5 Deaths in Squid Game We Won’t Be Recovering From

When a show makes a splash and becomes everyone's favorite, there are only two reactions you can have: you either jump in and see what the fuss is about, or you boycott it for as long as you can, only to come around a year later and still be blown away when you finally understand why everyone was so obsessed back then.

Well, I took the second route with Squid Game in 2021, and then I couldn't forgive myself for waiting so long to see this masterpiece. So when the second season of the show came out on Netflix, I canceled everything I had planned for that day and binge-watched it in one sitting.

There's no denying that Squid Game is a show that makes you think a lot about what's happened to humanity, but it's also a show that makes you feel a lot. The games portrayed in the series are not ordinary, they kill people, and that's a lot harder to take once you've had a chance to spend some time with them.

Warning: major spoilers for Squid Game season 1 & 2 ahead!

Both seasons had some terribly painful deaths, but these 5 seem to take a piece of my soul. And since it's impossible to rank them any other way, I'm going to tell you about them in chronological order.

Who Died In Squid Game 1?

1. Ji-yeong in Episode 6 "Gganbu"

The sweetest friendship between Ji-yeong and Sae-byeok was formed in the first season, but it ended tragically when one of them decided that the other had more to live for. In the game of marbles, Ji-yeong intentionally lost so that Sae-byeok could win the round because she still had to find and support her family. The scene where he tells her that just broke my heart.

“Just rewatched this episode last night and the whole thing was so sad. This death in particular got to me because her last words were “Thank you for playing with me” Redditor JawnGriddy said.

2. Ali Abdul in Episode 6 "Gganbu"

Yes, episode 6 really is one of the most painful to watch, especially when it comes to this particular betrayal. Ali Abdul, a Pakistani immigrant, and the shady Sang-woo were supposed to be friends, but instead Sang-woo betrayed Ali, who was naive enough to believe that they could win together, stole his marbles and hung him out to dry. Knowing full well what this would lead to.

3. Kang Sae-byeok in Episode 8 "Front Man"

In this episode Sang-woo shows his true self once again. But this time he goes even further and becomes a murderer. In the finale there were three of them: Sae-byeok, Sang-woo and Gi-hun. And while Gi-hun wanted to keep Sae-byeok alive by trying to find a doctor for her after she was badly injured in the last game, Sang-woo murdered her in his absence.

The scene is devastating, because just seconds before her death Sae-byeok tried to make sure that her brother and mother would be taken care of.

Who Died In Squid Game 2?

4. Mr. Kim in Episode 1 "Bread and Lottery"

When we meet the loan shark Kim Jeong-rae for the first time, it is hard to like him. He seems shady, but at least he does not lie to Gi-hun and tries to do whatever the man asks.

However, when he and his partner Choi Woo-seok are held hostage by the crazy salesman who is playing with their lives, we see him as the greatest man there is. When he has a chance to win (and stay alive), he never takes it, but instead arranges it so Choi lives.

5. Jung-bae in Episode 7 "Friend or Foe"

This is probably the most devastating moment of the second season. Not only for the viewers, but also for the main character. It's the time when Gi-Hun realizes what coincidences his actions have caused. When he kills his friend Jung-bae right in front of his eyes, it becomes the point of no return.