‘Squid Game’: What year did In-ho compete in the Squid Game?

When Squid Game hit our screens in 2021, no one could have predicted that it would evolve into a much larger fictional universe than anticipated, complete with its own version of a reality series. Now, three years later, we are finally being teased with a whole new season of the show.

Of course, this journey hasn’t been without challenges. After lukewarm reactions to the reality series, coupled with a series of controversies surrounding the cast, some even questioned whether Season 2 would ever materialize. Now that a few years have passed and we’re about to dive deeper into the lore of the games, here’s a piece of information you might have forgotten.

Who is Hwang In-ho and when did he compete in the Squid Game?

You might not recognize the name right away, but In-ho is the missing brother of Hwang Jun-ho — the detective who infiltrated the Squid Games to find out what happened to his brother. While he knew of his brother’s connection, he never thought that his brother was one of the past victors in the game, and in episode 5, we learn that In-ho was among the list of winners.

However, it is only by the end of the season, in episode 8, that we get more details: In-ho won the 28th edition of the Squid Game, which occurred in 2015. Not only that, but we also learn that is he still alive, and that In-Ho is the ruthless Front Man leading the 33rd edition of the game — the deadliest survival game in South Korea. Not only was he a victor, but he was the actual presenter.

The ruthlessness from the games seems to have taken over In-ho’s personality, and his newfound love for the game is now leading his actions. When Detective Hwang eventually discovers the Front Man’s identity, he’s shocked to find out it’s his brother. In a dramatic and frankly heartbreaking confrontation, In-ho, ever so loyal to the game, shoots Hwang, who falls off a cliff. But that’s not the last we see of In-ho.

In the final scene of the season, Gi-hun hears the Front Man’s voice again. While on his way to visit his daughter in the U.S., Gi-hun gets a mysterious call from an agent, asking for his name and age — the typical entry questions for the Squid Game. But the call is interrupted by In-ho, who conspicuously advises him to get on the plane. Gi-hun doesn’t, and thus, the season ends. In season 2, we’ll no doubt learn more about this mysterious and brutally cold man, and thankfully, on Dec. 26 we’ll finally get new episodes.