He started as a degenerate gambler stealing from his mother's bank account. He ended as a traumatized billionaire with bright red hair and a vendetta. In between those two points, Seong Gi-hun—better known to the world as the 456 player Squid Game protagonist—became a global cultural icon.
Most people see him as just the "good guy" in a sea of villains. That’s a bit of a reach, honestly. If you really look at the character arc written by Hwang Dong-hyuk, Gi-hun isn't a saint. He’s a mess. He’s human. He’s us, but pushed to the absolute brink of extinction by a system that values numbers over names.
The number 456 isn't just a digital identifier on a green tracksuit. It represents the very bottom of the social ladder. In the world of the games, the first player (001) and the last player (456) form a symbolic circle that defines the entire narrative. One has everything; the other has nothing.
The psychology of the 456 player Squid Game winner
Why did Gi-hun win? Was it skill? Luck? A plot armor thicker than the glass bridge?
It was actually his lack of "winner" traits that kept him alive. Think about Sang-woo, the SNU graduate. Sang-woo was the smartest guy in the room, but his cold logic made him a target. He was predictable because he always chose the most efficient path, even if it meant murder. Gi-hun was unpredictable because he let his emotions drive the bus.
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During the "Gganbu" marble game, we saw the darkest version of the 456 player. He cheated an old man with dementia. He lied. He manipulated. That moment is crucial because it stripped away his moral superiority. He realized he was just as capable of evil as the people he despised. This nuance is why the show resonated so deeply; it didn't give us a perfect hero.
Breaking down the debt and the desperation
Before the invitation, Gi-hun owed hundreds of millions of won to loan sharks. This wasn't some abstract "business debt" like Sang-woo's. It was the result of a failed fried chicken shop, a divorce, and a gambling addiction that made him miss his daughter's birthday.
In South Korea, household debt is a systemic crisis. The 456 player represents a specific demographic: the middle-aged man who worked hard, lost everything in a market crash, and found himself obsolete. When he bets on horses, he’s not just looking for money; he’s looking for a spark of agency in a life where he has none.
What the red hair actually meant
Social media went into a total meltdown over the finale when Gi-hun dyed his hair fire-engine red. Some thought it was a tribute to the guards' jumpsuits. Others thought it was just a mid-life crisis.
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Hwang Dong-hyuk actually clarified this in interviews. He said the red hair represented Gi-hun’s inner rage. It was a visual signal that the "docile" 456 player was gone. He couldn't go back to being the guy who smiled and hoped for the best. The red is the color of blood and revolution. It’s the visual marker of a man who has decided to stop being a horse and start being the one who breaks the track.
The 456 player Squid Game: Season 2 expectations
As we move into the next chapter, the stakes for the 456 player have shifted entirely. He’s no longer a participant for money. He’s a participant for justice—or maybe just revenge.
The teaser footage shows Gi-hun back in the suit. But this time, he’s the one with the knowledge. He knows the mechanics. He knows the Front Man’s identity. There is a theory circulating that Gi-hun might follow the path of Oh Il-nam, eventually becoming a leader within the organization to dismantle it from the inside.
- The Power Dynamic: He has 45.6 billion won. That’s enough to buy influence, technology, and weapons.
- The Moral Trap: Can he stay "good" while playing the game from a position of power?
- The Recruitment: He’s actively hunting the Recruiter (Gong Yoo). This changes the game from survival horror to a high-stakes cat-and-mouse thriller.
Misconceptions about Gi-hun's choices
A lot of fans were screaming at their TVs when Gi-hun didn't get on the plane to see his daughter in the finale. "Just go to LA!" "Be a dad!"
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But if he had gotten on that plane, the 456 player would have essentially conceded that the lives of the other 455 people didn't matter. He would have lived a life of luxury built on a mountain of corpses. By staying, he’s attempting to reclaim his humanity. It’s a selfishly selfless act. He’s sacrificing his relationship with his daughter to ensure no more daughters lose their fathers to the "Squid Game" machine.
How to apply the 456 player's resilience to real life
You probably won't find yourself in a death match involving giant robotic dolls, but the "456 mindset" is surprisingly applicable to modern burnout.
- Empathy as a Strategy: Gi-hun survived because he formed alliances. In a hyper-competitive world, the "lone wolf" usually burns out first. Building a "Gganbu" network is more effective than stepping on heads.
- Acknowledge the System: Gi-hun realized the game was rigged. Sometimes, you aren't failing because you're "lazy"—you're failing because the rules are skewed. Identifying the "game" you're playing is the first step to changing your outcome.
- The Pivot: When your current strategy fails (like Gi-hun's gambling), you have to change your entire aesthetic. The red hair was a pivot. It was a refusal to be the person who lost.
The story of the 456 player isn't a fairy tale. It’s a warning. It’s a look at what happens when society stops seeing individuals and starts seeing numbers. Whether you're watching for the gore or the social commentary, Seong Gi-hun remains the emotional anchor that makes the horror feel real.
To stay ahead of the curve before the new episodes drop, re-watch the "Gganbu" episode specifically. Pay attention to how Gi-hun's facial expressions change when he decides to trick the old man. It’s the exact moment he loses his innocence, and it’s the most important piece of character development in the entire series. Keep your eyes on the 456 player—he's not done making mistakes yet.