The Best Sacrifices In Squid Game

Summary

• Characters in Squid Game often make significant sacrifices for others, showcasing the complexities of humanity.
• Unexpected sacrifices, such as Kim Jeong-Rae choosing death to save a friend, have left an impact on viewers.
• Even antagonists like Cho Sang-Woo can show redemption through acts of sacrifice, influencing the narrative.

Squid Game became a worldwide phenomenon for many reasons, one of the biggest being its innate unpredictability. It truly feels like no character in this dystopian thriller is safe, and that all of them could die at any minute. If that wasn’t enough, many of them have tragically sacrificed themselves for the sake of others.

After all, Squid Game is not just about earning money and the struggles of capitalism, but it also has a big focus on the good and bad of humanity. As a result of this dichotomy, this show has featured a fair share of noteworthy sacrifices that have left a mark on its viewers, and these six are the absolute best ones so far.

Spoilers Ahead for Squid Game

6

Oh Il-Nam

A Poor Old Man That Sacrificed Himself For His New Friend (Or Did He?)

• Episode: Gganbu (Season 1, Episode 6)

Marbles has gone down in history as the most heartbreaking game in all of Squid Game, as it resulted in the tragic deaths of many beloved characters. One of them was Player 001, Oh Il-nam, a feeble old man suffering from severe memory lapses. Seong Gi-hun tries to play with him, and even tries to deceive him in order to win, but at the very end, Il-nam comes to his senses and reveals that he was aware of Gi-hun’s deception. Nevertheless, he lets his new friend win anyway and is seemingly killed by the Pink Soldiers.

At first, Il-nam’s sudden sacrifice is heartwarming and emotional. However, its context changes completely on repeated viewings because, at the very end of Season 1, it’s revealed that he didn’t actually die; he was the creator of the games all along. Nevertheless, his sacrifice still counts, as he could have very easily had Gi-hun killed, but he let him win and live just because he enjoyed playing the games with him. Even if he ultimately was a villain, Il-nam’s feelings towards Gi-hun seemed 100% genuine.

5

Kim Jeong-Rae

Lost Rock, Papers, Scissors On Purpose In Order To Save His Friend

• Episode: Bread And Lottery (Season 2, Episode 1)

Season 2 reintroduced the character of Kim Jeong-rae (aka. Mr. Kim), a loan shark who used to lend Gi-hun money back in Season 1 but who now helps him in his quest to find the Recruiter and put an end to the games. When Mr. Kim and his partner in crime, Choi Woo-seok, find the elusive Recruiter, they decide to chase him around, but unfortunately, they didn’t listen to Gi-hun’s warnings and got too close to him.

The villainous Recruiter captures both of them and forces them to play a deadly game of Rock, Papers, Scissors combined with Russian Roulette. After some of the most intense minutes in the history of television, Mr. Kim eventually decides to make a sacrifice by purposefully choosing the wrong option in order to let Woo-seok win. Kim’s tragic death not only proved that he was a criminal with a sense of honor, but it also inspired his surviving friend to avenge him throughout the rest of the season.

4

Han Mi-Nyeo

She Sacrificed Herself To Take One Of The Most Evil Players With Her

• Episode: VIPS (Season 1, Episode 7)

There’s no denying that Jang Deok-su was one of the most hated contestants in Season 1; he was violent, selfish, and ruthless. He even began a physical relationship with an equally manipulative woman named Han Mi-nyeo, but he eventually betrayed her by kicking her out of his team right before the Tug of War game. However, Deok-su underestimated Mi-nyeo, because she was never going to forget about his betrayal.

That’s why she decided to sacrifice her own life during the Glass Stepping Stones game in order to take revenge on her former lover. After realizing that Deok-su was paralyzed by fear, she grabbed him by the waist and threw herself at the fragile glass panel, which killed them both in the process. This unexpected sacrifice was ultimately quite satisfying, because it allowed Mi-nyeo to take one of the most despicable characters in the show with her.

3

Cho Sang-Woo

He Let His Childhood Friend Win The Big Prize Because He Didn’t Deserve It

• Episode: One Lucky Day (Season 1, Episode 9)

The relationship between Seong Gi-hun and Cho Sang-woo was definitely one of the most interesting things about Season 1’s narrative, because the main character had to witness how his childhood friend was slowly turning into an exponentially worse person just to get out of his financial struggles. It all concludes with Sang-woo indirectly and directly killing multiple beloved characters, like Ali Abdul and Kang Sae-byeok.

Gi-hun and Sang-woo eventually faced each other in the sixth and final game, the titular Squid Game: a ruthless and violent brawl that was filled with tension, but the main character managed to best his friend. Nevertheless, he doesn’t kill him, and instead tries to save his life so they can both share the final prize. However, Sang-woo realizes that he doesn’t deserve Gi-hun’s compassion and decides to kill himself in order to let his friend keep the money. This sole act had a huge impact on the protagonist, and it ultimately influenced his actions in Season 2 and beyond.

2

Seong Gi-Hun

Abandoned A Life Of Luxury With His Family To Go On An Important Mission

• Episode: One Lucky Day (Season 1, Episode 9)

Not every sacrifice in Squid Game involves characters dying just so others can live. One of the most noteworthy sacrifices in the show was that of Seong Gi-hun, who won the 2020 edition of the games and, as a result, acquired a massive fortune. After spending months without knowing what to do with his newfound wealth, he eventually decided to go to the United States in order to reunite with his daughter.

However, Gi-hun received a last-minute call from the Front Man, who told him to never get involved with him and the games ever again. Despite the warning, the protagonist canceled his journey to America and stayed in South Korea in order to take revenge on the Front Man and finally put an end to the deadly games. From that point on, Gi-hun spent all of his time and resources tracking down the game’s organizers and eventually ended up participating in them for a second time. He sadly suffered quite a lot in Season 2, even though he could have spent a prosperous life in America with his daughter instead.

1

Ji-Yeong

The Most Tragic And Emotional Sacrifice In The Series

• Episode: Gganbu (Season 1, Episode 6)

There’s a large list of reasons as to why Gganbu is often considered the best Squid Game episode, with one of the most prominent ones being the interaction between Sae-byeok and her new friend/rival, Ji-yeong. At first, they were both reluctant to actually play against each other, so they spent most of the game talking about their lives and getting to know each other.

The two girls bond over their dark and tragic lives, and they eventually decide to play with their marbles before time runs out and the soldiers kill them both. Much to the surprise of both Sae-byeok and the audience, Ji-yeong allows her to win, claiming that she realized that she had nothing to live for, while Sae-byeok had previously expressed her desire to get her family out of North Korea. This sudden sacrifice was one of the most heartbreaking moments in Squid Game, and the fact that Sae-byeok was tragically murdered just a few episodes later perfectly exemplifies how somber and relentless this show is.