Squid Game has quickly become one of the most popular and most talked-about television shows of all time, thanks to its incredible actors, its accessibility on Netflix, and its creative writing. What makes such a show such a big hit with fans is when there is enough ambiguity and unresolved issues, allowing for global discussions regarding theories, in terms of what has already transpired and what may be to come.
While director and writer Hwang Dong-hyuk has enjoyed the attention and addressed some of these rumors and theories, they still continue to stack up, whether they use logic from the show or showcase the creativity of fans. Although there are many regarding dead characters still being alive that are more wishful thinking than being logical, there are theories that despite being bizarre and outlandish, could well be true and uncovered in future seasons.
10 Oh Il-Nam's Exit From The Games Was Planned But Then Had To Be Improvised Due To Gi-Hun's Kindness
After the reveal of how the old man, Oh Il-nam, was behind the death game all along, a re-watch of Squid Game can reveal several implications and clues, although these can certainly be blown out of proportion when hindsight is involved. With the revelation that the old man uses deception mixed with a hint of truth, it is difficult to know for certain which of these clues are legitimate and which are not.
The day of the marbles round, it is highly possible that Il-nam was intentionally trying to look weak in order to not have a partner for marbles, which would have resulted in him sitting out the next game and potentially even giving him an easy route out of the games without anyone suspecting anything. This seems especially likely, considering that the next game, the glass bridge, would be impossible to fake a death. However, Gi-hun's kind-heart in picking Il-nam as a partner, meant that they had to improvise and fake his death after the marbles game. Mi-nyeo being given a free pass to the next round may have been improvised as well.
9 Red Card For Guards, Blue Card For Players
One theory that has been doing the rounds is the one surrounding the Salesman and the Ddakji game that potential players partake in before joining the competition. Although it is immediately dismissed as a seemingly inconsequential detail, the player is offered the choice of the red or blue card beforehand.
A popular theory is that the blue card represents the players and the red represents the guards, with it offering a potential answer to how the guards get recruited. Gi-hun chose blue making him a player, which leaves the viewers wondering what would have happened if he chose the red card.
8 Multiple Deaths Were Foreshadowed
Not all theories have to relate to future predictions for the show, as they can also be used to change opinions and perceptions of already-passed moments, characters or concepts. It is believed that the second episode "Hell" was not only showing the struggles of every character in the real world, but it was also foreshadowing their deaths.
Deok-su jumped off a bridge to escape some attacking thugs, which would eventually be his demise during the games with Mi-nyeo throwing him off the glass bridge. Sae-byeok held a knife to a specific point of a man's throat, which would ultimately be where Sang-woo aimed for with his own knife. Sang-woo himself was seen contemplating suicide by drowning, with his eventual demise coming with him taking his own life in the middle of a torrential downpour. While Ali's general position of being manipulated and taken advantage of can also be considered as foreshadowing his downfall, the three examples are physical showings of such foreshadowing regarding their deaths.
7 In-Ho Tried To Expose The Games Like Gi-Hun Is About To Attempt
When considering the facts, with In-ho allegedly winning the competition in a previous edition and later becoming the Front Man, it is not too farfetched or outside the realms of possibility to suggest that he may well have gone through the same stages of processing and self-pity as Gi-hun did after his victory.
A theory is that Gi-hun's apparent act of defiance at the end of season one, could well be a mirror image of In-ho's initial defiance, which would later lead him to become an integrated member of the games. Although there are certainly gaps in this theory, the ambiguity surrounding In-ho's victory and transformation into the Front Man certainly needs some reasoning, and Gi-hun's actions in any future season of Squid Game, could well provide some insight.
6 Oh Il-Nam Is Gi-Hun's Father
Gi-hun's friendship with the kind old man in the death games of Squid Game was a pleasant relationship for viewers to enjoy until the show's various heart-wrenching twists and turns. The two seemed to have a lot in common and a theory that has been doing the rounds is that Gi-hun may in fact be Il-nam's son.
While it might seem like a stretch, when Gi-hun asks the guards for chocolate milk, Il-nam says that his son was the same. It may well simply be circumstantial but theories surrounding the importance of the numbers and Il-nam giving Gi-hun his number one jacket, also try to justify it as the passing of the torch from father to son.
5 The Death Games Are International With Multiple Editions Worldwide
When the VIPs arrived on the scene to get a closer look at the games, it was implied that the games were a South Korean edition of something bigger. Fans have deduced that this could well mean that Squid Game is an international phenomenon, albeit an underground one due to the immorality and illegality of it all.
The fact that the VIPs have a collection of accents, with American English being a prominent one, heavily implies that there are other competitions like it all over the world, which is why they get global interest, support and funding.
4 The Charismatic Salesman Is Oh Il-Nam's Son
Although it has since been suggested that the Salesman has a simple and less creative backstory, a fan theory that has been circulating is that the Salesman, who recruits players for the death game, is actually the son of the old man, Il-nam.
A charismatic character played by Train to Busan's Gong Yoo, the Salesman seems to be the embodiment of Squid Game, finding, manipulating, and enticing desperate individuals who need money to solve their problems. While he could very well just be an enigmatic and persuasive salesman who is really good at his job, having a well-renowned actor play a seemingly minor role could well suggest further involvement down the line from the character.
3 Jun-Ho Is Still Alive
After the Front Man was revealed to be the defiant police officer Jun-ho's brother, In-ho, he proceeded to shoot his brother off the edge of a cliff. The bullet was clearly shown hitting Jun-ho's shoulder, which is often known to be a tell that a character had a chance of survival after all.
Jun-ho arguably still needed some closure and answers, but Squid Game has made it clear that it is ruthless and willing to kill off almost any character. With most of the main characters that made season one such a success dead, Jun-ho and Gi-hun working together or separately to take down the games would be a great dynamic for another season.
2 Gi-Hun's Choice Of Hair Color Suggests He Will Return To The Game As A Guard
Gi-hun dyed his hair red after his interaction with Il-nam gave him a new lease of life, but many fans have been wondering and theorizing if this has any meaning or whether he did it simply because he wanted to.
A fan theory is that he dyed his hair a red-pink hybrid to represent and foreshadow the fact that he will re-enter the games as a guard, who don those colors. Further questions would need to be asked like why he would need to put that color on himself in public unless he was trying to send a message.
1 Oh Il-Nam Still Isn't Dead
Considering the fact that the old man contestant in Squid Game was one of the most beloved fan favorites, with his "death" reducing viewers worldwide to tears, the eventual reveal of his true self and intentions, shattered this perception of him and with it, any trust in anything he said.
Therefore, the theory that Il-nam once again faked his death when he met up with Gi-hun after the games, cannot be completely dismissed. From the fact that he was in a hospital bed in an abandoned building, to the water and focus on the time, it is within the realms of possibility that something else may have been planned, faking his death once again, with it all being a ruse to reignite and motivate Gi-hun.