Squid Game: No-Eul Could Be the Most Dangerous Threat to the Games

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Summary

  • No-Eul’s backstory reveals her motivation to reunite with her daughter and potentially wreak havoc from within the Squid Game system.
  • No-Eul’s insider status makes her a more dangerous threat than Gi-Hun, as she has the ability to gather intel and stage a rebellion.
  • A potential alliance between No-Eul and Gi-Hun in Season 3 could be a game-changer, with their differing skills and goals complementing each other effectively.

When Squid Game premiered in 2021, the protagonist Seong Gi-Hun quickly became the focal point of the show. Initially, when audiences meet Gi-Hun and his flaws, they perceive him as fragile and someone who has made regrettable choices throughout his life. As the story unfolds, viewers develop compassion for this character, finding justification in the decisions he makes during the Squid Games. However, a shift occurs when Gi-Hun reenters the competition in Season 2 with the intention of sabotaging it from within. He didn’t merely wish to compete; instead, he wanted to expose the fact that these games are considered amusing entertainment for the privileged elite.

Although Squid Game primarily revolves around Gi-Hun, Season 2 introduces other significant characters like Kang No-Eul who hold equal importance.

At the outset, No-Eul’s entry into the game was enshrouded in mystery. As time went by and the season unfolded, the spectators gradually understood her reasons for participating in the games – not as a player, but as a guard. It became evident that No-Eul was an assassin working for The Frontman and showed no regard for people or their feelings. However, certain instances suggested that she had grown weary of her superiors and yearned to operate independently. Given all the events in Season 2 of Squid Game, it appears that No-Eul is not a mere side character but potentially the main protagonist some viewers are anticipating.

Who is No-Eul, and How Did She Become Part of the Squid Game?

In Season 2 of Squid Game, a character named No-Eul is first introduced as an ordinary woman working as a mascot at a local theme park, struggling to make ends meet. However, it quickly becomes clear that her background is far from ordinary. She is revealed to be a North Korean defector and former soldier who killed her superior officer in self-defense and fled to South Korea, leaving behind her infant daughter. Desperate to reunite with her child, she turns to South Korean contractors for help. During her time as a mascot, one child develops a special bond with her character. But when No-Eul leaves her job, the new mascot fails to maintain that connection. Leaving the theme park, she learns that the same child has fallen ill and is being rushed to the hospital.

That evening, asleep in her car, she hears a rap at the window and suspects it’s the police. But instead, it was a man who handed her a card. Eventually, she reaches out to the person on the card, understanding that participating in the games could provide enough funds to locate her daughter and assist the sick child in the hospital. Incredulously, she discovers that No-Eul had joined the games, not as a player, but as a guard in the distinctive pink dress.

Spectators start observing that her behavior is inconsistent. For instance, she doesn’t hesitate to kill a man who miraculously survived the Red Light, Green Light game, yet she spares another man and allows him to live. Her relationship with her superior is tense throughout. Subtle hints suggest that she may not be entirely loyal to the system and could potentially be planning something grander. While Gi-Hun fights from the outside in “Squid Game”, No-Eul might already be on the inside, functioning as a covert saboteur.

Why No-Eul Could Be More Dangerous Than Gi-Hun

It’s clear that Gi-Hun possesses an unquestionable emotional resilience. Yet, he faces a significant challenge: access. In the second season, he chose to dismantle the game by rejoining it. However, his actions are restricted as he operates from the outside. Every move he makes is monitored, observed, and controlled by the Frontman’s surveillance. Furthermore, having the Frontman involved in the games weakens Gi-Hun’s rebellion since the Frontman knows his plans ahead of time, reducing the impact of his resistance.

In the system, No-Eul is an integral component, fully grasping its inner workings. She navigates the corridors effortlessly, observes the creation and management of games, and comprehends the rules more deeply than most. Previously, she followed instructions unquestioningly like a diligent employee, but her control is slipping away, leaving room for unpredictable actions. In Season 2, we witnessed No-Eul defying certain commands and taking lives when she shouldn’t. One of the masked supervisors even had to reprimand her for her actions, reminding her of the opportunity this job provided to transform her life. Despite her gratitude, No-Eul managed to make the supervisor understand that she was merely carrying out orders.

At this critical juncture, it became clear that No-Eurl would act swiftly without hesitation whenever she deemed an action necessary. Her undercover role as a guard provided her with an ideal mask to collect information, analyze system vulnerabilities, and bide her time until the opportune moment to intervene. This renders her a greater threat to the organization than Seong Gi-Hun ever posed.

However, No-Eul must exercise extreme caution when considering her actions to instigate an uprising alongside Gi-Hun. She might uncover undisclosed footage or documents related to the games, VIP participants, or even the Frontman. With the guards’ access to restricted zones, she could potentially acquire data from the command center and leak it to the public. The two seasons of “Squid Game” emphasize that secrecy is the main defense for this competition, and if the truth about the games comes to light, the entire system risks crumbling.

From my perspective, consider this scenario: If there were more individuals like No-Eul among the guards, those who were lured by money and coerced into performing unsavory tasks for their supposed superiors. I could connect with them, sparking a revolution from within. Visualize the instant when the guards redirect their weapons not at the players, but at each other. Such an unexpected turn of events would be sufficient to halt the games and cause distress in the minds of the VIPs.

An alternative approach she might consider is enlisting certain participants as her confederates. Interestingly, Gyeong-seok, the child’s father who was hospitalized and attended by No-Eul, is also present at these games. By assisting him, No-Eul could potentially serve as a liaison between her and Gi-Hun, and communicate to the players their necessary actions for escaping this contest. These subtle acts of defiance may pave the way for a larger uprising, provided they are carried out with tact and time on their side.

Can No-Eul & Gi-Hun Team Up?

In an ideal world, a collaboration between No-Eul and Gi-Hun in “Squid Game” Season 3 would be nothing short of stunning. Their union, despite their contrasting beliefs and characters, could share a common objective. This partnership might mark the conclusion of their individual journeys, offering redemption for No-Eul. With his resilience and her intellect, they could achieve something extraordinary and bring an end to these games.

Season 2 implies that this fight may be too immense for a single individual. Although Gi-Hun possesses the power to advance, an ally like No-Eul could prove beneficial by offering strategies to ultimately conquer the game completely. She is unassuming, operating covertly, and she may represent the most formidable adversary against the Frontman and his games.

Squid Game season 3 will premiere exclusively on Netflix on June 27.

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2025-06-06 21:04