Summary
In the second season ofSquid Game, the Front Man decides totake on the role of a playerrather than continuing to be behind a screen watching the other players in action. He chooses to play along with Gi-hun and his team, pretending to be Oh Young-il to hide his true identity from those around him.
During the Front Man’s time as a player inSquid Game, he spends a lot of time with Gi-hun and getting to know him personally, even though his intentions in doing so were most likely to throw off Gi-hun’s plans. However, the Front Man seems to watch Gi-hun closely throughout the season, and opens up about his past to the previous winner.
How Does The Front Man Feel About Gi-hun?
It’s A Lot More Complicated Than It Seems
Throughout the majority ofSquid Gameseason 1 and season 2, it’s easy to assume that the only relationship between Gi-hun and The Front Man is that of disdain, and that the two consider each other to be archenemies. Especially from the perspective of Gi-hun, the Front Man is only someone who he wishes to capture and bring to justice, as he feels this is the only true way to bring an end tothe Squid Games competition.
I’ll show you that the world doesn’t always go the way you want it to. — Seong Gi-hun
However, things become much more complicated when the Front Man decides to join the games in the second season, posing asOh Young-ilrather than his real name, Hwang In-ho. Though Gi-hun is completely unaware of his true identity, the two spendmuch of season 2 togetherand are often on the same team throughout the games. Young-il even assists Gi-hun at the beginning of his uprising against the guards and the Games as a whole.
Though the Front Man initially joins the Squid Games tofoil Gi-hun’s plans to stop the Games, as he grows closer to Gi-hun, and they discuss each other’s pasts, the lines become more blurred in their relationship. It is easy to suspect that the Front Man almost wishes to root for Gi-hun’s success deep down, though this is something he might not fully be aware of himself. Lee Byung-hun, who portrays the Front Man, has even said in interviews that he “acted while thinking that maybe, deep down, there was a part of him cheering for Gi-hun.” As the Front Man is human as well, it is only natural for him to waver andrevive some sense of hope.
Has Gi-hun Changed The Front Man?
Has He Made Any Significant Changes?
AsHwang In-ho has his own tragic pastthat led him to the role he is in now, he used to be much like Gi-hun and had a sense of hope for humanity. As he plays the Games with Gi-hun throughout season 2, there is a sense of revival of this hope, as Gi-hun works so diligently to save those around him from their unexpected deadly fate. As Gi-hun frequently rallied the other participants in season 2, informing them of the true nature of the Games and his intention to save them from their fate, it seems that Young-il almost wants to believe these words and support Gi-hun in his pursuit.
Even if it takes a sacrifice… we must end this game now. — Seong Gi-hun
Much of The Front Man’s past is relatively unknown, besides losing his wife and unborn child when she becomes sick, and he is powerless to help her. Having originally worked for the police force and been surrounded by a loving family, including his wife, brother, and step-mother, it’s hard to assume that there is zero chance of The Front Man reviving his trust in humanity. However, in a scene where Gi-hun expresses that someplayersmight need to be sacrificedfor his plan to fully be completed, it is obvious that this moment throws off Young-il a bit, and essentially destroys any progress Gi-hun had made in changing his perspective and bringing back his hope.
Similarities Between The Front Man and Gi-hun
They Have A Lot More In Common Than Fans Think
AsSquid Gameis full of characters whofall in a gray area of moralityrather than being strictly black or white, The Front Man and Gi-hun are just the same. The two characters have a lot more in common than many fans might initially believe, as some might consider The Front Man to be a stereotypical antagonist, with Gi-hun playing the hero. However, these two are much more complicated than this, as is especially visible in the second season.
Player 456. Did you have fun playing the hero? Look closely at the consequences of your little hero game. — The Front Man
For one, both Hwang In-ho and Seong Gi-hun are bothwinners of previous Squid Games, and are the only ones to make a return to the Games (though In-ho does so under an alias). In-ho most likely, before playing the Games, had similar hopes for humanity and joined the Games in order to save his wife while she was sick. However, the Games significantly changed him, and made him realize the lengths people will go to save themselves and leave others behind. We can see this change in Gi-hun as well in season 2, having become much more callous and even suggesting that losing some players is the only way tocontinue his plan to end the Games.
Though the two characters are taking completely different paths now, with Gi-hun doing everything he can to get his revenge and end the Games, and In-ho working to stop him, the two have a lot in common and come from very similar circumstances. Though their relationship might appear to be that of only enemies, it is much more intricate and is sure to be explored even further inthe final third season.
