Across the three seasons of Squid Game, there were many skilled contestants who used their brains or physical strength to survive the games or even saved others. From deft fingers and great balance to lateral thinking and calmness under pressure, there are many skills that help contestants make it through the rounds.
7 Most Manipulative Squid Game Characters, Ranked
It takes a certain type of person to survive the games in Squid Game, and those who manipulate others will often do quite well for themselves.
Making alliances and the ability to defuse tense situations could also be considered important, as at the end of the day, the games are about humans. Had some of the games been more fair or chaos hadn't unfolded, the following most skilled players in Squid Game could likely have come out as joint victors.
This article contains spoilers for all three seasons of Squid Game.
6 Player 333 - Lee Myung-Gi (MG Coin)
One Of The Smartest Players
- Seasons: 2 & 3
Although Player 333 is one of the many irredeemable characters in Squid Game, particularly after his actions at the end of Season 3, he was nevertheless a shrewd contestant and perfectly competent at physical tasks. This is evidenced by the fact that he nearly won.
Other players perceived him as rational and always one step ahead of the games, especially in the final task. For better or worse, Player 333 also wasn't afraid to kill or betray others, which are unfortunately attributes that can lead to victory.
5 Player 067 - Kang Sae-Byeok
Resourceful With Quick Hands & A Sharp Mind
- Season: 1
Having survived North Korea and a tough life since crossing the border, Kang Sae-byeok was always going to be a force to be reckoned with. She knew how to protect herself, and her time spent as a pickpocket allowed Player 067 to smuggle a knife in.
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Throughout the competition, which she almost completed, Sae-byeok was always quick to grasp the games and even showed initiative by sneaking into the vents to find out more about an upcoming task. Whilst reclusive at first, she eventually befriended fellow contestants, with the ability to make alliances in Squid Game being an important skill. Unfortunately, she got incredibly lucky after completing the Glass Stepping Stones game, being punctured by a shard of glass.
4 Player 218 - Cho Sang-Woo
Intelligent & Ruthless When It Mattered
- Season: 1
Cho Sang-woo, who competed as Player 218 in the first season, was one of the most intelligent participants of the game, whilst also being ruthless when his life was on the line. In the first game, Red Light, Green Light, he was quick to figure it out and offered advice to others. As the joint leader of a small group alongside Gi-hun, he was instrumental in leading the physically weaker team to victory in Tug of War.
Player 218 followed this up by coming up with a cruel but clever ploy to betray his friend, Ali Abdul, after initially being behind at Marbles. While he did not go on to win the entire games, Sang-woo came excruciatingly close, rarely relying on luck throughout his journey.
3 Player 120 - Cho Hyun-Ju
Extreme Competence & Combat Skills
- Seasons: 2 & 3
Player 120, Cho Hyun-ju, was easily one of the most skilled contestants in seasons 2 and 3 of Squid Game and could have won the whole thing had she not elected to protect others. From the first game onward, she always helped others, which takes particular skill, whilst also making sure to get through. Her composure in the Six-Legged Pentathlon was hugely impressive, and she took the lead in the player rebellion, revealing herself to be an ex-special forces member.
Hyun-ju's finest moment, however, was her determination to save Jun-hee, her baby, and Geum-ja. Being hunted by knife-wielding contestants, she fought them off with her bare hands, and despite sustaining injuries, managed to find the exit. In the end, an unwavering commitment to protecting others cost Hyun-ju her life.
2 Player 456 - Seong Gi-Hun
Practically A Two-Time Winner
- Seasons: 1, 2, & 3
Squid Games' main protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, who participated as player 456 in two games, was at times very lucky. However, after battling through his first game to claim victory and then storming through his second game before sacrificing himself, Gi-hun clearly had a knack for survival.
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His first true moment of triumph was in the Sugar Honeycomb game. When faced with the toughest shape to carve, he had the smart idea to lick the honeycomb to loosen the shape. By his second outing, Gi-hun was a natural at the Red Light Green Light game, and helped more players than usual to survive. He then came in clutch during the Six-Legged Pentathlon and later showed great skill during the Jump Rope game.
1 Player 001 - Hwang In-Ho (The Front Man)
A Previous Winner, Extremely Competent, & Cold-Blooded
- Seasons: 1, 2, & 3
The Front Man, Hwang In-ho, was one of the main antagonists of Squid Game, but his skill in the games cannot be denied. It was revealed that he was a previous winner, which in itself is evidence of his prowess, even if he finished off the last contestants with a dagger gifted to him.
Upon joining another game undercover as Player 001 in Season 2, In-ho showed himself to be calm under pressure, calculating, and strong in fights. His background in the police will have helped him with much of this, but his knowledge of the games arguably gave him the biggest advantage. Although brutal, his most ingenious solution was snapping the neck of a man while inside rooms where having more than the allocated number would have resulted in death.
- Release Date
- 2021 - 2025
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Directors
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
- Writers
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
Cast
-
Lee Jung-jaeSeong Gi-hun / 'No. 456' -
Wi Ha-junDetective Hwang Jun-ho
WHERE TO WATCH
- Creator(s)
- Hwang Dong-hyuk
