It’s safe to say that the Front Man, aka In-ho, is one of the most jarring and haunting characters in Squid Game. He runs the games. He wears the mask. And he stares blankly from balconies. But during Squid Game season three, something changes. In-ho breaks his own rules to give Gi-hun a knife and a choice. And now, Lee Byung-hun, the actor behind the mask, has revealed why his character did it.
It wasn’t just about giving Gi-hun an advantage
via Netflix
In an interview with The Wrap, Lee explained that the moment wasn’t just a strategic gesture. It was deeply personal and rooted in the Front Man’s own internal struggle. “That action has a lot of different meanings,” Lee said. “Firstly, because he sees himself reflected in Gi-hun, he has a certain attachment or affection for Gi-hun, and, in that sense, he wanted to give Gi-hun a chance.”
But there was something deeper going on. Lee explained that In-ho’s decision stemmed from watching Gi-hun cling to his beliefs in a way the Front Man had failed to do. “He, as the Front Man, saw Gi-hun struggle to continue to hold onto his hope and his noble beliefs. I think there was this part of him that felt envy toward Gi-hun because he wasn’t able to do that, even though they went through the similar circumstances,” Lee said.
And beneath that envy, there was something else too. “I think a part of him wanted Gi-hun to continue to hold onto his beliefs so that [In-ho] might start to believe that there may be hope in the world again.”
The Front Man was quietly rooting for Gi-hun
via Netflix
Lee described the scene as one of the most complex moments in the entire series, one that showed just how much Gi-hun and the Front Man had influenced each other. “I believe that Gi-hun influenced the Front Man, and the Front Man influenced Gi-hun too,” Lee said. “What I wanted to portray through his character development was that I wanted Front Man to almost seem like something inside him sparked, maybe the last sliver of humanity that was somehow hidden deep inside him. Something about [Gi-hun’s refusal to kill] shook him up.”
Filming the confrontation was a standout experience for the actor. “It’s very layered. There are a lot of complex emotions in that scene. Which is why, as an actor, I was really looking forward to shooting that scene. I had a lot of fun with it.”
In the end, the moment wasn’t just a turning point for Gi-hun, it was a quiet breaking point for In-ho, too. “After the series is over, I wanted the audience to think maybe the Front Man will now live on with a new or different set of values.”
Squid Game is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.
