Ranking Squid Game characters is basically asking for arguments, but here I am anyway. I've rewatched this series way too many times, and I have Opinions with a capital O.
- Character complexity: Do they have depth beyond first impressions?
- Emotional impact: How hard did they hit ME emotionally?
- Story importance: How crucial are they to the narrative?
- Memorable moments: Do I still think about specific scenes?
- Actor performance: Did the actor elevate the material?
Disclaimer: This is my personal ranking. If you disagree, I genuinely want to hear why. These characters deserve the debate.
My Rankings (10 to 1)
#10: Abdul Ali (Player 199) I still haven't recovered from his death. Ali trusted too completely, and watching Sang-woo exploit that trust remains one of the cruelest things I've ever seen on television. His "gganbu" killed me.
#9: Han Mi-nyeo (Player 212) I went from hating her to respecting her. Unpredictable, manipulative, and somehow sympathetic by the end. Her final act of revenge? Perfect. Chef's kiss. No notes.
#8: Hwang Jun-ho The detective subplot gave us the outside perspective we needed. But what elevates Jun-ho is his relationship with his brother. That personal stake made me invest in scenes that could have felt like exposition dumps.
#7: Kang Sae-byeok (Player 067) North Korean defector who wanted nothing more than to save her family. Her quiet strength, her guarded trust, her tragic ending—she epitomized everything the show was saying about the people capitalism grinds down. I cried. Multiple times.
#6: The Front Man / In-ho A former winner turned enforcer. His philosophy about the games, his conflicts with Gi-hun, the tragedy of his backstory—I found myself almost understanding him, which scared me. That's brilliant writing.
#5: Cho Sang-woo (Player 218) Here's my controversial take: Sang-woo is the show's most complex character. He starts as someone good who makes one terrible choice, then another, then another. His finale showed both his complete moral collapse and something like redemption. I hate him and I understand him.
#4: Oh Il-nam (Player 001) The twist hit me like a truck. Suddenly every scene with him meant something different. But it's his final conversation with Gi-hun that earns this spot—a philosophical debate about human nature that I think about constantly.
#3: Jang Deok-su (Player 101) Pure menace, and I mean that as a compliment. Every scene he's in crackles with danger. He represented the brute force approach to survival, and he made Season 1 so much more tense. I hated him. That was the point.
#2: Seong Gi-hun (Player 456) Our protagonist earned this spot by being deeply, frustratingly human. His journey from desperate gambler to reluctant hero to determined avenger anchored the entire series. I rooted for him even when he made choices I disagreed with.
#1: Hwang Dong-hyuk's Vision This is controversial, I know. But hear me out: the real "character" that won me over was the show itself—the games, the setting, the rules, the social commentary. The concept is the star. Everything else serves it perfectly.
Honorable Mentions (I Had to Cut Somewhere)
- The Recruiter (Gong Yoo): Maybe 10 minutes of screen time, and I still think about that subway scene constantly
- The VIPs: Intentionally obnoxious representations of the wealthy who profit from suffering. I hated them, which was the point.
- Young-hee (The Doll): A non-human character who became the show's most recognizable image. Icon status.
Agree with my rankings? Disagree violently? I want to hear it.