: A migrant worker seeking a better life for his family. Key Game Turning Points

: After Sang-woo murders a weakened Sae-byeok, he and Gi-hun face off in the titular Squid Game . In a brutal fight, Gi-hun eventually wins but refuses to kill his friend. Instead, Sang-woo takes his own life to ensure Gi-hun receives the prize money for both their families. The Ending and Major Twist

: An elderly man with a brain tumor whom Gi-hun befriends.

A year after winning, a traumatized Gi-hun receives a final invitation and discovers that is still alive. Il-nam reveals he is the creator of the games, which he designed for his own amusement and that of other bored, wealthy "VIPs". After Il-nam dies of natural causes, Gi-hun dyes his hair red and prepares to fly to the U.S. to see his daughter. However, upon seeing the recruiter at the subway station again, he chooses to stay in Korea, determined to expose and stop the organization behind the games.

In the first season of Squid Game , (Player 456), a divorced chauffeur and gambling addict, is lured into a high-stakes survival competition to pay off his mounting debts and gain custody of his daughter . He and 455 other cash-strapped participants are taken to a secluded island where they must compete in six deadly versions of South Korean children's games. The Deadly Competition

: A disgraced investment broker and Gi-hun's childhood friend.

: Players must cross a bridge made of tempered and normal glass; stepping on the wrong pane results in a fatal fall.

: A North Korean defector trying to reunite her family.