Squid Game: Why Does In-ho Join the Games?

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As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the brutal yet captivating world of Squid Game, I must say that season two was a rollercoaster ride of emotions, twists, and unanswered questions. The character development, particularly for In-ho, left me both intrigued and puzzled.

Gi-hun, our red-dyed protagonist, has always been a beacon of hope, fighting against the oppressive games that have claimed so many lives. But In-ho, the Front Man, is a character shrouded in mystery, his intentions always seeming to serve some higher purpose.

I find myself torn between Gi-hun’s idealistic view of humanity and In-ho’s cynical perspective. I can’t help but wonder if In-ho is trying to educate Gi-hun or if he’s just playing a dangerous game. Is he truly seeking redemption, or is he simply a pawn in this deadly dance?

The cliffhanger ending of season two leaves me on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating season three. I can’t wait to see how these two characters, who in many ways represent opposite sides of the same coin, will clash and ultimately resolve their differences.

As for a joke, here it goes: If Squid Game were a cooking show, the games would be the appetizers, the contestants would be the ingredients, and In-ho would be that one mysterious spice that nobody can quite put their finger on!

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for season two of Squid Game.

Summary

  • Season 2 of Squid Game follows Gi-hun’s attempt to bring down the games with the help of former Front Man, Young-il.
  • The Front Man, In-ho, poses as a contestant to thwart Gi-hun’s mission, with ambiguous motives revealed.
  • Season 3 will likely explore the opposing views of humanity represented by Gi-hun and In-ho in a cliffhanger ending.

In the second season of Squid Game, events continue almost exactly where they ended in the first. The victor, Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), has amassed a fortune from the games but instead of starting anew with his freshly dyed red hair, he chooses to gamble it all by attempting to dismantle these deadly contests for good.

Absolutely, the secretive entities controlling the games won’t make it a walk in the park for him. Three years have passed since we last saw Gi-hun, and his relentless pursuit to reconnect with the games has yielded few results. However, he eventually locates the man who initially recruited him (Gong Yoo), setting him on a path to perhaps apprehend the elusive Front Man and dismantle the games. It’s safe to say that things don’t go as planned for Gi-hun, forcing him to resort to his backup strategy: reenter the games with the intention of overthrowing them from within. Unsurprisingly, those in power aren’t going to stand idly by, and they complicate matters significantly with the introduction of contestant 001 – none other than the Front Man himself.

Why the Front Man is a Contestant

Under the alias Oh Young-il, or more famously known as Hwang In-ho, steps into the game. While the spectators are privy to his real identity, the other characters remain oblivious. Swiftly, In-ho manages to win Gi-hun’s confidence and forms an alliance with him, along with a few others. Young-il appears to be an ideal ally for Gi-hun: he’s resourceful, adept in fights, and isn’t shy about using his influence to persuade others to end the games.

Gi-hun’s entreaties generally go unheeded as most players opt to carry on, captivated by the prospect of a bigger reward. However, it appears that Gi-hun might achieve his goal if he and Young-il team up. Interestingly, Young-il has a touching background, sharing with Gi-hun that he entered the games to gather funds for his ailing wife’s medical bills. Throughout the series, there are hints of growing doubt in Gi-hun about Young-il, but he never uncovers his true persona.

It appears that In-ho may have entered the games with an ulterior motive, aimed at undermining Gi-hun’s crusade subtly. This is suggested in the season finale where his alter ego seemingly perishes during the uprising of contestants. However, if this end goal was his plan from the start, it seems questionable as to why he would go through the effort of pretending to be a contestant and earning Gi-hun’s trust. This leaves us wondering about In-ho’s real intentions.

What In-ho Could Be Up To

Among the enigmatic characters in Squid Game, In-ho has been one of the most intriguing since his debut in season one. His face was concealed for much of the initial season by his now-famous geometric mask. It wasn’t until later that we discovered he was the long-lost brother whom undercover detective Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) had infiltrated the games to locate. What made this revelation even more shocking was that In-ho was not just a participant, but was high up in the game’s hierarchy. His loyalty was demonstrated in a chilling manner when he shot his own brother and pushed him into the sea.

Throughout the series, In-ho exhibits glimpses of moral awareness. However, it appears that he continues to embrace a deeper ideology behind these games, viewing them not merely as amusement for idle aristocrats, but as a means of ethical judgment in a fundamentally flawed society.

In season two, it remains uncertain what drives In-ho to such extremes, but it seems there could be factors beyond merely safeguarding the games. Actor Lee Byung-hun, in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, proposes that perhaps In-ho is attempting to educate Gi-hun, challenging his attempts to elicit kindness. He suggests that In-ho may recognize aspects of himself in Gi-hun and even support him in a twisted manner. It’s plausible that In-ho harbors some compassion for Gi-hun and wants to help guide him towards accepting In-ho’s perspective, motivated by a peculiar sense of obligation.

The series “Squid Game” has positioned Gi-hun and In-ho as mirror images of each other, with In-ho being the initial player (001) and Gi-hun the final one (456). They symbolize contrasting perspectives on human nature: one portraying individuals as essentially good amidst hardship, while the other depicts them as naturally self-centered and greedy. The second season leaves us hanging with a huge question mark, but the third season promises to delve deeper into this dichotomy, testing these contrasting viewpoints to find out which one eventually prevails.

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2025-01-02 00:05