Lee Byung-hun Shares Insights on His Role in Squid Game Season 2

On January 2, Netflix released a video titled 'Lee Byung-hun Explains the Highlight Scenes' on its official YouTube channel. In this video, Lee Byung-hun, who plays the Front Man in the Netflix original series Squid Game (오징어 게임), discusses his experiences during filming.

Lee elaborated on his character's journey, stating, 'When In-ho first participated in the game, he was in a state of despair, having lost all hope. He underwent a brutal and lengthy process to become the winner, driven by the desire to save his family, which ultimately transformed him into someone who believes there is no hope left for humanity.'

He also reflected on the character Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), saying, 'Seeing Gi-hun, who still believes there is hope, might have allowed In-ho to see a part of himself. Perhaps there is a psychological aspect where humans are not inherently creatures of expectation. Yet, deep down, In-ho might have unconsciously supported Gi-hun.'

Regarding the emotional scene where In-ho reconciles with Gi-hun, Lee described it as a complex acting challenge. 'I struggled with whether to approach it strategically or sincerely. The character is multifaceted, known as the Front Man, In-ho, and the undercover participant Young-il. When sharing his backstory, he becomes the previous In-ho, while the Front Man is the false Young-il. It’s a matter of where to place the emphasis in each moment.'

He added, 'Balancing the already transformed Front Man with the human side of In-ho before these experiences was crucial for me, and it required careful attention to detail.' Lee humorously noted that after watching his own tearful performance, he thought, 'I acted well.'

Squid Game Season 2, featuring Lee Byung-hun, premiered all seven episodes on Netflix on December 26.