The creator of ‘Squid Game’ has revealed the alternate ending for the show's first season. Netflix's latest hit debuted back in September 2021 and quickly became a fan favorite, climbing the charts and becoming the streaming giant's number one original series. Inspired by South Korea's penchant for game shows, ‘Squid Game’ is about a deadly survival competition wherein the final survivor wins a massive amount of money.
Created and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the series actually focuses on several players. However, its primary protagonist is Seong Gi-hun/No. 456 (Lee Jung-jae). A divorced chauffeur with a gambling problem, he was recruited to play the games by the salesman (Gong Yoo). Initially hesitant to sign up, he eventually changes his mind as he's faced with his impoverished reality. To make matters worse, his ex-wife also gears up to bring their daughter to the United States, and without any money, he might never be able to see her again. Gi-hun emerges as Squid Game's winner, pocketing 45.6 billion won — more than enough for him to start a new life abroad. But, at the very last moment, before he boarded the plane, he turned back with a determined look on his face.
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The idea is that Gi-hun goes after the VIPs who run Squid Game, which effectively sets up its now-confirmed second season. Hwang tells EW, however, that they actually went back-and-forth with how they wanted to cap off the show. Aside from what actually happened on the screen, there's a version of the ending where Gi-hun boarded the plane and left South Korea. In the end, they didn't feel it was right for the message they were trying to send.
Aside from its narrative implications, ending ‘Squid Game’ the way it did offers Netflix the narrative jump it needs for the show's second season. If Gi-hun decided to leave, it would've been trickier to continue the show's narrative without a clear jumping point. That doesn't mean that it doesn't have other alternatives. -Collider
