WARNING: This article contains major spoilers from Squid Game.
Squid Game has taken the world by storm as Netflix subscribers across the globe have binged their way through Seong Gi-hun’s (played by Jung-jae Lee) deadly quest for cash. Gi-hun plunged himself unknowingly into a twisted series of life or death games, all in the hopes of pocketing a life-changing sum of money while his fellow competitors met grizzly ends thanks to murderous organiser, the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun). Player 456, Gi-hun, emerged victoriously and returned to reality – although the season finale showed he had made a major change to his appearance: a new dyed red hairstyle.
The drastic change to Gi-hun came in the final moments of Squid Game episode nine after he discovered player 001, Oh Il-nam (Yeong-su Oh), was secretly the twisted billionaire who set up the tournament.
After refusing to touch his winnings for a whole year, Gi-hun eventually had a change of heart and was going to use the cash to revamp his appearance and escape his life in South Korea to start afresh.
When he arrived at the airport, however, he spotted one of Squid Game’s recruiters trying to entice another strapped for cash individual to join the tournament across a train track.
Filled with rage that the recruiter got away and that they were still trying to entice desperate people into the deadly organisation, Gi-hun turned away from his plane in the final moments – teeing up a tantalising cliffhanger.
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However, it was the red hair Gi-hun had donned in the final scenes which got fans talking, with many trying to work out why he’d adopted such an eye-catching hairstyle.
According to the show’s director and showrunner Dong-hyuk Hwang, he told Zapzee [via Screen Rant] that he thought dying his hair red seemed like the “craziest idea for Gi-hun to do”.
He added: “The redness symbolises his inner rage ensuing his traumatic experience.”
However, while it may be simply a symbolism of his inner rage, a number of Squid Game fans are tipping this rage to manifest itself in a takedown of the game’s hierarchy in season two.
Taking to Reddit a number of fans are convinced the red hair has foreshadow Gi-hun’s revenge against Front Man and co and were quick to put forward their theories.
Redditor Admirable Team put forward: “Maybe the red hair is a way of saying that Gihun is going to be the aggressor in Season 2, he will be the one making the decisions and controlling the fates of others?
“Maybe reading too much into it but there’s definitely a reason they insisted on showing green as red as opposites from the first episode and then having the red hair at the end and focusing on the back of Gihuns head for a good few minutes at the end of e9.”
Irenewsw echoed the sentiment, adding: “My guess would be revenge. Red is a revenge color.”
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While Heatherfeathrr also tipped Gi-hun’s revenge and even toyed with the idea of how he’d do it: “I really thought it was foreshadowing that he will return to the game as one of the red soldiers (to try to stop it from the inside).”
Redditor Irish Chick added to the discussion: “His hair runs red with the blood of the people who died for him to be where he is.
“Yus a super duper heavy handed reminder that he is only who and where he is today because of the hundreds who died to put him there.” (Sic)
So could the red be a nod to Gi-hun getting the better of the Front Man and his team in season two?
While fans will undoubtedly be eager to see Gi-hun’s story continue in season two, Hwang did deliver a rather disappointing update on the show following its success.
He told Variety: “I don’t have well-developed plans for Squid Game 2.
“It is quite tiring just thinking about it. But if I were to do it, I would certainly not do it alone.
“I’d consider using a writers’ room and would want multiple experienced directors.”
Fans will have to keep their eyes peeled to see if Hwang and Netflix will team up again for a second run.
Squid Game is available to stream on Netflix now.