Squid Game Season 3 Gives The Show’s Best Character A Smaller Role (But That Ruins Everything)

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“Remove that impressive mask, unless you are the actual lead singer or have finished watching all episodes of Squid Game season 3. Warning: Spoilers follow!

The series “Squid Game” can be seen as a simplified allegory, showcasing themes of good versus evil, wealth disparity, and more. This is why the character played by Lee Byung-hun, known as the Front Man, stands out in the widely acclaimed Netflix show produced and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. We discover, through the investigations of his half-brother and detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), that In-ho was the winner of the games back in 2015 and has been working for the enigmatic organization behind them ever since, with In-ho being a former cop under the name Hwang In-ho.

At the culmination of Season 1, the Masked Leader discloses his identity to both viewers and Jun-ho, leaving the latter astounded upon recognizing his own sibling; In-ho fires at his brother but seemingly spares him from death, allowing Jun-ho to live on. As Season 3 unfolds, Jun-ho becomes relentless in tracking down In-ho, despite the captain of the ship he boards to find the game’s location being controlled by In-ho himself. During this period, In-ho doesn’t seem to be actively engaged in much – instead, he presents a repulsive and destructive proposition to the series’ main character, Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), and lurks around. It’s quite underwhelming when you consider his significant role in Season 2. Here, we’ll explore the Front Man’s function during season 2, reasons for his reduced presence in season 3, and what makes his current activities less captivating compared to his past exploits.

In season 2, the Front Man plays a huge role on Squid Game … but not in season 3

In Season 2, following the shocking disclosure that In-ho and Jun-ho are biological brothers, a significant amount of focus is given to In-ho’s character. This is due to his decision to participate in the game as a player. Although this development may seem like a simplistic narrative device (as it mirrors what the game creator did in Season 1), it remains engaging to witness In-ho shedding his disguise and taking on the role of Player 001. (Coincidentally, this is the same number the previous intruder used, but let’s not dwell on that detail.)

It appears that In-ho initially participates in the games as a way to take revenge on Gi-hun, who won the previous year’s games and defied his flight out of South Korea, eventually returning as a player. However, during the course of the games, he develops genuine relationships with the other players, disguising himself under the alias Oh Young-il. In a surprising twist, In-ho reveals to Gi-hun the true reason for his involvement in the games – to find an organ donor for his terminally ill wife who was pregnant with their child. After accepting money from a criminal (presumably to purchase the necessary organ), he was accused of bribery and expelled from the police force. This isn’t just another trick; In-ho shares the truth about his past.

In “Squid Game,” In-ho participates in the rebellion by the players at the end of Season 2, but he cleverly manages to escape among his guards and leads everyone, including Gi-hun, to believe he’s deceased. However, contrary to expectations, his return as the Front Man in Season 2 doesn’t bring about any thrilling developments for him. Regrettably, this assumption proves false.

The Front Man gets sidelined a lot in season 2 of Squid Game — and stuck with the awful VIPs

In Season 3 of “Squid Game,” what is the role of the Front Man? As the participants engage in these deadly games for a potential prize of billions, he merely continues to observe their demise without any trace of sympathy or regret. This decision in storytelling works effectively; it’s not as if In-ho transforms into a hero just because he encounters some fellow players. However, the issue lies in his lack of exciting tasks other than interacting with the VIPs, an elite group of wealthy non-Koreans who visit this secluded island to witness people battle to death for money … and this is incredibly disappointing since these VIPs are irritating and arguably the most frustrating aspect of “Squid Game” overall.

As I sat down for the grand finale of “Squid Game,” something unexpected happened – In-ho unmasked himself before Gi-hun. The revelation that my ally, Player 001, had been pulling the strings all along left Gi-hun shocked and terrified. However, In-ho didn’t come to gloat; instead, he presented an offer.

The night before the decisive game – a reprisal of the iconic “squid game” involving “hopping” between shapes – In-ho handed Gi-hun a knife and suggested a grim strategy. With all the other players having indulged in copious amounts of food and drink, Gi-hun could use this opportunity to eliminate his competition while they slept, giving himself a significant advantage in the final showdown.

Although finding “Squid Game” intriguing during its second season, it’s somewhat disheartening to notice that In-ho has a significantly smaller role in the third and concluding season of the show. Still, don’t miss out on watching the final chapters of “Squid Game,” available for streaming on Netflix at this time.

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2025-06-27 13:30