Warning: This article contains spoilers for Squid Game season 3.The finale ofSquid Gameincludes many surprises, and the Front Man’s final actions on the show can be seen as generosity or more cold calculations. Following the third season’s release, actor Lee Byung-hun commented on how his character makes sure all the deceased’s affairs are in order.
InSquid Gameseason 3’s ending,Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) sacrifices himselfto save Jun-hee’s (Jo Yu-ri) baby. When the island is evacuated, the Front Man picks up the baby and later delivers her and her prize money to his brother Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon). Later,In-ho travels to Los Angeles to bequeath Gi-hun’s remaining fortune to his estranged daughter Ga-yeong(Jo Ah-in).
During an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter,Lee Byung-hun said that the Front Man personally visiting Ga-yeong is another complicated move,with both benevolent and self-serving implications. Lee says the gift comes from the “sliver of the goodness that’s left in his heart,” but that it is also “done fairly and by the rules of the Game.” Check out his full comments below:
I asked that exact question to the director when we were filming — and he responded by asking me the same question. So we ended up talking a lot about this scene — what is he feeling at that point, and what should my headspace be while I’m trying to bring the scene to life? At the end of the day, I would have to say it’s closer to the latter. He’s had a little bit of humanity restored and he’s offering what Gi-hun left behind with a little sliver of the goodness that’s left in his heart.
But at the same time, his strongest feeling is simply to make sure that everything is done fairly and by the rules of the Game. However, it’s also perfectly natural for the audience to consider a lot of possibilities, as you just have. Is there another motive behind this? Is he signaling the beginning of a new game? Is he sowing the seed so that the Game can be continued? All of that is ultimately open for interpretation. We knew this scene would spark a lot of speculation, so we put a lot of thought into it — even down to the detail of whether the green tracksuit should be bloody or whether it should have been washed.
What Lee Byung-hun’s Explanation For The Front Man Visiting Ga-yeong Means For Squid Game
The Squid Game Finale Will Likely Be Debated For Years
TheFront Man’s motivations in the final act ofSquid Gameare especially double-edged, ashe has doubtlessly been changed by his experiences with Gi-hun, yet still upholds the games' operation until the very end.Those looking to redeem him will be hard-pressed to do so when other characters take real action to protect others.
So, Lee speaking more about this mysterious character and what this strange scene could have meant is furthering the mythology of the Front Man andSquid Game. His comments also demonstrate that the writers knew there would be a lot of ambiguity in the end, and this is what they wanted.
In-ho also could have delivered the money anonymously; his doing it personally and in person suggests a genuine connection between him and the girl’s father, alongside Lee’s comments.The scene with Ga-yeong is meant to be open to interpretation,prompting viewers to think hard about what they are taking away fromSquid Game.
Our Take On The Front Man Delivering Gi-hun’s Fortune To Ga-yeong
It Honestly Isn’t So Benevolent & Giving Her The Tracksuit Is Just Horrific
Lee’s response is what more or less what I took away from seeing his scene with Ga-yeong.It is somewhat kind to make sure Gi-hun’s money goes to his daughter, but it is also the nature of the games to tout themselves as “fair"amid the brutality, and delivering the fortune to the winner’s closest descendant is organized and just.
And, giving the money to Ga-yeong illustrates how In-ho isn’t getting out of this system anytime soon.Ga-yeong doesn’t need the money, per se; she is comfortable and provided forby her stepfather, and suddenly receiving millions might only serve to pull her into this dangerous world. It’s an act that is mostly about the games' constructed morality.
Again with the Front Man, it seems as thoughSquid Gameis making the point that people like Gi-hun can force him to feel some humanity, but it won’t really change anything. In-ho certainly isn’t trying to end the games that Gi-hun fought for so long, an mission that would have truly honored his memory.
