WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Squid Game season 2.
Hwang In-ho, better known as the Front Man, is one of the most crucial characters in both Squid Game season 1 and the newly released season 2. After becoming Netflix’s most-watched series of all time with its September 2021 premiere, Squid Game season 2 was released on December 26, 2024. Season 1 star Lee Jung-jae returns as Squid Game winner Seong Gi-hun who is determined to make the creators of the high-stakes survival game pay.
The cast of Squid Game season 2 also features the return of Wi Ha-Joon as Hwang Jun-Ho and Lee Byung-hun’s Front Man Hwang In-ho. In-ho is among the several returning characters from Squid Game season 1 after his identity was revealed during a standoff with his brother, Jun-ho, at the end of Squid Game season 1. Squid Game season 2 shows Gi-hun returning to the Squid Game as Player 456 to seek revenge on the Front Man and try to take down the game from the inside. Meanwhile, Jun-ho and the Captain try to track down Gi-hun’s location, completely aware that In-ho, who shockingly enters the game as Player 001, is multiple steps ahead.
Hwang In-ho Was A Police Officer Who Accepted Bribery Because His Wife Was Sick
She had cirrhosis and he needed money for her liver transplant
Before he became the infamous and powerful Front Man in Squid Game, Hwang In-ho was formerly a Korean police officer, much like his younger brother, Jun-ho. As revealed in Squid Game, In-ho was disgraced as a police officer after becoming corrupt and accepting bribes to cover the medical expenses of his sick wife before she died. His conversation with Gi-hun in Squid Game season 2 which mentions his family in the present tense strongly suggests that his wife was pregnant when she died. This adds another tragic layer to In-ho’s origin story that helps explain what makes him so coldhearted in the series.
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Although In-ho’s wife died of acute cirrhosis years before the events of Squid Game season 1, she remains a key character in understanding In-ho’s backstory and origin as the Front Man. Squid Game season 2 finally reveals the details surrounding In-ho’s wife’s death when he is in disguise as Player 001, otherwise known as Young-il. In-ho’s wife needed a liver replacement or else she would die of cirrhosis. Not long after, In-ho discovered that she was pregnant with their child. Because of these urgent medical matters, In-ho borrowed as much money as he could but when his police superiors found out, they accused him of bribery and fired him.
Hwang In-ho Participated In The 28th Squid Games & Won
For him and Gi-hun, the prize money wasn’t enough
Because of the extreme debt that In-ho fell into after borrowing all the money for his wife’s liver transplant, he was forced into a similar position as every other contestant who gets recruited for the Squid Game. Like Gi-hun after him, In-ho ended up becoming the sole winner of the Squid Game. He participated in the 28th Squid Games as Player 132 which were held back in 2015. Rather than escape and live a lavish life with his new riches, he returned to the Squid Game as an overseer after he met the creator of the Squid Game, Oh Il-nam.
Il-nam was dying of a brain tumor and needed someone to take the reins of the game, which is where In-ho stepped in. It appears that based on this decision, In-ho didn’t care about the prize money and was far more concerned about finding a purpose in his life, or at the very least, a sense of authority. Even with his newfound wealth, it was impossible for him to return to his old profession as a police officer. In his mind, becoming the Front Man may have been the next best thing, especially because of the warped perception of justice inherent in the Squid Game.
Hwang In-ho Earned Il-nam’s Trust & Become The Front Man
He gave up a golden opportunity to expose the Squid Games
In-ho clearly earned the trust of Il-nam as someone who would successfully enforce the principles and rules of the Squid Game. Even though In-ho could have been virtuous and exposed the Squid Games to the authorities, which likely would have won back his favor with his old police associates, he decides to stay on as the shadowy overseer of the games. Essentially, he and Gi-hun were forced into the same position but chose different paths once they made it out alive as the sole winners of their respective years. In this way, In-ho represents what Gi-hun could have become, and vice versa.
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Although In-ho is technically in the Squid Game in season 2 as Player 001, he is quietly protected and therefore invincible so that he can get closer to and learn more about Gi-hun. After killing Gi-hun’s best friend in the shocking Squid Game season 2 finale, he seems to be making a point to Gi-hun about the world and how the Squid Game is a microcosm of it in that real debt, such as guilt and shame, can never be repaid. Il-nam demonstrated his lack of faith in humanity at the end of Squid Game season 1, which In-ho replicates at the end of season 2. In-ho will likely look to break Gi-hun completely in Squid Game season 3.
Why Jun-ho & His Mother Blame Themselves For What Happened To Hwang In-ho
In-ho donated his kidney to Jun-ho which prevented him from selling it to save his wife
Jun-ho and his mother blame themselves for In-ho’s disappearance and tragic story because In-ho’s act of kindness prevented him from using it to help his wife. In-ho donated his kidney to Jun-ho when they were younger, which prevented him from selling it to pay for some of his wife’s medical expenses and save her. Because of this, Jun-ho’s mother blames herself for not being able to help In-ho like he had helped Jun-ho when he needed it most.
Jun-ho and his mother also faced financial hardships of their own, which further disallowed them from assisting In-ho with his increasing debts. In-ho resultantly kept his distance from his family before his eventual disappearance, which is why his mother takes on the majority of the blame in Squid Game season 2. Jun-ho, however, knows the truth about his brother In-ho, and remains determined to save him from his cruel life as the Squid Game overseer in season 2. Based on the season 2 ending, however, it appears that In-ho is too far gone in his role as the Front Man to ever go back to his old life.
In Squid Game, a mysterious invitation to join a competition is sent to people at risk who are in dire need of money. Four hundred fifty-six participants from all walks of life are locked into a secret location where they play games to win 45.6 billion won. Games are selected from traditional Korean children’s games, such as Red Light and Green Light, but the consequence of losing is death. To survive, competitors must choose their alliances carefully – but the further they go in the competition, the more likely betrayal will rear its ugly head.
- Release Date
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September 17, 2021
- Finale Year
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November 30, 2024
- Cast
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Wi Ha-joon
, Anupam Tripathi
, Oh Yeong-su
, Heo Sung-tae
, Park Hae-soo
, Jung Ho-yeon
, Lee Jung-jae
, Kim Joo-ryoung - Seasons
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2
- Writers
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Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Directors
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Showrunner
-
Hwang Dong-hyuk
