Ever since its release in September 2021, the South Korean survival drama Squid Game has taken the world by storm. Based on the creator Hwang Dong-hyuk's financial struggles early in life, Squid Game paints a thoughtful narrative around the issues of capitalism and class disparity within South Korea. Despite how well-received Squid Game became immediately after its release, it took him an entire decade of unsuccessfully pitching the series before Netflix took an interest in 2019.
While nearly all of the elements that make up Squid Game are beloved by fans, one of the strongest and most talked-about is the cast and their performances. This is even true of actors making their way into the scene for the very first time, such as HoYeon Jung, aka Player 067. And while all of the actors give great performances, the standouts nail their roles so well that it can make others look weaker.
10 Nailed It: HoYeon Jung As Player 067
It's hard to think about knockout performances in Squid Game without considering HoYeon Jung's role as Player 067. She portrays Kang Sae-Byeok's tough-as-nails demeanor and her softer family-oriented side so well that it's hard not to root for her, even more so than Gi-hun at times.
What makes her performance so impressive is that this was HoYeon's first acting role, and she took it incredibly seriously. She goes as far as to write a daily diary in her character's perspective, watch documentaries about North Korean defectors, and even learn martial arts to ready herself for the role.
9 Fell Short: Lee Dong-Yung As Kim Sang-Hyuk
Kim Sang-hyuk's character serves his purpose in Squid Game as well as he needs to. He's the police officer that Gi-hun recounts the beginning of the games to, who naturally doesn't believe a word that the ragged gambling addict says.
That said, he also doesn't stand out as especially memorable. He's also seen only briefly and in a negative light since the audience wants him to believe Gi-hun, which doesn't help his case either.
8 Nailed It: Kim Joo-Ryung As Han Mi-Nyeo
Although the character she portrays is rather divisive, there's no doubt that Kim Joo-Ryung nailed her role as Han Mi-nyeo. She plays a manipulative wild card well and is one of the most entertaining characters to watch due to just how good Joo-Ryung's acting is. Her decision to take herself out along with Jang Deok-Su - and the delivery of her lines as she does so - is one of the most memorable moments of Squid Game.
7 Fell Short: The VIPs, Most Notably Geoffery Giuliano As VIP #4
It's unanimous from almost every corner of the Squid Game community that one part about the show that sticks out is the performances from the VIPS, and not in a good way. Many felt that there wasn't much emotion in their lines and they felt underperformed compared to the rest of the cast.
This is especially noticeable when it comes to Geoffery Giuliano's role as VIP #4, but it's only because he gets the most screentime and thus the most fan scrutiny. It also doesn't help that his most memorable scene, aside from a bad joke. is making creepy sexual advances towards a show fan-favorite.
6 Nailed It: Wi Ha-Joon As Hwang Jun-Ho
Up there with Kang Sae-byeok, Hwang Jun-ho is one of the most gushed about characters from Squid Game. It's easy to see why. with the stellar performance Wi Ha-Joon turned in, and how easily the audience could understand Jun-ho's emotions and empathize with him.
Wi Ha-Joon had already established himself as a prominent actor within South Korea. Squid Game is the role that launched him into international notoriety.
5 Fell Short: Yoo Sung-Joo As Byeong-Gi
When considering the main participants within the games, the surgeon who ends up joining Deok-su's team is one of the weaker characters. This has less to do with Yoo Sung-Joo's acting, which works for the character being portrayed, but his character as a whole leaves something to be desired.
Byeong-Gi is one of the shadier participants in the Squid Game, helping some of the masked men harvest organs to sell for profit. Nothing is known about his life outside of the games either, except for his profession, so there's nothing sympathetic to help change the audience's mind about him, either.
4 Nailed It: Jo A-In As Seong Ga-Yeong
Despite only being eleven years old at the time of Squid Game, child actress Jo A-in does a phenomenal job with her character, Seong Ga-Yeong. The pain of still caring for her negligent father and wanting to spend time with him despite their tough family situation is evident from her interactions with Gi-hun. As of December 2021, Jo A-in has already starred in just over a dozen roles, an impressive filmography for her age.
3 Fell Short: O Yeong-Su As Oh Il-Nam
To set things straight, O Yeong-su's performance as Oh Il-nam isn't disappointing, and especially in Gganbu, his character shines with heart-wrenching moments. However, most of the other main characters felt like they get more complex. When viewers rewatch the series, the opposite happens with Il-nam.
Given that the audience is then-equipped with the knowledge that Il-nam is the actual orchestrator behind the games, many of his actions become more suspicious. There are hints about his real role as early as his introduction, and seeing him in this context sadly weakens his character.
2 Nailed It: Gong Yoo As The Recruiter
Gong Yoo's performance as the recruiter is easily one of the most memorable parts of Squid Game. He's immediately recognizable to many viewers for his leading role in Train To Busan. While his role in Squid Game is brief, he plays his character well and many fans wanted to see more of him on the show. Before the reveal of the Front Man's identity, a big fan theory was that the Front Man was actually the recruiter himself, but this obviously turned out to be false.
1 Fell Short: Kwak Ja-Hyoung As Player 278
Player 278's role within Squid Game is similar to others in the 'fell short' category like Sang-hyuk. It's much less the actor's fault, as he did a good job with the role he was given, but the limited nature of the role itself limited the performance's impact.
Player 278 is one of the only major players within the cast who doesn't ever have their full name revealed. His most memorable scenes are going along with Deok-su's vulgar jokes or making similar jests himself, and there's just not much to him compared to other cast members.