WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Squid Game Season 1, now streaming on Netflix.
Squid Game has shot to fame thanks to its expert writing and exceptional acting performances, not to mention due to it being accessible to millions thanks to Netflix. The main premise and concept is a high-stakes life-or-death tournament made up of six games, where contestants fight and compete for an extortionate amount of money.
While the death-game concept isn't especially new in television or film, Squid Game introduces a unique set of characters, with viewers instantly resonating with or relating to many of them. With the punishment for losing being death, the players have to be successful in every game, which not only requires intelligence and skill but also a degree of luck, with the players generally not knowing what to expect from each round. Luck and fortune are scarce among players taking part in a death game due to debt troubles and financial ruin, but each of the main characters has been fortunate at some point during the series.
8 Oh Il-Nam's True Involvement Raises Questions About Any Danger He Was In
Oh Il-nam was the lovable old guy that Gi-hun took a liking to, feeling a sense of responsibility to help him through the death games. While Il-nam could definitely consider himself lucky to have someone looking out for him, the later revelation that he was behind the death-game competition implies that he had an element of control over proceedings that the other competitors lacked.
His luck within the realms of the marbles game was incredible, with him barely losing any marbles to Gi-hun through legitimate means, with Gi-hun eventually taking advantage of Il-nam's dementia to gain the upper hand. Ultimately, he was there to have fun, with implications made that he would leave the competition before it got too dangerous for him.
7 Ali Abdul Was Unlucky And A Victim Of A Cruel World
Ali Abdul could certainly have considered himself lucky to have initially experienced kindness and warmth from Sang-woo and Gi-hun, with them forming a team and ensuring that they at least made it through the first few rounds together.
His luck was also present during his marbles match with Sang-woo, which saw him on the verge of defeating Sang-woo largely due to "beginner's luck." Ultimately, however, he was a kind-hearted and trusting man in a dark and deceitful world, especially within the realms of the high-stakes death game, and Sang-woo exploited his kind heart to save his own skin and eliminate Ali.
6 Kang Sae-Byeok's Demise Was Extremely Unfortunate
Kang Sae-byeok had a tragic backstory and heart-wrenching motivations for entering the death games in the first place, making her an instant fan favorite. Her determination got her so far, but she had also trained to be more than capable, with an exceptional level of skill and intelligence. Despite her qualities, her lonesome nature could have led her to an early elimination if Gi-hun hadn't convinced her to join their team in the name of safety.
While she was fortunate to have Gi-hun looking out for her, and making it through the marbles round due to Ji-yeong's sacrifice, she was not so lucky at the end of the glass-bridge game, when the glass exploded, ultimately leaving her mortally wounded, ruining her chances of winning the entire competition.
5 Cho Sang-Woo Got As Far As He Did Through Intelligence, Skill, And Manipulation
Cho Sang-woo was one of only a few characters who applied intelligence and skill to most of the games, which ultimately ensured that he ended up in the final game, going up against Gi-hun. Many people mistook his intelligence as kindness, when really it was about self-preservation for him, as the stakes of the game were too much for him to take lightly and show too much kindness.
He was fortunate in a sense that his partner for the marbles game was Ali. Despite almost losing the initial game due to poor luck and Ali winning most of his marbles, desperation drove Sang-woo to manipulate Ali, guilting him to follow a false plan while he swapped his marbles for rocks, which ultimately eliminated Ali and secured Sang-woo a place in the next round. This manipulation would arguably have not worked on anybody else.
4 Jang Deok-Su Rode His Luck Until He Eventually Learned That Actions Have Consequences
Considered the most villainous of the participants in Squid Game, Deok-su made sure to quickly form a gang of sorts in order to ensure his own safety and passage through the rounds. He was fortunate that the doctor considered his group the toughest, subsequently giving Deok-su the insider information regarding the next test, which allowed him to pick a formidable team for the tug of war.
Deok-su was down on his luck during the initial game of marbles against his former lackey, before he successfully pleaded with the guard to allow them to change the game. The second game of marbles also saw him get lucky with his opponent hitting his own marble into the hole, after hitting a small stone. Deok-su's luck would ultimately run out however when his past disrespect towards Mi-nyeo came back to haunt him and cause his elimination.
3 Hwang Jun-Ho's Infiltration Of The Island Was Executed With Skill, Caution, And A Degree Of Luck
The only character who was not a part of the death game competition but could still be considered a main focus of the show, was Jun-ho. Jun-ho was a policeman who successfully infiltrated the island and compound where the games took place, hoping that it would help in finding his missing brother. He followed the vehicle that transported Gi-hun there and silently dispatched a guard, taking his place.
While Jun-ho was certainly fortunate to make it so far with his undercover operation without having the necessary validation when scanned by the higher-ups, he was able to play the whole situation meticulously and carefully, slowly learning the habits of the guards as time went on. He was also able to successfully hide and remain mostly undetected when loitering around the Front Man's room, although external distractions certainly helped him as well.
2 Han Mi-Nyeo Was Fortunate To Survive As Long As She Did
Han Mi-nyeo was certainly the wildcard of the entire competition in Squid Game. She didn't necessarily possess any real talent or likability, but her desire to survive made her dangerous. She was the odd-one-out when everyone had to choose a partner for the marbles game, but despite being carried off in an ominous manner, she was spared due to a "beautiful rule that spares the weakest link."
She had help in some way shape or form in the previous games that she did actually participate in, from using the smuggled lighter to get through the honeycomb challenge to being carried during the tug of war by Il-nam and Sang-woo's strategies and ideas. While nobody can truly consider themselves to be lucky in such a dire situation, Mi-nyeo certainly survived longer than she should have and was ultimately able to go out on her own terms.
1 Seong Gi-Hun's Ultimate Victory Was Made Possible By Help From Others And General Good Fortune When It Mattered
With Seong Gi-hun eventually emerging the overall winner of the death game, it would suggest that he was better than every other participant, but this would not necessarily be the case. Gi-hun would benefit from good fortune on multiple occasions throughout their horrible ordeal of enduring multiple games while staring death in the face.
Gi-hun passed four of the six games with no time left, he was held up by Ali when he tripped during "Red Light, Green Light", he was dangling off the edge in the tug of war, and he was convinced to give up the number one mannequin for the bridge-crossing game which ultimately saved his life. There are even more examples of good fortune favoring Gi-hun throughout the games, making him without a doubt the luckiest character in Squid Game.