After three chilling seasons, Squid Game finally wrapped up in June 2025, but the ending, especially involving the Front Man, ‘Hwang In-ho’, left fans stunned and divided. The most unexpected twist was when the masked leader, played by Lee Byung-hun, quietly walks away from the game, leaving behind the 4.56 billion won prize money and ‘Player 222’s baby with his younger brother, ‘Detective Hwang Jun-ho.’ Now, the actor has finally broken his silence on the emotional decision, and it’s deeper than anyone imagined.
Lee Byung-hun reveals why the Front Man let go at the end
After the massive success of Squid Game 3, Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, who plays the Front Man on the show, recently sat for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, sharing why his character walked away from the game. The actor revealed that the Front Man was mentally, emotionally, and morally exhausted after years of enforcing the brutal system. He was quoted as saying:
“After everything he’s (front man) been through, I think the Front Man is a little sick of testing people or putting them through trials at this point. I think that impulse may have left after the Game ended — especially after everything he went through in his confrontation with Gi-hun, and after witnessing Gi-hun’s sacrifice. So I think he left the baby with his brother mainly because he doesn’t have a lot of options.”
Another surprising twist that no one anticipated was the death of the protagonist, ‘Seong Gi-hun’, at the end of the game. Ultimately, the winning amount went to the newborn of ‘Player 222’, which didn’t sit well with many viewers. For ‘In-ho’ (the Front Man), the rules still mattered, even if he no longer wanted to enforce them. Speaking about the baby winning the game, Byung-hun remarked:
“Most of all, like always, he wants to follow the rules. The baby won the game, so the money should go to the baby. His brother is family, and he knows very deeply that his brother is a reliable and trustworthy person, and that he will protect the baby and make sure no one takes the child’s money. The rules say the money goes to the child, and his brother can help ensure that.”
The Front Man’s final decision offered a rare insight into the psyche of a character who has remained largely mysterious. Fans, however, had long speculated about his motivations, especially after flashbacks revealed ‘In-ho’ originally won the game back in 2015 to save his sick wife and unborn child, but that mission tragically failed. That personal loss made many believe he would raise the baby himself to fill the void. But his eventual surrender shows a shift in character that only makes him more human than villain.
Director reveals if there will be a new instalment of Squid Game
Besides the Front Man’s emotional shift, fans were left split over the unexpected ending of Squid Game 3, especially the surprise appearance of Hollywood star Cate Blanchett playing ddakji in Los Angeles. The cryptic cameo triggered buzz about a potential U.S. spinoff, possibly helmed by David Fincher. However, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk dismissed those rumours, explaining that the scene was symbolic, meant to highlight how such oppressive systems never truly end and inevitably repeat themselves.
Well, while viewers were initially shocked at the way Season 3 wrapped up, Squid Game fans may now interpret the finale as a necessary conclusion. What is your take on the Front Man now?
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