The 8 Saddest Squid Game Deaths (& 7 That Weren’t)

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Posted 4 hours ago by inuno.ai

In the Korean survival thriller Squid Game, viewers are introduced to many characters from different backgrounds. Each individual joins the titular Squid Game to try and improve their financial situation for themselves or their families. On the other hand, a few participants join because they have nothing else left in life, further highlighting the terrible conditions they come from.

The show clearly demonstrates the socioeconomics and class disparities of Korean society, but it also focuses heavily on the characters and the circumstances that lead them to the game. As the characters navigate the deadly game, viewers become invested in their lives. While some character deaths were some of the saddest moments of the show, there are others that viewers felt were deserved.

Updated on February 11, 2025, by Ajay Aravind: Deaths are inevitable in the Squid Game, which is designed to spill as much blood as possible for the gratuitous enjoyment of its wealthy viewers. Although most of them are extras, there are several notable deaths over the course of two seasons. With Season 3 being released on June 27, 2025, we have updated this list with five more entries.

The Saddest Deaths in Squid Game

Il-nam Helps His Friend Live for the Time Being

Il-nam lets Gi-hun win the marble game — Image via Netflix

Il-nam and Gi-hun strike up a friendship almost immediately after entering the game, with the younger protagonist serving as the elderly man’s protector. Il-nam reveals that he has a brain tumor and knows he doesn’t have much time left, a true statement that arguably garners him sympathy from Gi-hun. Because of his advanced age, however, Il-nam is not anyone’s first pick as a game partner, but Gi-hun always chooses him, strengthening their bond gradually.

In the Marble Game, that friendship pays off when Il-nam willingly gives Gi-hun his last marble so he can win the game. It’s a very sad moment watching Gi-hun walk away knowing his friend is about to die. However, taking into account that Gi-hun had been trying to cheat Il-nam by exploiting his mental condition, the old man’s “death” becomes one of the saddest in Squid Game.

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Ji-yeong Made Sure That Sae-byeok Won

Ji-yeong during her final moments in Squid Game — Image via Netflix

Before the players know what the 4th game will be, they are told to pick a partner. Many pairs are created based on relationships formed during the game, including Ali/Sang-woo and Gi-hun/Il-nam. Because they are women and considered to be weak, no one chooses Ji-yeong or Sae-byeok. The two pair up and Ji-yeong tells Sae-byeok that she will make sure she wins. The impact of this statement is only revealed at the last moment.

Instead of jumping right into the Marble Game, Ji-yeong and Sae-byeok talk about their lives with one another after deciding to elect the winner from the outcome of a single game. When it’s finally time to play, Ji-yeong intentionally drops her marble on her turn and allows Sae-byeok to win. Ji-yeong tells her that the person who has a life waiting for them after the game should be the one to get out. As such, Ji-yeong’s death is arguably the saddest of the entire show.

Sae-byeok Is Brutally Killed By Sang-woo

Sae-byeok looking serious during a recess period in Squid Game — Image via Netflix

Sae-byeok is a character everyone wants to see succeed. After hearing her backstory, and realizing she needs the money to reunite her family still trapped in North Korea, viewers cheer for her with the hope that she will ultimately make it to the final round of the games. In the 5th game, however, Sae-byeok is severely injured when the glass bridge explosion leaves a shard in her belly.

The three remaining contestants spend the evening having a fancy dinner, but Sae-byeok’s condition begins to worsen. Gi-hun tries to get help from the masked men, highlighting his empathy in the context of such a horrible nightmare. While his back is turned, however, Sang-woo crosses over to Sae-byeok’s bed and murders her in cold blood. This devastating moment is when Gi-hun realizes that Sang-woo is no longer the friend he once loved.

Ali Dies After Being Tricked by Sang-woo

Ali Abdul before his death in Squid Game — Image via Netflix

Ali is one of the players who enter the game to make money to help their families. After obtaining his deserved earnings, he kisses his wife and baby son goodbye, promising to reunite with them back home in Pakistan. Ali fares pretty well in the game until he pairs up with Sang-woo for the Marble Game, realizing that only one of them could survive.

Although Ali is unfamiliar with Korean childhood games, he has a streak of luck in marbles against Sang-woo. However, Sang-woo, with his cunning intelligence, tricks Ali into unknowingly giving him all of his marbles. When Ali realizes that he has been tricked, there is already a masked man standing behind him. Sang-woo’s betrayal of the innocent Ali was probably the most painful scene to watch in Squid Game.

Gi-Hun’s Mother Oh Mal-soon Dies Alone and Helpless

Gi-hun and his mother having dinner in Squid Game — Image via Netflix

A big reason why Gi-hun re-enters the Squid Games after leaving is that his mother needs surgery. Oh Mal-soon has diabetes and an infection in her feet, but is unable to receive the necessary treatment because her son had already squandered most of their money in addition to canceling their health insurance. Now desperate to save her, Gi-hun leaves his ailing mother and joins the Squid Game once again.

Fortunately, Gi-hun is the sole survivor of the Squid Game and returns home with enough money to afford his mother’s surgery — and much more. To his utter disbelief, he finds Oh Mal-soon lying on the floor of his darkened house, unmoving and unspeaking. Gi-hun refuses to accept his mother’s death at first, begging her to wake up before he ultimately gives up and breaks down crying.

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Jung-bae’s Death in the Season 2 Finale Broke Gi-hun’s Heart

Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) and Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan) talking in jumpsuits on Squid Game Season 2 — Image via Netflix

Park Jung-bae took the place of Cho Sang-woo as Gi-hun’s Season 2 BFF, although the new character turned out to be a lot more noble than his predecessor. Some fans have even compared Jung-bae to Season 1 Gi-hun, reflecting the latter’s original free spirit. Jung-bae had a distinguished youth and early adulthood, but his addiction to gambling left him in the same position as most of the other players in the Squid Games.

Fans had already fallen for Jung-bae long before his heroic martyrdom in the Season 2 finale, particularly for his relationship with the youngster Kang Dae-ho. Unfortunately, Squid Game has already proven that death comes for (almost) everyone. Despite fighting through much of the arena, Jung-bae’s lack of ammunition left him powerless against the Front Man, who intentionally made Gi-hun watch as he killed his dear friend.

Young-mi Died While Asking Hyun-ju to Save Her

Young-mi looks terrified in Squid Game Season 2 — Image via Netflix

Characters like Park Min-su, Ali Abdul, Oh Il-nam and Kim Young-mi are immediately beloved to the fandom as the weakest underdogs in Squid Game. All of them are completely out of water in this hellish environment, leaving them open to deception and death. In Season 2, viewers desperately wanted to see Young-mi get through the games safely, banking that her sweet nature might turn out to be her saving grace.

Young-mi’s endearing relationship with Park Hyun-ju convinced the latter to keep the former close to her, but even this protection could only go so far. Although Hyun-ju saved Young-mi for the first three rounds of Mingle, fate conspired against them in the fourth. Young-mi was separated and Hyun-ju wasn’t allowed to rescue her, as it would have meant both their deaths. Fans must have teared up watching Young-mi die with a cry for help still on her lips.

Se-mi’s Death Has Left Min-su Completely Unprotected

Se-mi (Won Ji-an) talking to Min-su before a game on Squid Game — Image via Netflix

Both Seasons 1 and 2 of Squid Game have their share of great characters, but Se-mi is certain to rank among the best of them in any list. Her perseverance and strength of will are truly impressive to behold, revealing that she took her chances in the Squid Games to avoid a worse outcome in real life. Se-mi was one of the few players, along with 001, who could knock the arrogant Thanos down a few pegs, which naturally made her character more appealing.

More importantly, Se-mi stepped up and defended the impressionable and cowardly Min-su against Thanos’ manipulative tactics. Unfortunately for her, she placed her faith in a person too cowardly to care about her. Min-su betrayed Se-mi during the Mingle Game, and her lack of access to Gi-hun left her open to murder when the inevitable brawl began at night.

The Least Sad Deaths in Squid Game

Player 244’s Incessant Praying Isn’t Enough to Save Him

The religious guy dies during the stepping stone game — Image via Netflix

Player 244, or “the religious guy” as he’s better known, is a side character who viewers aren’t introduced to until the third game, the Tug of War scene. Having joined Gi-hun’s group, 244 immediately annoys Ji-yeong with his prayer and spouting of religious beliefs. The religious man somehow manages to survive the Marble Game, but his lack had run out by this point.

During the Stepping Stones across the glass bridge, the religious guy drops to his knees and begins to pray, stalling the game. As the clock ticks down, the players get desperate, but 244 successfully manages to push Player 151 off. He continues praying, wasting more time, which finally forces Player 407 to shove the tiresome religious man to his death below. Needless to say, his character is not missed.

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Deok-Su Got What He Had Deserved from the Start

Deok-su before falling to his death in the stepping stones game — Image via Netflix

From the beginning, Deok-su stands out as the villain among the players. He murders a player early on in the game, and after seeing what he was capable of, he rules his team with fear. One person who is not afraid of him, however, is Mi-nyeo. For a time, the two are teammates and even lovers, as Mi-nyeo makes him swear that he would never go against her.

To nobody’s surprise, Deok-su betrays Mi-nyeo before the Tug of War game, leading her to swear vengeance against him. When the Stepping Stones game comes around, Deok-su arrogantly and hypocritically forces other players to go before him. Unfortunately, this plan backfired when it was Mi-nyeo’s turn. She makes good on her promise and grabs hold of Deok-su, mocking his manhood before taking him out along with herself.

Byeong-gi Was Fatally Punished by the Guards

Byeong-gi, the doctor, looks terrified in Squid Game — Image via Netflix

Byeong-gi is a doctor and the only player in Season 1 with connections to the guards working for the Squid Games. Along with these corrupt guards, Byeong-gi helps with an organ-harvesting operation in exchange for information about upcoming games. He callously extracts organs from freshly dead or even still-living people, making him one of the most hated characters in the series.

When the Front Man discovers that the doctor has been receiving hints from the guards and essentially cheating, he executes both Byeong-gi and the guards and strings them up for the other players to see. The Squid Game is supposed to be a fair playing field, and the doctor’s decision to cheat his way through was intolerable for the Front Man. Byeong-gi’s death was shocking because of its brutality, but practically nobody mourned him.

Sang-woo Realizes His Moral Depravity and Stabs Himself

Sang-woo in a tuxedo before the final round of Squid Game — Image via Netflix

Sang-woo is a character whose morality drastically shifts throughout his involvement in the Squid Games. The first indication of his moral decline comes when he fails to warn Gi-hun about the honeycomb game, despite having identified the dangers of choosing the more difficult shapes. He later gets Ali killed, further showcasing his descent into true villainy.

Before the last game, Sang-woo’s principles are no longer intact. He murders Sae-byeok under the guise of ending her suffering, but Gi-hun rejects the explanation until Sang-woo admits the true reason: he didn’t want the games to end. During the 6th and final game, however, Sang-woo realizes how far he’s fallen when he’s defeated by Gi-hun. Unwilling to risk losing the money after coming so far, Sang-woo takes his own life while begging his friend to take care of his mother.

Il-nam Dies Peacefully Despite Creating the Squid Game

Oh Il-nam on his deathbed at the end of Squid Game Season 1 — Image via Netflix

Surprisingly, Il-nam’s death is both one of the saddest as well as the least sad in Squid Game. When he’s just Gi-hun’s friend and an old guy with a tumor, viewers feel for him and his plight. At the end of the Marble Game, it appears that Il-nam had performed a noble sacrifice for his gganbu, or best friend, leaving Gi-hun heartbroken.

However, when viewers find out Il-nam is not only still alive, but is the evil mastermind behind the Squid Game, all the sympathy for his character is gone. As he slips away peacefully in his death bed, knowing what he put everyone through, it’s hard to mourn his passing. That said, Gi-hun won the final bet between them, disproving Il-nam’s assertion that people had no humanity left in them anymore.

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Thanos Was Killed by His Own Hubris

Thanos rapidly became one of the most popular Squid Game characters, almost entirely due to actor Choi Seung-Hyun’s mesmerizing performance as the hilariously unhinged former rapper. Thanos was famous and rich before investing all his money in Myung-gi’s failed cryptocurrency, explaining why he’s constantly hostile towards him at the games. Fans genuinely enjoyed Thanos’ manner of speaking and behavior, although things took a darker turn when he began killing people.

As the two major instigators of the men’s bathroom brawl in Season 2, Myung-gi and Thanos engage in a fierce and ultimately fatal fight. Thanos effortlessly overpowers Myung-gi and begins to choke and punch him simultaneously, still running his mouth off even in this precarious situation. Things had gotten to the point where Thanos was actively threatening the fan-favorite still-alive characters, so his death at Myung-gi’s hand issued a sense of relief.

The Recruiter Played with Gi-hun and Paid the Price

The Recruiter that Gi-hun meets during the first episode of Season 1 was a totally different man than the version in Season 2. Fans had considered his character somewhat adorable, with his seemingly warm-hearted smile and gentle demeanor. As discovered by Kim Jeong-rae and Choi Woo-seok, the Recruiter was utterly immune to basic human decency. He humiliated a group of unhoused people by making them choose between food and money, and then mocking them for their “wrong” choices.

The Recruiter also forced Mr. Kim and Woo-seok to partake in a death game of Russian Roulette and Rock-Paper-Scissors, leaving Kim dead. He then made his way to Gi-hun’s hideout, where they talked about their mutual hatred for each other before participating in a final Russian Roulette game. Gi-hun’s luck saved him, while the Recruiter willingly accepted the punishment and shot himself in the head. Not one member of the audience felt a pang upon his death.