Squid Gamehas introduced audiences around the world to some of themost memorable and iconic charactersin television history. Of course, due to the dystopian nature of this story, many of them are morally ambiguous: regular people who were affected and shaped by the dire situation they are going through, but it can’t be denied that many others are 100% villains.
Whether they’re the organizers behind these cruel games, or a player who goes out of their way to harm others to win and/or earn more money,Squid Gamehas a huge collection of well-written villains, but only the following can be considered the absolute best in the entire series, based on their personalities, motivations, backstories and actions.
8Seon-Nyeo
This Wacky Shaman Lady Is A Great Comic Relief
Season 2 featured the introduction ofSeon-nyeo, a self-proclaimed shaman who repeatedly “prays” to her godsto find a solution and win. She immediately came off as egotistical, manipulative, and flat-out unlikable, which made the moment in which Cho Hyun-ju slapped her during the Six-Legged Pentathlon all the more satisfying. Unfortunately, Seon-nyeo didn’t change her ways after that, as she kept antagonizing the main characters and even insulted Gi-hun after his rebellion failed and resulted in many deaths.
Although her wacky shaman antics can admittedly be quite funny, making her a solid comic relief, she was still a despicable character who even abandoned her religious followers during Hide and Seek to save her skin. At the end of the day, however, Seon-nyeo was eventually killed by her own heinous attitude when she decided to make fun of a hallucinating Park Min-su, which prompted him to kill her.
7Nam-Gyu
Thanos’ Addicted Follower Became One Of Season 3’s Main Antagonists
One of the most memorable players of Season 2 was Thanos, who was constantly followed around by his loyal minion, friend, and ally,Nam-gyu. But when the infamous rapper was suddenly murdered,Nam-gyu grabbed his drugs and went on a violent rampage against the other players. He ruthlessly stabbed many people to death during the special game, including Se-mi, which cemented him as one of the main antagonists of the then-upcoming Season 3.
Nam-gyu later kept this attitude during Hide and Seek, to the point that he even began murdering players in cold blood just to increase the prize pool, although it was evident that he mainly did it because he was enjoying it, and he even manipulated Myung-gi into killing others alongside him. Overall, he was a very dangerous and unpredictable villain, but his addiction to drugs at least led to his death, when Min-su used them against him during Jump Rope.
6Cho Sang-Woo
Gi-Hun’s Childhood Friend Was Corrupted
WhenCho Sang-woowas introduced back in Season 1, he seemed like a good man who was going to help his childhood friend, Seong Gi-hun, survive and win. However, this was all a façade because it slowly became evident that he had been corrupted by money. It turned out he was indebted because he lost all the money he invested (which he had previously siphoned off from his clients), meaning that he was desperate to win and pay it all back.
Sang-woo started as a decent guy, but he began doing things that made viewers question his morality, like not warning Gi-hun about the umbrella before Sugar Honeycombs. However, the moment in which he tricked Ali Abdul during Marbles and led the poor man to his death finally cemented him as an irredeemable villain, a sentiment that was further reflected by his sudden and cruel murder of Kang Sae-byeok right before the final game.Sang-woo was a manipulative man who always knew how to use his intelligence to take advantage of others, which made his final confrontation against Gi-hun all the more intense and emotional.
5Jang Deok-Su
A Violent Gangster Who Didn’t Hesitate To Betray Everyone
While there have been many antagonistic players in all seasons ofSquid Game, few of them have been as memorable and impactful asJang Deok-su, who participated in the 2020 games.He was a violent, ruthless, and sadistic former gangsterwho didn’t hesitate to betray others to survive and/or win.
He backstabbed Han Mi-nyeo and abandoned her before Tug of War, he betrayed one of his minions during Marbles, and he even used his prior experience as a gangster to repeatedly attack or kill the other contestants, especially during the special game, where he took many innocent lives. For such a one-dimensional character, Deok-su was a surprisingly interesting and unpredictable villain, which made his eventual demise at the hands of Mi-nyeo (someone he had previously wronged) all the more satisfying.
4Choi Su-Bong (Thanos)
One Of The Most Charismatic Villains In The Entire Show
WhenChoi Su-bong(AKAThanos) first appeared in Season 2, it seemed like his character was going to be a mere rethread of Deok-su: a violent bully who kills others. However, and much to the surprise of the viewers, he ended up being much more complex and interesting than that. Fueled by his drug addiction, Thanos was funny and charismatic, which helped him accumulate an entourage of followers/allies during the games (including Nam-gyu).
All the scenes of Thanos dancing and jumping in joy during the games, surrounded by other people dying left and right, made him into a truly twisted, albeit memorable, villain. Curiously enough, he seemed to care for others in an odd way, despite his violent and selfish tendencies.It’s a real shame that he was murdered by Myung-gi at the very end of Season 2, because he was one of the most fascinating antagonists in the show, and he would have been fun to follow around once again in Season 3.
3The Recruiter
An Agent Of Chaos Who Hates Poor People
There’s no denying that theRecruiteris one of the most recognizableSquid Gamecharacters, and he pretty much became synonymous with the show’s identity. He’s in charge of tricking people in dire need of money into playing ddakji with him and eventually recruiting them for the games. Despite his evil intentions, he always acted very politely, which made him come off as both charming and manipulative.
Season 2 finally revealed the Recruiter’s real personality,which added a lot of much-needed depth to his character. Underneath his façade of elegance and politeness, he’s a rich nihilist who hates poor people (similarly to his own superiors) and even actively exploits them in his spare time, meaning that he was not recruiting people because he had to; he was enjoying it. Because of these revelations, Gi-hun’s confrontation with the Recruiter was extremely suspenseful, and his eventual death was a major relief for both the protagonist and the audience.
2Oh Il-Nam
This Deceitful Twist Villain Is The Creator Of The Games
One of the most memorable players of the 2020 games was definitelyOh Il-nam, a feeble old man who just wanted to have some fun before dying from his illness. Curiously enough, he formed a very close and endearing friendship with Seong Gi-hun, and his eventual death during Marbles was one of the most heartbreaking moments in all of Season 1.
However, both Gi-hun and the audience later found out that Il-nam was still alive, because he was actually the creator and organizer of the games, who had honestly participated in them to relive his childhood memories. This shocking plot twist confirmed thateverything the other characters had gone through was a direct result of Il-nam’s actions, who also had a disdain for poor people and had created the games to entertain his millionaire VIP clients. Nevertheless, Il-nam still felt genuine affection for Gi-hun and saw him as a friend, which made him an even more complex villain.
1Hwang In-Ho (The Front Man)
The Main Antagonist Has A Fascinating Rivalry With The Main Character
Oh Il-nam may have created the games, but for many years, they have been organized and supervised by his successor, theFront Man. Back in Season 1, this character was quite despicable and intimidating, but he felt like nothing more than the old man’s loyal minion. The reveal that he wasHwang In-ho, the older brother of police detective Hwang Jun-ho, was quite shocking, and Il-nam’s death further cemented him as the true mastermind behind the games.
Seasons 2 and 3 added a lot of much-needed depth to the Front Man, and it quickly became evident that he’s the best-written antagonist in the entire series. He infiltrated the games as Player 001, which not only allowed him to interact with the other players firsthand, but he also repeatedly tried to sabotage them (especially Gi-hun) so they would lose, not to mention that he was eventually able to stop their rebellion. Due to their contrasting philosophies, In-ho formed a complex and fascinating rivalry with the main character, and even told him that humanity is completely worthless. Nevertheless, Gi-hun’s sacrifice at the end of Season 3 seems to have an impact on In-ho,which is why most fans want to see him come back in futureSquid Gameprojects, especially if his intriguing backstory is detailed in them.
