nam (played by Oh Yeong-su), who reveals himself to be the enigmatic “Player 001”. This revelation forces Gi-hun to confront the twisted origins and purpose of the games, leaving viewers to question the morality of wealth and power.
The final moments set up a major challenge as Gi-hun — instead of boarding a plane to reconnect with his daughter — turns back with a determined look, seemingly ready to deal with those behind the games.
What’s going on with Hwang Jun-Ho?
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Wi Ha-jun as Hwang Jun-ho in ‘Squid Game’ Season 2.
No Ju-han/Netflix © 2024
Hwang Jun-ho — a determined policeman played by Wi Ha-joon — plays a key role in Squid game season 1 as he secretly infiltrates the competition to find his missing brother.
Disguising himself as one of the masked operatives, Jun-ho uncovers disturbing truths about the games he collects as evidence to expose the horrors of the competition to the outside world.
Jun-ho’s investigation takes a tragic turn in later episodes when he discovers that his brother, Hwang In-ho, is not the victim, but the first man overseeing the games.
In a heartbreaking confrontation on a remote cliff, In-ho reveals his identity and asks Jun-ho to stop pursuing him. When Jun-ho refuses to back down, In-ho is forced to shoot him, causing Jun-ho to fall into the ocean.
The series leaves Jun-ho’s fate ambiguous, as his body is never shown, causing fan speculation as to whether he survived the fall and whether he will return in the second season.
Who is II-nam?
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About Yeong-su as Oh Il-Nam in ‘Squid Game’ Season 1. Netflix
Perhaps one of the most shocking twists in Squid game season 1 comes at the end when it is revealed that II-nam was not only a participant, but also the mastermind behind the deadly games.
Throughout the series, II-nam is portrayed as a weak but kind-hearted player who bonds with Gi-hun. His apparent death during a game of marbles is one of the most emotional moments of the season, making the final reveal all the more stunning.
The truth is revealed in the finale when Gi-hun is invited to meet II-nam in a lavish building after winning the competition. II-nam explains that he created the games as a form of entertainment for himself and other wealthy elites who were bored with their vast wealth. He admits that he took part in the games to relive the feeling of excitement before the terminal illness took his life.
Will Gi-hun be back in the game?
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Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in the first season of ‘Squid Game’. Noh Juhan/Netflix
In the final moments of the season, Gi-hun is seen leaving for the airport to reunite with his daughter in the US. However, he spots a man playing the same recruiting game that originally lured him into the competition.
Gi-hun intervenes, takes the card, and confronts the recruit, but his anger remains unresolved. As he calls the mysterious number on the card, he is warned not to interfere. Even so, Gi-hun turns from running away, walking away with a look of determination, seemingly ready to face the people behind the games.
This ambiguous ending leaves viewers wondering if Gi-hun intends to re-enter the games as a participant or dismantle the operation from within.
The show’s creator, Dong-hyuk, revealed Diversity that the protagonist will return for season 2, and that it will be a different experience.
“The second season will be about Gi-hun [being] faced with his memories of the first game — the experiences of going through a new realization and waking up and getting back into the game to stop this unfair game,” he said.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education