The ending of Squid Game Season 2 made one thing clear: the fight is far from over, and Seong Gi-hun will try to bring the evil organization down at any cost. In the second season of the Netflix series, viewers saw Gi-hun entering the games once again and starting a rebellion against the Front Man. Little did he know that the Front Man had himself entered the game to foil all the chances of a rebellion. The final moments of Season 2 saw Gi-hun leading the rebellion and trying to overthrow the Front Man, but things started to go backwards when Hwang In-ho, aka Front Man, betrayed the players and showed his real persona. In the process, several Pink guards lost their lives. This might turn out to be a concern for the people who are running these games, the VIPs.
The VIPs remained absent for most of Season 2, and the Front Man took charge of everything. However, it is the VIPs who run the game and provide the money for the games to run smoothly. Until now, only the players had lost their lives, and the VIPs didn’t care about that. However, things got out of hand when Gi-hun nearly outclassed the one in charge of the games. With everything that happened in the second season, the VIPs might want an answer from the Front Man for his antics.
The teaser for Squid Game Season 3 has already confirmed that the VIPs will be returning and holding a meeting to discuss their upcoming plans for the competition. But why are the VIPs making a return now, and why didn’t they say or do anything when this carnage took place? Let’s take a look at what makes them so important and why their comeback might be a warning sign for the Front Man.
Who Are the VIPs, and Why Are They Important?
Netflix
The VIPs were introduced in Season 1 of Squid Game, and it was revealed that they are the ones who began this competition. The group consists of some of the richest people across the globe, who watch the games and bet on who can win. Interestingly, most of the VIPs aren’t from South Korea. But all these VIPs had one common connection: Oh Il-nam, a businessman from South Korea who was working with the aforementioned VIPs. When they got bored with their wealth, they decided to form Squid Games and have fun while watching people die.
The VIPs are represented by different masks. For example, VIP 1 wears a lion mask, while VIP 2 dons a buffalo mask. The other VIPs wear masks of animals such as deer, a panther, a bear, and an eagle. In short, they run the place. The Front Man might be the face, but it’s them who make it possible for him to run everything smoothly, making them the most important characters in the entire scenario.
Why Are the VIPs Returning Now?
Netflix
The return of the VIPs in Season 3 of Squid Game indicates that something bigger is brewing. They have largely remained in the shadows, but now they seem to be stepping back into the spotlight, and there might be a lot of reasons for their reappearance.
One of the most likely reasons for their comeback is how Gi-hun tried to fight back against them, and they lost many of their men. After these disruptions in the games, the VIPs might feel the need to tighten control. They might want to personally oversee things to prevent further chaos. Although the Front Man managed to handle the situation in the end, he also let all this happen on his watch, and several guards died because of that. The VIPs might not care about the deaths of the guards, but they do care about what’s happening and how it will cost them extra money.
Another possible reason for their return is a new blood in power. In Season 1, it was revealed that Il-Nam, also known as Player 001, was the creator of the games. But before Gi-hun could do anything about it, Il-Nam died, and the games continued to take place. With his death, the games might be looking for a new leader. With everything that has happened in the current edition of the games, the VIPs might want to choose a new leader soon. The VIPs could be returning to ensure that the new direction aligns with their interests. Their presence isn’t just for pleasure; this time, it feels strategic. With Il-Nam gone, the throne is empty, and the power vacuum is dangerous. The VIPs may be circling not just to watch, but to crown the next puppet master.
The creator of the Netflix series Squid Game, Hwang Dong-hyuk, has made it clear that the final season will be darker and more brutal than the previous two. His comments could be an indication that VIPs might introduce rules that shift midway through the competition. Imagine playing a game and suddenly, the goal changes. For the players, it would be chaotic, and for the VIPs, that’s part of the fun. For them, the games might not just be about survival now. They like watching people die, and they might get bored with them dying similarly every time. They might change the rules and make the players compete for something more personal that raises the emotional stakes.
The VIPs sit in a comfortable position right now. All they need to do is write something down on a piece of paper; the Front Man has to it. It doesn’t matter how brutal that might be for the people; for the VIPs, it’s how they relax.
What Does the Return of the VIPs Mean For The Front Man?
Netflix
Since the death of Il-Nam, In-Ho, aka the Frontman, has been running the Squid Game largely on his own. Although things were going great at first, things started going out of hand when Gi-hun led a rebellion. In-Ho didn’t believe that he let this rebellion go on for far too long and didn’t stop Gi-Hun in the initial phase of the games. The Front Man wanted Gi-Hun to see that humanity had died, and people would walk over dead bodies to save themselves. However, the rebellion also proved that the Front Man’s defenses could be breached if the players unite and do something together. Now, this scenario doesn’t sit well with the VIPs, and they undoubtedly will have some questions for the manager of the gammes.
Moreover, these wealthy elites might feel that the Front-Man is no longer the right person to lead, especially if they think he has made errors in running things. If the Front-Man is seen as a weak link, the VIPs might decide to remove him and put someone new in charge, someone who is colder, more obedient, and focused only on taking things forward as they want them to. But this could be a double-edged sword for them. If they try to put more pressure on the Front Man or even take him out of his position, he knows too much, and that makes him dangerous. He could join the players and lead a rebellion himself. He knows all the loopholes of the games, and what the VIPs are actually doing. If pushed too far, the Front Man could turn from their loyal friend to their worst enemy. He has the knowledge, he has the access, and if anything happens to him, he would have the motive to bury the evil organization six feet under the ground.
Whatever happens, it is clear that the arrival of VIPs will stir things up, and it might change the course of the game. The world might learn what’s happening around them, and they stand against it. Season 3 of Squid Game is going to be a force to be reckoned with.
Squid Game Season 3 will be streaming exclusively on Netflix on June 27.
