Is Il-nam The Front Man’s Father? Theory, Explained

Over the years, there have been many theories that fans have thrown around in relation to Squid Game and its characters. In the second season, the Front Man himself joins the Games and becomes a more prominent character, prompting fans to look deeper into his past and his family. While the only confirmed blood relation is his brother, Jun-ho, many believe he might be related to someone else in the show as well — namely, a key character from the first season.

This theory revolves around Il-nam secretly being the Front Man’s father. There are a few different signs that have pointed towards this that fans have discovered, making it a plausible theory for the Game’s leader. Here’s what has been pulled together for the Squid Game theory.

This article contains spoilers for season 2 of Squid Game.

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Is Il-nam the Front Man’s Father In Squid Game?

Breaking Down the Theory

The reasons that a lot of fans are theorizing that Il-nam could actually be In-ho’s (the Front Man) father come from a few different scenes in season 1 and season 2. After season 2 was released in December 2024, fans started piecing this theory together based on what they knew about the two characters.

In season 1, there is a scene between Gi-hun and Il-nam, who grow close throughout the games, where they are choosing between regular milk and chocolate milk. Gi-hun chooses to take the chocolate milk, and Il-nam says to him:

In one scene in Season 2, In-ho, also known as the Front Man, has some plain milk and decides to give it to Jun-hee instead. He tells her that he doesn’t drink plain milk, leading many to make a connection between this scene and the one between Gi-hun and Il-nam. While the original theory for this connection had incorrect translations of the captions, the correct translations could still hint at the possibility of Il-nam being related to the Front Man.

Is This Theory Plausible?

Could This Actually Be Implemented Into the Story?

• In-ho and Il-nam’s son are both implied to dislike milk.
• The two are both heavily involved in the Games.

While the original theory made fans believe that Il-nam’s son and the Front Man were both lactose intolerant, even the correct translation could still imply a connection. The Front Man, or In-ho, essentially implies that he just doesn’t prefer milk, which is what Il-nam says to Gi-hun. Il-nam implies that his son usually chose chocolate milk over regular milk, which often got him into trouble. While the real explanation makes this theory less possible, it is still something that could be implemented into the story and appear in season 3.

This theory could also be more likely due to the fact that Il-nam was the original creator of the Games, and after In-ho won in 2015, he became the Front Man, which already connects the two. It is possible that, since In-ho had a hard life before joining the Games, struggling to make ends meet and save his wife, he wasn’t aware that Il-nam was actually his father. Even if Il-nam turned out not to be his father, it is likely that In-ho felt a special bond with him, since he gave In-ho the chance to save his wife by entering the Games and winning the profits. Then, soon after winning, he decided to carry on the legacy of the Games as the Front Man, especially since his wife didn’t survive.

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Other Theories Revolving Around Il-nam

Could He Be Another Player’s Father?

• Possible connection between Gi-hun and Il-nam
• Implies that Gi-hun could be Il-nam’s son due to his dislike of milk

There have been other theories going around involving Il-nam as well, including the possibility that he could be Gi-hun’s father instead. Since Gi-hun’s father is never mentioned in the show, just like the Front Man, many have pieced together some moments that could hint at the possibility.

In particular, some fans have analyzed the same scene from season 1 involving the milk. Since Il-nam mentions that Gi-hun is just like his own son, who also got spanked for not liking plain milk, many have theorized that this could imply that Il-nam is actually Gi-hun’s father rather than the Front Man’s. Later on in the first season, they both realize they are from the same region and grew up playing the same children’s games as well.

Though this theory is also plausible, it is likely not as strong as the other, due to the fact that Gi-hun would probably have memories of what his father looked like if he was around to spank him. Both theories have interesting origins and prove that fans are always on the lookout for small Easter eggs and implications, even if the chances of the theories proving true are quite slim. Although, there is still a possibility it could come true in season 3 when it is released later in 2025.

Release Date

September 17, 2021

Cast

Wi Ha-joon
, Anupam Tripathi
, Oh Yeong-su
, Heo Sung-tae
, Park Hae-soo
, Jung Ho-yeon
, Lee Jung-jae
, Kim Joo-ryoung

Seasons

2

Showrunner

Hwang Dong-hyuk