Best Quotes From The English Dub Of Squid Game

Summary

• Squid Game’s English dub offers unique and sometimes funnier dialogue than the original Korean version.
• Memorable characters like Ali Abdul and Han Mi-nyeo shine with altered English dub lines.
• The English dub adds depth and humor to some characters’ lines, creating a different viewing experience.

Squid Game is a show that has been widely loved across the globe ever since it was released on Netflix in 2021. If not for it, it’s likely that many Netflix viewers would never have seen a Korean language show, preventing them from experiencing a different kind of writing and dialogue that differs slightly from the Western approach.

That being said, the dub for the show is just as enjoyable for a more casual viewing experience, and due to the way certain lines and phrases are translated, it has led to a few interesting changes and amusing lines that sound better or at least different in English than the original. Many of the iconic characters and their lines are given a new feeling in the English dub, and there are more than a few instances where these lines are more memorable than those of the Korean version.

7

“Grandma? Don’t You Ever Call Me That!”

Never Assume A Woman’s Age

• Character: Han Mi-nyeo
• Appears: Season 1, Episode 5: “A Fair World”

Han Mi-nyeo is an incredibly divisive character for multiple reasons. Love her or hate her, she for sure has some great on-screen moments and lines that are as funny as they are sincere. After being cast out by the bullies, she attempts to connect with the main cast of characters in order to increase her chances in the next game.

She is questioned by Gi-hun regarding why she left the other group, referring to her as “Grandma” but not in a particularly aggressive manner. In the Korean, the phrase he says is much more endearing and not in reference to her being older in a bad way, but in English, the line is far funnier, and her response is much more dramatic.

6

“Thank You, Sir.”​

Authority Vs. Unity

• Character: Ali Abdul
• Appears: Several times but most notably in Season 1, Episode 3: “The Man with the Umbrella”

One of the most loved characters in the first season, Ali does everything he can to make the games better for the people he is allied with and avoids confrontation where possible. He quickly makes friends with Gi-hun after saving him in the first game, and he is shown to be incredibly caring and empathetic to those around him.

In the English dub, he says “sir” much more often, with the Korean version using it more as a sign of respect than anything else. Instead of saying “boss” like in the initial script, the dub changes it to “sir,” which makes him seem much more inferior when compared to the friendlier usage of “boss” in an endearing way.

5

“If You Press X One More Time, I Swear To F***ing God I’ll Cut Off Your Finger, Give It To Your B***h, And Make Her My B***h.”

A Deadly Promise

• Character: Thanos
• Appears: Season 2, Episode 7: “Friend or Foe”

Thanos is loud, arrogant, and incredibly aggressive towards other players who push back on his advances. He makes several allies with players who view him as cool or an idol to look up to, while others see through the act and regularly make fun of him or don’t pay attention to his quips and jokes.

Lee Myung-gi is one of the latter, an enemy who is pressed by Thanos regarding the happenings outside of the game. This escalates to a scene in the bathroom where the two are going back and forth, and Thanos threatens him and his ex-girlfriend. In Korean, he says, “If you press X again tomorrow, I’ll cut off your finger, give it to her, and ask her out,” but the English dub adds the expletives and makes the whole engagement feel more aggressive and personal.

4

“Sang-Woo, We Can End This Together.”​

Together Till The End

• Character: Gi-hun
• Appears: Season 1, Episode 9: “One Lucky Day

Right at the end of the games, Sang-woo and Gi-hun have to confront one another in a fight to the death, battling their demons and attempting to win it all. Sang-woo seems far more bloodthirsty and ready to take the crown, while Gi-hun chooses the diplomacy option at first and attempts to stop the fight and work things out.

Originally in Korean, he says, “Sang-woo, let’s stop this and go home,” which omits the “we,” instead opting for a more general plea to stop the violence and return to the outside world. The dub could also imply that he wishes to end the games as a whole rather than just their fight, whereas the initial dialogue seems much more self-oriented than a desire to remove the deaths entirely. ​

3

“I Don’t Trust People, Especially The Ones Who Ended Up Here.”

Trust Is Earned Not Given

• Character: Sae-byeok
• Appears: Season 1, Episode 6: “Gganbu”

Sae-byeok is known as an outsider for the most part but comes closer to the people in the games as time goes on. During the marbles game, she speaks with Ji-yeong about the nature of the games and the people within them and outside. She has a distrust of virtually everyone and chooses to remain distanced where possible until help is needed.

While this line is similar in both languages, the English sees it being said it as plainly as it comes. Trust is not something that should be handed out to anyone, especially when lives are on the line. She says that people should take care of whom they place their loyalties with and knows first hand what can happen when it is broken by someone close.

2

“This Is Making Me Feel Alive Again.”

Childhood Wonder In Spite Of Violence

• Character: Il-nam
• Appears: Season, 1 Episode 4: “Stick to the Team”

Il-nam starts out as an incredibly heartwarming character in the early episodes, but by the end of the show, it is clear that his role in the games was far greater than anyone could have imagined. It eventually revealed that his involvement and decision to join as a player came from his desire to have one last ride before his body succumbed to the tumor in his brain.

In Korean, he says, “This is really exciting” during the game, but the dub puts more emphasis on the aspect related to his health. He is aware of his impending doom, both in the games and as a result of his illness, and exclaims his excitement by making a reference to his life before the affliction. It is another case of the English dub hinting at something further and the Korean keeping it simple and basic.

1

“I’ve Played These Games Before!”

Cries That Turn To Comedy

• Character: Gi-Hun
• Appears: Season 2, Episode 3: “001”

One of the most memorable and vocally emotive lines in the second season of Squid Game, Gi-hun is seen pleading with the other players and attempting to aid them through the games with his prior experience, to mixed reception. The English dub generally features several moments deemed comedic because of the way the actor says the line, but this one stands out above the rest.

The line itself isn’t comedic or particularly unique, but the English dub proved to be rather amusing in the delivery and has become a popular meme in the online world. The English dub in itself can barely escape being made fun of for various scenes and moments, and this particular line is no different, bringing some unintentional humor to an otherwise serious scene.