Squid Game Cast
A desperate group of 456 debt-ridden individuals compete in deadly children's games for a chance to win billions of won. As players are eliminated through death, the dark truth behind the games and their wealthy organizers is revealed.
Main Cast - Season 1
Lee Jung-jae
Seong Gi-hun (Player 456)
9 episodes
Park Hae-soo
Cho Sang-woo (Player 218)
9 episodes
Jung Ho-yeon
Kang Sae-byeok (Player 067)
9 episodes
Wi Ha-joon
Hwang Jun-ho
8 episodes
O Yeong-su
Oh Il-nam (Player 001)
9 episodes
Heo Sung-tae
Jang Deok-su (Player 101)
8 episodes
Anupam Tripathi
Ali Abdul (Player 199)
8 episodes
Kim Joo-ryoung
Han Mi-nyeo (Player 212)
7 episodes
Supporting Cast - Season 1
| Actor | Character | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Byung-hun | The Front Man / Hwang In-ho | Leader of the masked guards |
| Gong Yoo | The Salesman | Recruiter for the games |
| Yoo Sung-joo | Player 069 (Husband) | Married couple contestant |
| Lee Yoo-mi | Ji-yeong (Player 240) | Young contestant befriends Sae-byeok |
| Tripathi Anupam | Ali Abdul (Player 199) | Pakistani immigrant contestant |
| Kim Young-ok | Player 070 (Wife) | Married couple contestant |
| Kwak Ja-hyung | Player 278 | Doctor contestant |
| Park Hye-jin | Gi-hun's ex-wife | Mother of Gi-hun's daughter |
| Cho Ah-in | Gi-hun's daughter | Seong Ga-yeong |
| Kim Young-sun | Gi-hun's mother | Ill diabetic mother |
| Lee Jung-jun | Guard (Circle mask) | Low-level guard |
Season 2 Cast (2024)
| Actor | Character | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Jung-jae | Seong Gi-hun | Returning lead |
| Lee Byung-hun | The Front Man | Returning |
| Wi Ha-joon | Hwang Jun-ho | Returning |
| Gong Yoo | The Salesman | Returning |
| Yim Si-wan | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Kang Ha-neul | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Park Gyu-young | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Jo Yu-ri | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Park Sung-hoon | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Yang Dong-geun | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Kang Ae-sim | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Lee David | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Lee Jin-uk | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Choi Seung-hyun (T.O.P) | New Character | Season 2 addition |
| Roh Jae-won | New Character | Season 2 addition |
VIPs (Guest Appearances)
| Actor | Character | Episode |
|---|---|---|
| John D. Michaels | VIP #1 | Episodes 7-9 |
| Daniel C. Kennedy | VIP #2 | Episodes 7-9 |
| Geoffrey Giuliano | VIP #4 (Golden Mask) | Episodes 7-9 |
| Stephane Mot | VIP #5 | Episodes 8-9 |
Production Team
| Role | Name | Notable Work |
|---|---|---|
| Creator/Director/Writer | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Silenced, The Fortress |
| Executive Producer | Kim Ji-yeon | Netflix Korea productions |
| Producer | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Squid Game franchise |
| Composer | Jung Jae-il | Parasite, Okja |
| Cinematographer | Lee Hyung-deok | Drama cinematography specialist |
| Production Design | Chae Kyung-sun | Created iconic game sets |
| Costume Design | Cho Sang-kyung | Designed iconic green tracksuits |
| Production Company | Siren Pictures | Netflix Original Series |
Awards & Recognition
- Emmy Awards - Outstanding Lead Actor (Lee Jung-jae) - First non-English performance to win
- Emmy Awards - Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Hwang Dong-hyuk)
- Emmy Awards - Outstanding Production Design
- Emmy Awards - Outstanding Special Visual Effects
- Emmy Awards - Outstanding Stunt Performance
- Emmy Awards - Outstanding Guest Actress (Lee You-mi)
- Screen Actors Guild Awards - Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble
- Screen Actors Guild Awards - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor (Lee Jung-jae)
- Screen Actors Guild Awards - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor (Jung Ho-yeon)
- Golden Globe Awards - Best Television Series – Drama (Nominated)
- Golden Globe Awards - Best Actor (O Yeong-su - Winner)
- Critics' Choice Television Awards - Best Foreign Language Series
- Gotham Awards - Breakthrough Series
Cultural Impact & Reception
Squid Game became Netflix's most-watched series of all time upon release, viewed by 142 million households in its first four weeks. The Korean survival drama captured global attention with its stark commentary on capitalism, inequality, and human desperation. The show's distinctive visual style, featuring bright colors contrasted with dark themes, became instantly iconic.
The series sparked worldwide phenomena including the Dalgona candy challenge, Halloween costumes featuring green tracksuits and pink guard uniforms, and countless memes. It significantly boosted interest in Korean language learning and Korean culture globally. The show's success led to Netflix investing $2.5 billion in Korean content and confirmed the global appetite for non-English programming. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, who struggled for years to get the series made, has planned the story to conclude with Season 3.