The Front Man may be Squid Game’s secret hero after Season 2

While Front Man became the new Player 001 mole in Squid Game Season 2, he may be a secret hero hiding in plain sight. 

As we found out in the first chapter of the Netflix series, the enigmatic, mask-wearing leader of the games is actually Hwang Jun-ho’s half brother, one who started out as a player after losing everything trying to save his dying wife. 

He’s done some pretty terrible things since then, having shot his own brother and deceived Seong Gi-hun and the new players in Squid Game Season 2.

Things came to a head in the explosive finale, but what if Front Man’s actions are for the greater good? Warning: spoilers ahead!

Front Man might not be Squid Game’s villain

Netflix

Front Man – real name Hwang In-ho – is said to be the main antagonist. But after learning more about his backstory in Squid Game Season 2, the theory goes that he’s actually a secret hero trying to bring down the organization from the inside. 

While pretending to be Player 001 Oh Young-il, In-ho tells Gi-hun about how he ended up in the games, and this time he’s not being deceptive. 

His wife developed cirrhosis and needed a liver transplant. At the same time, they found out she was pregnant. 

As her condition worsened, In-ho borrowed money, but this got him in trouble – not only with loan sharks, but also with his work. 

He was fired after years of hard graft, and desperate times call for desperate measures, so In-ho joined Squid Game. 

To make matters worse, when Jun-ho visits his mother, we find out that In-ho gave his half brother a kidney many years ago. So, while In-ho wanted to sell a kidney to try and save his wife and unborn child, he couldn’t. 

We’re not sure what happened next, but at some point between then and the present In-ho became Front Man, overseeing the games that he was once a part of.

Everything we’ve seen him do in the present day has earned him villain status (in the Squid Game Season 2 finale, he goes behind Gi-hun’s back, destroys his plan, and kills his bestie Park Jung-bae right in front of him). 

But what if it’s all a front (sorry)? Here’s a hypothetical scenario to think about: In-ho’s wife and unborn child die. He wins the games and the 45.6 billion won ($31.5m), but he’s traumatized from seeing his peers die and has no family left. 

As a former police officer, he discovers, like his brother, that the force either don’t believe him or are being bribed themselves. Ultimately, he comes to the decision that the only way to stop the games for good is from the inside. 

With this perspective, the blood on his hands can be wiped away by the simple fact that it’s justified if this means hundreds more lives are saved in the process. 

After all, isn’t that Gi-hun’s philosophy?

Gi-hun will become the new Front Man 

Netflix

Although Gi-hun goes into the new round of games with the intention of saving everyone there, he finds himself having to sacrifice others in order to achieve his goals. Maybe this was In-ho’s intention all along: to make Player 456 the new Front Man. 

In Squid Game Season 2 Episode 7, Gi-hun stages a coup against the Pink Guards in a bid to get to the control room. He enlists the help of a team of players, knowing full well that they’re risking their lives. 

Earlier on in the episode, he urges his friends to hide under the beds in the night after a particularly violent dorm fight in which Player 333, Lee Myung-gi, killed Player 230, Thanos, with a fork.

Knowing another fight is set to break out that night, he tells his team to hide until it’s over. “Don’t get caught up in the fight,” he says, to which Jung-bae replies, “But that would put people on our side at quite a disadvantage. Without us in the fight, they’ll be outnumbered.”

“I know,” says Gi-hun. “But if we fight with them and some of us end up dead or injured, it will ruin our entire plan. We can’t beat those bastards with a lower head count.”

Front Man interjects with a very telling question: “Are you suggesting that we make a small sacrifice for the greater good?”

Gi-hun replies, “If we miss this opportunity, the sacrifice will be even greater.” In other words, yes. 

Netflix

Although he tries to hide it, the response elicits a look of satisfaction and realization across In-ho’s face, which could mean he’s found his new ally in the greater fight against Squid Game.

Maybe In-ho is hoping to enlist the help of Gi-hun, which is why he agreed to let him play another round despite knowing he wants vengeance.

A number of viewers agree with this theory, with one writing on Reddit, “I think 456 might end up being the next Front Man.

“001 was also the player like 456 and he had his wife as reason to win the game. What if he is not the main villain but a complex character who is working for a greater cause? 

“I think he chose 456 for a reason and he is just passing the torch or needs support for that greater cause. I think 001 is not the main villain but he is working against the main villains.”

If this is correct, then In-ho’s decision to kill Jung-bae in front of Gi-hun could be seen as an act of necessity, showing the latter the importance of sacrifice in achieving that greater goal. 

Of course, this is all just speculation at this stage. Thankfully, we don’t have long to wait to find out the truth, as Squid Game Season 3 is dropping in 2025. 

For now, Seasons 1-2 are streaming on Netflix. You can read about our Season 3 predictions, every Squid Game challenge ranked by difficulty, and other shows to get excited about in 2025.