Story of Squid Game – Season 1

The story of Squid Game begins in modern Seoul, a crowded city that hides thousands of untold stories behind its tall buildings—stories of people living on the edge of survival. Among them is Seong Gi-hun, a man in his mid-forties, divorced, and living with his elderly mother in a small modest apartment. Gi-hun was once a hardworking employee, but the accumulation of debts, the loss of his job, and a failed business venture destroyed him. He became a man chased by failure from every direction. He tries to appear strong for his mother and young daughter, but inside, he feels defeated and ashamed.

One day, while standing at a subway station after a series of disappointments, a well-dressed man carrying a shiny briefcase approaches him. The stranger offers Gi-hun a chance to play a simple game in exchange for a tempting amount of money—if he wins. After some hesitation, Gi-hun agrees. What appears to be a harmless children’s game becomes his first psychological test, revealing his vulnerability and desperate desire to escape his life. After winning some money, the man hands him a small card featuring a circle, triangle, and square, along with a phone number.
He tells him:

“If you want to win more… call us.”

This marks the beginning of the mystery.

Gi-hun calls the number and is transported—along with others—inside a dark van. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a huge room filled with 456 participants, all wearing green tracksuits with numbers. Every person there is drowning in debt and misery. A group of masked guards dressed in pink appears, led by a mysterious figure known as the Front Man.

The organizers announce that each participant will compete in a series of traditional Korean children’s games—but in deadly versions. Whoever loses… dies. Whoever survives until the end wins a massive prize of 45.6 billion won. Despite the shock, everyone realizes they are trapped, pushed by poverty and desperation to continue at any cost.

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Game 1: Red Light, Green Light

All players stand in front of a giant robotic doll that turns its head suddenly to detect movement. At the sound of the first gunshot, the illusion of a harmless competition collapses. Chaos erupts as players fall dead around Gi-hun. Frozen in fear, he almost dies, but another player saves him—someone who later becomes important on his journey.

After the horror of the first game, the contestants demand that the game be canceled. Surprisingly, the organizers reveal that the rules allow for a majority vote to end the competition. This becomes the first major psychological conflict:
return to their cruel real lives, or face death for a chance at fortune?

The majority votes to end the games. Everyone returns home—only to realize that their lives outside are far worse. Poverty, threats, debt collectors, helplessness. One by one, most of them choose to return… voluntarily.

A bond slowly forms between four key characters:

• Cho Sang-woo: A brilliant childhood friend of Gi-hun, a top university graduate buried in debt.

• Kang Sae-byeok: A North Korean defector trying to save her family.

• Ali Abdul: A kind migrant worker who wants a better life for his wife and child.

• Player 001 (Oh Il-nam): An elderly man with a brain tumor, always smiling despite his weakness.

As the games resume, each round reveals more about human greed, fear, and hidden motives.

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Dalgona (Sugar Honeycomb)

A test of precision, patience, and mental endurance. The pressure drives players to the brink as they try to carve perfect shapes from the brittle candy.

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Tug of War

Using strategy rather than strength, Sang-woo devises a brilliant plan that saves their entire team from certain death. This moment marks him as both a genius and a deeply dangerous player.

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The Marble Game

Arguably the most heartbreaking part of the series.

Each player must choose a partner—without knowing that only one will survive.

This game exposes the darkest sides of humanity:

• Ali dies because of blind trust in Sang-woo.

• Sae-byeok loses her partner in a deeply emotional exchange of confessions and vulnerability.

• The old man (Player 001) appears confused, forgetful… and then disappears mysteriously.

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The Glass Stepping Stones

A path of chance and terror. Players must jump across glass panels—some strong, some shattering under their feet. Many fall to their deaths. Gi-hun, Sang-woo, and Sae-byeok barely survive.

But at night, inside the players’ dorm, Sae-byeok suffers a severe wound. Gi-hun tries to help her, but Sang-woo—desperate and destroyed—kills her to secure his place in the final.

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The Final Game: Squid Game

A brutal showdown between Gi-hun and Sang-woo under the rain, mud, and blood. They recall their childhood, realizing how far they’ve fallen.

Though Gi-hun gains the upper hand and could kill Sang-woo, he refuses. He begs him to leave the game together and split the prize.

But Sang-woo, drowning in guilt, chooses to end his own life—letting Gi-hun win.

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After the Game

Gi-hun returns home to find his mother dead. His fortune is meaningless in the face of his loss. He spends a year in isolation, traumatized.

Then comes the shocking twist:

Player 001—the fragile old man—is the mastermind behind the game.
He created it as entertainment for the ultra-rich.

Gi-hun collapses in grief and anger, realizing he was nothing but a pawn. But something changes inside him: he decides to fight back.

Just before boarding a plane to see his daughter, he meets a new recruiter scouting for players. Gi-hun turns back, refusing to flee.

He raises the phone to his ear and declares:

“I’m not letting you do this again.”

This marks the end of Season 1… and the beginning of Gi-hun’s real mission:
confronting the system, uncovering the truth, and seeking justice.

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1. Main Character Analysis

Seong Gi-hun (456): A broken hero searching for redemption

He reflects society’s struggles—kind but flawed, fragile yet moral. His transformation is one of the strongest emotional arcs in the series.

Cho Sang-woo (218): Intelligence as a weapon

A brilliant man destroyed by pressure, ambition, and shame. His downfall represents how desperation twists even the brightest minds.

Kang Sae-byeok (067): Survival at any cost

Her silent strength and tragic background highlight the struggles of refugees and the forgotten.

Ali Abdul (199): Pure kindness in a cruel system

His death is one of the most devastating moments, symbolizing how innocence rarely survives in ruthless environments.

Player 001: The smile hiding a dark empire

A masterfully written character—fragile on the outside, monstrous within. His reveal reshaped the entire narrative.

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2. Cast

• Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun

• Park Hae-soo as Cho Sang-woo

• Jung Ho-yeon as Kang Sae-byeok

• Anupam Tripathi as Ali Abdul

• Oh Yeong-su as Player 001

• Wi Ha-joon as Detective Jun-ho

• Lee Byung-hun as The Front Man

Their performances—especially in moments of fear, betrayal, and emotional collapse—played a major role in the show’s global success.

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3. Audience & Critics Reaction

When Season 1 aired, the world erupted:

• Massive praise for the bold concept

• Critics called it “a dark mirror of capitalism”

• #1 on global charts in more than 90 countries

• Characters’ costumes and symbols became worldwide trends

• Universities used it as a study case for social and psychological analysis

To this day, it remains one of the most influential series ever produced.

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4. Why Squid Game Was So Captivating

1. A brilliant concept

Turning innocent childhood games into deadly battles was shocking and mesmerizing.

2. Raw human conflict

The show wasn’t about games—it was about people under extreme pressure.

3. Social symbolism

Class divide, debt, poverty, exploitation—universal themes that resonate everywhere.

4. The reveal of true human nature

Every game exposed who would sacrifice, who would deceive, who would endure.

5. The Player 001 twist

One of the most iconic plot twists in TV history.

6. Stunning visual style

Colorful sets, unsettling music, and surreal aesthetics gave the show a unique identity.