Well, you guys keep asking for more questions from the 9-episode survival series, “Squid Game”. I thought the first 15 were enough, but I guess not. If you haven’t read it, click here, but ONLY if you’ve seen the series. One person actually read my list without even having seen it! He said he has no intention to watch, but he’s curious to see what I wrote. I find that funny.
So let’s jump right back into it, shall we? Once again, I’m including a general overview of key characters for your quick reference.
Player #456 Seong Gi-hun (Father, hoping to regain custody of his daughter, pay debt and get medical care for his mother.)
Player #218 Cho Sang-woo – Gi-hun’s former classmate and crooked investment banker.
Player #067 Kang Sae-byeok – North Korean defector, hoping to reunite her family.
Player #001 Oh Il-nam – An elderly man, dying of a growing brain tumor, looking to enjoy his remaining days.
Player #101 Jang Deok-su – A heartless, bullying gangster, indebted to the mob.
Player #199 Abdul Ali – A Pakistani migrant worker, seeking a better life for his family.
Player #212 Han Mi-nyeo – A loud-mouthed, manipulative woman with fleeting loyalty to whomever can help her own agenda for winning.
10 MORE Things That Don’t Make Sense (about “Squid Game”)
…and once again, here be major spoilers…
[For the record, it’s not that the following questions don’t “make sense”. Just points to ponder, if you haven’t already.]
- How are the guards selected?
I ask this because it’s theorized that they are comprised of people who chose the red envelope when playing the game ddakji with the recruiter. Others believe that these are winners of past games and/or others who chose not to return to play. I’m inclined to disagree with all of the preceding, but one never knows. Perhaps, if there is a second season, all will be revealed. - Why did #001 Oh Il-nam (old man) sit by himself while players chose partners for the Marble game?
We know now that he was not who we thought he was. Is that why he made no effort to recruit a team member for the Tug-Of-War game as well? Is it possible that he felt it was time to bow out of the competition (since the Glass game was upcoming) and was seizing his chance with an odd number of participants, hoping no one would want to pair up with “an old man” for the coming, unknown contest? It stands to reason that #212 Han Mi-nyeo (the manipulator) would have been chosen before him and once he was removed, it could be conveyed that he was eliminated. This could be why he appeared to be surprised that #456 Seong Gi-hun (father) showed mercy and chose him instead of the mathematician, who was younger and in supposedly good health. - Is Detective Hwang Jun-ho dead?
The Front Man / Hwang In-ho shot Jun-ho in the shoulder before he fell backwards, off the cliff and into the water below. I think the key here is the fact that Jun-ho (detective) shot In-ho (Front Man) first, in the shoulder as well. It’s my belief that neither wanted to kill each other, being brothers. But both had to make it look convincing, since other guards were watching. If you remember, The Front Man wanted the detective alive. When his identity was revealed, it was more of a Vader/Skywalker “I am your father”, “don’t make me kill you” kind of moment. Instead of killing him, he asked him to join the dark side. I doubt either of them are poor shots, so the Front Man shot the detective, allowing him to fall and escape, also setting the stage for a sequel series. - Did #001 Oh Il-nam (the old man) live to see the results of his wager with Seong Gi-hun (father)?
In his final moments in bed, Il-nam bet Seong Gi-hun that the homeless man in the street below would go to midnight without anyone stopping to help him. As the final seconds ticked away, the young lady (who supposedly stopped, then abandoned him earlier) reappears with the police, negating Il-nam’s claim. After this occurrence, we see that Il-nam has passed away. Did he witness this act of charity in his waning moments? If so, did he realize that he was wrong in his belief that no one cared about anyone in this world? Shouldn’t he already have realized that by the way Gi-hun treated him throughout the games (not including their mutual deceit during the Marble game). - How long and how closely is #456 Seong Gi-hun (father) being watched?
During his final phone call to the organization (using the business card with the three symbols), he is instructed to “not do anything stupid and continue boarding the plane”. This indicates that he is being watched. How long has this been going on? It’s been a year since he won. What do they hope to learn: If he’s going to tell the authorities? - Why did it take a full year for #456 Seong Gi-hun (father) to keep his promise?
#067 Kang Sae-byeok (defector) asked him to take care of her son if he won. #218 Cho Sang-woo (banker) in his final wish, told Seong Gi-hun to take care of his mother. It’s understandable that he might be suffering from Survivor’s Guilt and doesn’t want anything to do with money, considering all that was lost in the process, including his mother. But why couldn’t he at least have taken care of the surviving families in need (immediately)? A year is a long time for a child in foster care, especially not knowing what happened to his sister. He at least should have taken care of them first, in addition to the family of #199 Abdul Ali (Pakistani), even though he wasn’t obligated to do so. - Why wait a full year to visit his daughter?
Again, #456 Seong Gi-hun’s reasons for not touching the prize money remain a mystery. And yes, he was clearly devastated over the loss of his mother, feeling that his efforts were all for naught. But he also entered the game to win and show that he had enough money to financially support his daughter (which I still think would have been difficult since she was already in a stable home – he would have to have discredited the parents somehow to get the courts to rule in his favor). Letting her spend a year in America would only make things more difficult, since she has had time to acclimate to a new life and culture. - Why the hair color change?
Before deciding to visit his daughter, #456 Seong Gi-hun (father) gets his hair dyed bright red (which looked ridiculous on a man of his age, if you ask me – hey, to each his own…). Some theorize that the guards, who were in control, wore red and in his doing so, this was his way of establishing and displaying dominance over his own life. Doubtful, but hey, whatever… - Was it wise to leave cash with #218 Cho Sang-woo’s (banker) mother in such a public place?
At the end of Episode 9, #456 Seong Gihun (father) asks her to take in #067 Kang Sae-byeok’s (defector) little brother, Kang Cheol. She kindly agrees to do so as he leaves with her, what appears to be the child’s suitcase. After he departs, she opens the suitcase to give the child something warmer to wear, only to discover that the suitcase is filled with an inordinately large amount of cash. Once she opened it, any passerby could easily have spotted it, attacked her and taken the money. Even IF no one saw it, isn’t it a bit risky to leave it there? People are scandalous enough to steal suitcases, sight unseen, and she wouldn’t have gone out of her way to retrieve it, thinking clothes could be replaced. Perhaps a private meeting at her home, where he could give her a check, was the better play. But then again, he didn’t make very good decisions at all throughout the series. - Why didn’t #456 Seong Gi-hun (father) board the plane?
It’s understandable that Gi-hun was so angry with the flippant treatment of the contestants by the games hosts, but why deviate from his last major goal? Did he intend to re-enter the games? Was he going to seek help and ultimately, revenge? Even with the money he accrued from the games, he had no idea how expansive the organization truly was. If you remember, the VIPs at one point said that this was the “best one yet”. Could they have meant in comparison to previous years or was it going on in multiple locations. Take the money and run, Gi-hun. Get your daughter and go out for fried chicken. We’ve got KFC, Popeyes and plenty of other great restaurants in the U.S.
Well, there you have it. Other than the widespread speculation that the stage has been set for a sequel, that’s it. If you haven’t already been talking about my questions from the last Squid Game post, now you’ve got plenty to talk about.
One thing’s for sure. If they DO make a sequel, I’m gonna miss all the wild characters from Season 1. They’re a hard act to follow.
Do you have answers or thoughts to share on the matter? Leave your opinion or input in the “Comments” section below. Share this list with others who might enjoy reading it. And don’t forget to sign up at the bottom for email notification of future blog posts from Kenny’s Camera, Cooking & Crazy Confessions!
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