Squid Game Summary

Released Year: 2021
No of Episodes: 9

Season 1
Main Leads: Park Hae-soo, Lee jung Jae, Ho yeon Jung
Genre: Black comedy

MAIN PLOT:

Contestants trapped by financial issues accept an invitation for a competition. The Winner can get a hefty amount. But runners have to pay with their lives.

Main Cast:

Park Hae-soo as Sang-woo

Lee jung Jae as Gi-hoon

Ho yeon Jung as Kang Sae-byeok

Special Apperance:

Lee Byun-hyun and Gong Yoo

EPISODES SUMMARY:

Episode 1: Gi-hoon and the First Round!

Gi-hoon is a 47-year-old man, useless and always interested in bet games. He never regret to leech his old mom’ money and is full of debt. He is a divorcee and has a little daughter gi-gyeong. When his mom give money to buy something for her granddaughter, he even bet with that money but won a hefty amount which would have been sufficient for half of his debt. A girl who hit with him must have stolen it. The loan sharks threaten him and get his signature for selling his kidney in case if he could not pay it in 1 month. After, all this, he met his daughter and treats her a humble meal. Out of all this, the bonding between the daughter and the father is too pretty to watch. He always become a helpless father who run out of money to buy her daughter, a present. When he left his daughter and waiting for the next train. He meets a man(gong-yoo) who calls out him for a game. For every win, the price money is 100000 won. If he loses, he should get a slap.

He managed to make a lot of money and when the guy asked him to join in some other game. He replies that he is not interested in it. But, surprised to see some random person calling out his name correctly. That man mentions that he signed “physical rights” means he has no right for his body. He wanted gi-hoon to participate in squid game, the game which gi-hook use to play in his childhood.

Gi-hoon is an irresponsible, useless and gamble addicted man. But he is a soft-hearted man. He is shocked to hear that his ex-wife and daughter is moving to US. His mom insisted him that to request for her custody, he must able to prove that he has enough financial abilities to raise her well. Finally, he saw that card which the strange man (Gong yoo) had given and calls the number.

As he wishes to participate, a car approached him and asked for the password. Upon saying, he gets in to the car to see people sleeping. Immediately a chemical is sprayed and he became unconscious only to wake up and see a huge hall in which more than 100 bunk beds with people in it. All were in Jersey including him. Around Hundred masked persons were monitoring all these people and one man seems to be in charge of all this. This game is not a petty competition, it’s a big network and all are lured like gi-hoon. There are now 456 participants including the girl who stole the money from gi-hoon.

The game is explained. The game is for 6 days with 6 games. The winner can get a ransom money. Sang-woo ( Park Hae soo, Prison play book fame) is one among them who questioned their way of getting them and not revealing their identity.. He also questions on all the items they took from them. The team denies any allegation and stated that it’s for fair game and confidentiality. They were also given options that they can withdraw now if they wanted. No one withdrawn and all agreed to participate out of their own will. The type of game will be notified only on the first day of six days.

The first game begins, they entered a step and reached a door. It’s a huge open place in between the fields. Sang-woo and gi-hoon are from same locality and they know each other well. When he asked about, how can sang-woo be in debt when his mom says that he is in abroad. He hesitaes to answer and the game is about to begin.

The first game is red light-green light. When a giant doll says red light, they have to stop and for green light they have to walk. If they move, they will be eliminated. One person is eliminated. That eliminated person curled up and fell off. He is motionless so no one has idea in what is going on. After it says green light, the other person goes to check him only to see him vomiting blood and dies. The checked person run behind but was caught and shot. The whole place Is surrounded out rifles and when the doll detect movements in a body, it enables the rifles and then eventually that person. All were started running here and there and most of them were shot dead as still the game is in red light mode. The masked man watches all this in a projector.

Sang-woo hints gi-hoon that when he hid behind someone they can escape. So very few like Sang-woo, that girl, gi-hoon do like that and escapes. And the open roof now closes. It’s an island where they made all this set up. The notable survivors are 001(old man), Sang-woo, gi-hoon, the girl, the man who mistreated that girl (previously she was employed under him), a Asian man whose name is yet to be revealed. He helped gi-hoon by pulling him when the red light is on. 

The masked man now unveils his mask and face is not shown. 

Episode 2: A chance for survival!

Out of the 456 players, 255 were eliminated. The game rule is again reminded to all of them as most of them wanted to go home. 

Consent 1: A player cannot stop playing in between

Consent 2: player will be eliminated as soon as he or she refuse to pay. 

Then immediately Sang-woo reminded the 3 clause, when all the players want to stop the game, it can be stopped. 

Yes, voting is to be done. But the price money accumulated is 25.5 billion won, approximately 100 million won for each player. The total price money is 45.6 billion won. 

If the number of votes is high for termination, then the game will be terminated otherwise it resumes. A green buzz is for OK and red is for not ok. 

Gi-hoon- not ok

Sang-woo- ok

Asian man- not ok

Thug- not ok

Girl-ok

001- now its 100-100, the last vote decides the fate. That old man, brain Tumor patient in his 80’s is about to vote.. it’s a no. 

Now the game can be terminated and players can walk out of they want. The players who don’t want to play were taken out to Seoul and thrown with hands and legs tied. 

Gi-hoon tried to make a complaint and no one believed him in the police station. But a police officer, a young man who is searching for his missing brother, overhears his words and the card he shown. When he searches his brother flat, he found the same card, that holds a number. 

All are in terrible condition now. 

Sang-woo is full of debts with around 6 billion ahd he pledged his mom house and shop. Gi-hoon mom suffers from severe diabetes. Ali(Asian man) did not get his pay check for 6 months. When he fights with his manager, his manager hand gets into the machine and ali runs away with the manager money. 

That girl has a younger brother in orphanage and she search for her missing parents. 

Sang-woo mother is informed that his son is wanted for forgery and embezzlement case..

Many of them were reinvited for the game. And all of them agreed. Now sang woo, Ali, gi-hoon, old man, thug and the girl go to the same location where they had been picked up before and same process followed. This time, the police offer whose brother went missing now follows gi-hoon. The girl pretends like she is unconscious. 

She tries to find the exact way. 

Episode 3: An intruder

So many cars that gathered in Muojin Port is full of players and the police office sneak beneath the last car. He kills one of the masked men, thrown him in the sea with his own police card in his pocket. He now wears that masked dress. joins the group and acts like a one among them.

Old man, sang-woo, Ali and gi-hoon forms a gang. They have to support each other. That girl carries a knife with her and managed to get it to that hall. Out of 201,187 have returned. She tries to find a way on her whereabouts. A lady joins this girl. She found masked men cooking with sugar. Sang-woo over hears when the two ladies were discussing. Sang Woo checked with that girl by saying he know all kinds of game. If she shares then they can find a way to escape. Meanwhile, police officer maintains his masked appearance. He carries a mobile with him.

The second game is about to begin and prior to that they were all given as stuffed bun with a drink as breakfast meal.

4 shapes were given, triangle, star, umbrella and the circle. Sang-woo find out something. He has played the Same game before. A game with sugar candies in 4 shapes. Sang Woo chooses triangle And the Girl follows him.

Gi-hoon-umbrella

Old man- star

Ali- circle

Lady-star

Thug-star

Itseems that there is a goat in masked men other than the police officer. He gives the next match clue to one of the players. Honeycomb. Using a needle, they must take the respective selected shape from the honeycomb without breaking or cracking it. Persons who choose triangle and circle are quite easy, but stars and umbrella will be quite tough. They have to trim out within 10 mins.

Everyone followed different strategies. The lady used a lighter and trim out the star. She throws the lighter to the thug so that he can escape. Gi-hoon tried licking the honey comb so that partition become easy. Most 0f them followed gi-hoon and escaped. A considerable number of players died as well. A player blackmailed a masked man to show his face. So, the masked man Is also killed as once the identity is revealed they also will die.

Episode 4: The Third Game And Sang-woo’s Last minute try!

At the end of game 2, 79 were eliminated. 108 remains. Lady now joins thug group. And when a man questions them on getting his food, he brutally hit and killed that man. Surprisingly, no masked men do anything and simply the count has reduced to 107. Gi-hoon group can now understand the threat. The police officer now wear a square mask; means he is one of the leaders.

The one who won because of having a spy seems to be a doctor. He secretly removes eyes and other parts of dead players. But does that chief in a metal mask knows it? It may not be as the traces of him leaving behind the camera were all erased by someone. He must have more than 1 spy. Actually, he does all this to help them and in turn he receives information about next game.

The men informed him that shortage of food is all a part of game so that fighting can be break out at nights. People kill each other to reduce the count. All the players are quite panic after the killing incident. The thug team with around 5 members including the lady seems to be a powerful gang. Gi-hoon invites the girl as thug has vengeance on her already. 

The special game begins where all lights are switched off. The thug ruthlessly killed the woman who first disclosed him getting meal for the second time. He tried to attack and players start killing each other. That old man now shouted that he is too scared to see people killing each other and that very moment, the chief told to end the game. The girl name is Kang sae-byeok. That lady had sex with Deol-so, the thug. 

The third game gonna start and Deol-so already know it from the doctor. He ordered his guys to gather 10 well-built men. The count now reduced to 80. Finally, deok-so betrays lady Ms. Han. 

Ms. Han joins with sang woo team. Now the team has 3 girls and 1 old man out of the 10. Sang woo is quite frustrated. The game is tug of war. In order to win, the team must pull the rope towards their platform. It’s a team combat each other, totally 8 teams. The first round is between deok-so(team 1) and team 7. Two platforms on the air, the runners will fell off into the ground and dies. Team 1 win easily. 

Now team 4(sang woo) and team 5(all men team). 

All the players from the ground are carried away by the masked men with only 1 player fighting for his life. That coffin is marked with “+” symbol. Police officer noted this. 

They come up with different strategies from the old man who always win the game during his childhood. However, the opponents managed. 

So now sang woo tells the team to take 3 steps forward. 

Episode 5: Organ Selling!

When they run 3 steps, the opponents fell down and when they about to get up, sang woo pulled the rope with utmost strength causing the opponents to fell off. Gi-hoon who led the team could not see men dying just like that. What for all this, what are they going to accomplish. Are they doing it for pleasure or for something else.!!? Tells Squid Game!

All the bodies are cremated, but the alive yet players are taken to somewhere underground. The coffin will be sent for cremation, but a separate passage through which bodies were taken somewhere and operated for organs. Even for dead player, the organs are removed. 

Another ten minutes to switch off lights and now gi-hoon told the team to create a barricade as another fight may broke up. On shift basis, teammates will watch throughout the night.

The doctor is furious and killed one of the masked men as the next game is not told to him. And now the doctor is on the run. Meanwhile, police officer (or) number 29 is now to deliver the organs to some Chinese. He is suspected and the fellow man who also is a part of delivery wanted to check his face as he believed that number 29 voice had been changed lately. Police officer kills the fellow man after hearing about a record in the leader room that has all list of the players. 

Finally, the leader or chief came to know about this organ selling. Both the masked man and the doctor is shot. Now the police officer searches in the chief room. And the chief now searches for the one who killed number 28.i.e, number 29. He found records of even the year 1997. Finally, he found the list of winner record. His brother in ho is the winner of year 2015.

Episode 6: Fourth Game and the Betrayals!

The fourth game begins. The people who sold organs without knowledge of leader is hanged in the hall way so that all the players could see.

Leader came in to his room and police officer had to sneak out. He found leader speaking to someone over the phone. He addresses it as sir and he promised that there won’t be any problem when the VIP’s arrive. So, he is just an arrow. The bow is somewhere else.

Fourth game is 2 per team game. Like last time, this time too men fear to choose women.

Sang Woo chooses Ali instead of gi-hoon. Hoon is quite shocked but pretend as he is OK with it. That’s his usual character.

After coming to know there is only 39 since the doctor death and the left over 1 person will be killed. He just knew that old man will be left. So, he finally chooses him. Now the only left player is Ms. Han, the one who create scene also. The girl and another carefree girl who joined with them in the round 3 become team partners. 

Ms. Han is as expected, killed by masked men. 

Each player was given 10 marbles, they can play any game with their partners. The one who takes all the marbles will be the winner and the other teammate will be eliminated. Such a callous dream. How can a teammate pave way for his own team to be killed? 

Sang woo/Ali- odd or even 

Deok so/someone- odd or even

Sae-byun(the girl)/carefree girl-  the carefree girl want to play one simple bet game for all the 10 marbles. As time left, she wants both of them to share and speak. It seems the carefree girl already has a plan. Her eyes is full of sadness. 

Gi-hoon/Oldman – old man don’t want to play any game whereas gi-hoon is insisting him to play, otherwise both of them could die. 

Sang woo is on the verge of loss and has only one marble. He got furious and blamed Ali for playing cheating game. Poor Ali has no clue. He is always been honest to him. And he never intends to win him. But always sang woo want to live. it was a terrible game as some even cheat the other. 

Sang woo managed to be in he by giving hopes to Ali that they both can win. And presumes that the player will not be eliminated if no one wins. 

Ever honest gi-hoon had to cheat the old man as only one marble left with gi-hoon. Old man yet has only one. 

Snag woo tricked Ali and steal the marbles. Showed it to the man as the game rule is taking all the marble without violence. 

Deok-so won. The other one dies. 

When all cheating each other. The girls were discussing about their background. When only 3 minutes left. They start their only one simple game. Those who throw the marble near to the door win. The first chance is sae-byeok, she throws. The second chance is ji-Yeong, carefree girl, deliberately slipped the marble and accept her loss. Sae-byeok is too angry. She quarrelled with her but she calmly replied that she has no one outside like sae-byeok who has little brother in shelter. Sae-byeok is from north Korea, mother in North Korea at the moment. 

When gi-hoon wanted to end the game, old man went on to talk about his childhood days. When gi-hoon insisted on playing. Old man wants to play a game where both of them should keep all their marbles in one bet. And it should be gi-hoon first.  Gi-hoon find it no sense at all as the old man could easily tell odd or even as he has 19 marbles with him.  When gi-hoon rebuked the act of old man, he genuinely asked that were the thing he did to him all these times. So the old man know that he is being cheated. And gi-hoon could not see the old man eyes. He politely gave his only coin left to gi-hoon. Meanwhile, Ali understood that he is being cheated and dies. Ji-Yeong, the carefree girl dies happily. 

Player 1, the old man is eliminated. 

Episode 7:VIP’s!

When the winners retired for the day all they found is Ms.han, the only left contestant. As per the rule, as she has no one left to be her partner. She cannot participate in the game. So, she returned to the dorm. The left players are only 17 now.

The chief is just the front man and he Co-ordinates all these games being watched by the main leader. And the game has VIP’s who does not reveal their identity as well (around 5 of them). As a body is found that has police officer Id, they thought that the intruder is died. But the police officer sneaks inside the record room.

The team back then with a couple, the man is the winner and the woman dies. After asking others to end the game. He received a constant disapproval for killing his own wife for the sake of money. He regrets and killed himself. Now only 16 left.

The fifth game that has 16 players about to begin. the VIP’s will enjoy and bet on players. But what is the motive of such a game from 1992. Still not revealed. The police officer pretends as the man who serves the VIPs. 

In the fixth game, everyone must choose a vest numbered from 1 to 16.

Glass game! It is! A bridge with Some is of tempered glass that can hold 2 people, normal glass will break even if a person stands. They must go through the line and pass. If they step on normal glass, they may die. But how to choose the tempered glass. That’s the game. Overall time is only 16 minutes. 

Gi-hoon is the 16th player. So will be risky for back number players as they won’t have enough time. But they can go easily as normal glass would be broken once the previous contestants wrongly step on. 

So, for the back numbers, the prediction may work. 

One of the vip, an old man got interested in the police officer, now a black masked man. He ordered to remove his mask to which he responded that he would do as per his wish in the private. So, they both leaves the area and goes private. He removes the police officer mask. He goes naked and once he satisfied him in 5 minutes, he will change his life. The police officer now made him to kneel down at gun point. The old man is shocked. He records all this in his mobile and wanted this man to reveal all about the game. 

Otherside, thug, deok-so, creates the problem that he won’t go first as all before him died. He wanted the behind one to go before him. If not, he doesn’t mind if everyone dies. He even pushes the next person. The next is his estranged partner, ms. Han. He scolds him as a pathetic person and provoked him through her words. But, still, he did not go first and did not leave any players as only the first number must proceed first. She steps forward to his place and just put her hand around him. He could not manage as they could fall down any time. She just falls of from there along with him. Both of them dies. She thought this is the punishment he could get for betrayal. 

As the next no is a glass architect, he managed to cross more than half way. Now only 1 to cross. They switched off the lights as they got the point that he is identifying it because of light refraction. Only 4 are remaining this man, next is sang woo, sae-byeok and gi-hoon at last. Sang-woo just push that glass experienced man and figured out the last one as well. Sang woo passed it, and the rest 2 followed. Now after game 5, the survivors are 3. They checked the VIP room to see a naked collapsed man. He found out police officer Hwang and he is trying to escape. He takes the oxygen cylinder and escapes. It seems that he got all teh information from that VIP. 

Episode 8: The Three Finalists!

Now these 3 are the finalist. Sae-byeok is severely wounded. A piece of glass stuck into her stomach. She takes out and lost a lot of blood. The police officer Hwang called the chief but as could not detail everything via phone with poor signal, he just forwarded all the details via messenger and asked for a squad. Meanwhile, the front man chased him to that little mountain in between the sea and made the oxygen cylinder to burst. So that he could not dive again. Whatever, he must be in that isolated little mountain. The finalists are given a coat and treated a lavish meal. they were given a knife each. Meaning, they can have a fight at night and can kill each other. 

Front man and the gang surrounded police officer Hwang. He tells him to surrender. One step forward, he might fall in the sea. He shot the front man in his right-side arm so that no bullet left. Still the front man stopped the men from killing him. The front man is none other than, Hwang in-ho(Lee Byung-hun special appearance), police officer brother. He shot his own police officer brother. His eyes looked sad. 

Gi-hoon wants to team up with Sae-byeok. Sae-byeok stopped him when he is trying to kill sang-woo. To him, sang-woo is a psycho who pushed a man who has to cross only one tile. she asked for a promise to take care of her 10-year-old little brother. Gi-hoon found out her bleeding and shouted for help. The men came with a coffin and when he turned back, he sees that sang-woo had already killed her. She is cremated. Gi-hoon cries in despair. 

Episode 9: The Winner And the Mastermind!

Now sang woo vs gi-hoon in the final. It’s a squid game, which was famous in Korea before decades. The attacker must pretend as 1 foot man and the defense must escape or kill. No restrictions or violation. Gi-hoon is determined to kill him at all cost. And gi-hoon and sang-woo use to play this game in childhood. Until they reach the squid head, the attacker must go on with only one foot. When he tried to attack gi-hoon with a knife, he splashed sand on sang-woo making him unstable for a while.

A combat. And finally, gi-hoon made sang-woo to fall. But did not kill him either. Instead before going to win, he asked if he stops the game and both can go without money. Sang woo accepts with bitter heart! But sang woo! is not he is the one who would kill and even killed Ali mercilessly.?.

Expect the unexpected!!

Sang-wook pierced his own throat with the knife. His final wish to gi-hoon is to help his mother. Gi-hoon is devastated. he is the winner and won 45.5 billion won. 

Front man explains that like he bet on horses, they bet on humans.

Gi-hoon is left at his place eyes tied and the debit card inside his mouth. He found his mother already dead. He feels like he lost everything in this world.

He met the chief who is the master mind of 2021 game. Shocked to see him. He already knows him. Who is he? Watch squid game then!! 

He got Sae-byeok brother from orphanage and leaves him to sang-woo mother giving her a big suitcase full of money.

When he is about to meet his daughter in the U.s, he found same man (gong yoo) playing game in the railway station, became furious! He could not tolerate the atrocious in-inhuman game that cost lives for nothing.

what he gonna do instead of going to U. S? SQUID GAME SEASON 1 ENDS. 

A Quick Review:

 Squid Game  is the network’s most-watched series to date.(2021)

Full credits to the Director who took over a different Subject and made a big hit with his unpredictable, nail-biting Games! No one could image such a heart-wrenching cruel story behind children’s Games!

The sufferings of people because of debts are heart-melting portrayals!

The Man named Ali Akbar who acted as a Pakistani immigrant did well! We can hardly see non-koreans in Kdramas!

The girl Kang Sae-byeok(played by Jung Ho-yeon) has given dashing performance in her debut! no wonder, Jung is being called Squid Game‘s “breakout star”!

Needless to say about Lee jung-jae and Park Hae-soo! They are born actors!

Overall, it’s an Must Binge-Watch!

By admin