[OSENWORLD] For Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, the Season 3 finale was never about spectacle—it was about conviction. And at the heart of it stood Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), a character never meant to be a hero, yet capable of the most human kind of heroism.
“Gi-hun doesn’t have any special powers. He was never meant to save the world,” Hwang said during a press interview in Seoul on June 30. “But his final choice—to save a child at the cost of his own life—that was the most heroic thing someone like him could do.”
Not a Superhero, But Something More
From the beginning, Gi-hun was written as an everyman—Player 456, a broke, desperate father with no great strength or leadership. But over time, his character quietly evolved.
“In Season 1, he was almost pathetic. But by the end, he had found his conscience,” Hwang said. “He came back into the game in Season 3 not to win, but with a purpose. And that purpose led him to a choice no one else had the courage to make.”
That choice: protecting a child in the game’s final round, sacrificing himself to ensure her survival.
“This Is What Heroism Looks Like Today”
While some viewers criticized Gi-hun for lacking the decisiveness of a traditional hero, Hwang offered a different lens.
“Even the Front Man mocks him—‘Was playing the hero any fun?’ But I never intended to tell a superhero story,” he said. “The world doesn’t change because of one powerful figure. It changes when ordinary people make brave decisions. Gi-hun represents that idea.”
Lee Jung-jae Lived the Role—Literally
The emotional weight of Gi-hun’s journey was matched by Lee Jung-jae’s physical commitment. Hwang described how the actor transformed his body and isolated himself throughout the shoot.
“He ate only vegetables for over a year,” Hwang said. “He grew thinner, more hollow, more haunted—just like Gi-hun. He wouldn’t eat with us anymore. He ate alone in his car. It was like Gi-hun was taking over his real life.”
After filming wrapped, Hwang and Lee shared a single drink. “Just once,” the director said. “That’s how committed he was. I’ll never forget what he gave to this character.”
Gi-hun vs. Front Man: A Moral Duel
Season 3’s climax isn’t just physical—it’s psychological. Gi-hun faces off against the Front Man, In-ho (Lee Byung-hun), a former cop who fell into corruption and now oversees the games.
“In-ho saw Gi-hun as a threat,” Hwang explained. “He wanted to drag him down, to make him choose violence, like he did. It was about power, shame, and proving that even the good can fall.”
But Hwang believes that somewhere inside, the Front Man also hoped Gi-hun would resist.
“When Gi-hun chose to protect the child, In-ho witnessed it,” he said. “I think there was a sliver of respect. That’s why he gave the child Gi-hun’s belongings, and why he destroyed the arena. It was his way of saying, ‘You won.’”
One Light in the Dark
Season 3’s climax isn’t just physical—it’s psychological. Gi-hun faces off against the Front Man, In-ho (Lee Byung-hun), a former cop who fell into corruption and now oversees the games.
“In-ho saw Gi-hun as a threat,” Hwang explained. “He wanted to drag him down, to make him choose violence, like he did. It was about power, shame, and proving that even the good can fall.”
But Hwang believes that somewhere inside, the Front Man also hoped Gi-hun would resist.
“When Gi-hun chose to protect the child, In-ho witnessed it,” he said. “I think there was a sliver of respect. That’s why he gave the child Gi-hun’s belongings, and why he destroyed the arena. It was his way of saying, ‘You won.’”
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
