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4 Mind-Blowing Theories About 'Squid Game' That Have Fans Questioning Everything

Photo: YouTube / Netflix
'Squid Game'

The hit Korean thriller, "Squid Game," continues to dominate the charts as more viewers are getting sucked into its bloody grasp. 

The show isn't going anywhere anytime soon. As of this week, "Squid Game" is the #1 show on Netflix in 90 countries, which puts it on the fast-track to becoming the platform's most watched show in its history.

In the wake of its ever-growing popularity, viewers across social media have been dissecting 'Squid Game' episode-by-episode and sharing theories that turn everything we think we know upside-down. 

4 'Squid Game' theories that may solve your unanswered questions.  

Be warned! There are spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk. 

1. How are the 'Squid Game' guards and players chosen? 

One viral theory is that the role of player and guard is determined by the ddakji game — and countless fans are convinced this is true. 

RELATED: How Squid Game's 'Get Rich Or Die Trying' Theme Mirrors The Harsh Reality Of Survival In Today's Culture

When Gi-hun is approached by the Salesman in the first episode, he's asked to choose between a red and blue card.  

Because Gi-hun chose blue and wound up as a player, many are speculating one's role in the games is determined by this choice. So, if blue makes you a player, then red would make you a guard.

Some also point out that the colors of the suits players and guards wear are "similar" to blue and red. 

The game's emphasis on "equality" supports the theory as well. Throughout the show, the Front Man and different guards highlight the importance of keeping things "fair."

So, with that logic, what could be fairer than a random game? And since the series doesn't explain how guards are recruited, this theory offers a plausible explanation. Perhaps they're in need of cash, too?

2. Are Gi-hun and Il-nam related?

Another theory that's gaining traction is the idea that Il-nam, the elderly man in the series, and Gi-hun are actually father and son. Many are convinced the old man drops "hints" throughout the show, such as when he tells Gi-hun, "My son was just like you."

During the game of marbles, Il-nam drops another "clue" when he tells Gi-hun he, "lived in a neighborhood just like this."

Gi-hun tells the old man, "Our alleyway looked very similar," which has led fans to believe both characters are referencing the same childhood home.

Gi-hun's mother is the only parent we currently know of, so it wouldn't be too far-fetched to think that Gi-hun's father may have abandoned his family earlier on — this could also explain why Gi-hun never speaks of his dad. 

The final nail in the coffin is a very important date that's thrown around. In the first episode, Gi-hun tries his birthday for the ATM pin, "0426,” which is April 26th.

In episode 6, the old man asks Gi-Hun if it's the 24th, because his son's "birthday is soon.” The only flaw in this theory is that Gi-hun's files, as seen in episode 5, show his birthday being "October 31st."

But this could be chalked up to a simple continuity error. 

3. Are main character deaths foreshadowed in episode 2? 

One observant viewer noticed eerie parallels between major character deaths and the events that unfold in the second episode. 

Sang Woo is seen attempting to kill himself earlier in the series. Ultimately, he ends up dying by his own hand in the finale. 

Sae-Byeok threatens a broker who scammed her by threatening to slit his throat, and later dies when Sang Woo kills her the same way. 

In the earlier episode, Ali confronts his employer about withholding money and ends up stealing back the cash. Ali dies after Sang Woo steals his marbles. 

Finally, Deok Su evades capture in episode 2 by jumping off a bridge. And if you recall, he ends up dying during the glass bridge game. 

So if this pattern continues in a potential future season, it may be worth studying Gi-hun's choices throughout the series to determine what writers have in store for him. 

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4. Are Ali and Sae-byeok still alive? 

This a theory popularized by TikToker arabicmclovin, who's convinced the adorable Ali didn't actually meet his demise. 

The TikToker points out that besides Ali, Il-nam was the only other character to be "killed" offscreen. And since Il-nam's death was staged, there could be a possibility that Ali isn't actually dead, either. 

Similarly, other fans are speculating that Sae-Byeok is also alive. While she is killed on screen, Twitter user Elian noticed something weird about the fan favorite's death — no 'eliminated' announcement is ever played.

In turn, a lot of people think there could be a possibility that "surviving" players are turned into guards.

In earlier episodes, we see someone is still alive in the boxes used to transport the dead. And in another, guards send a "dead" body to a hidden room instead of incinerating it. 

While both of these theories sound like wistful thinking, the speculation around Ali's death is arguably more plausible than Sae-Byeok's. 

The missing announcement is definitely strange, but a reason for this could be that it wasn't deemed necessary. After all, only three players were left at that point. And HoYeon Jung, who plays Sae-Byeok, has also downplayed any hopes of reprising the role. 

But given the nature of "Squid Game," there's really no knowing what is or isn't real! As we eagerly await the news of a potential second season, all we can do is settle in and continue speculating. 

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Yona Dervishi is a writer who is currently working at YourTango as an editorial intern. She covers topics pertaining to news and entertainment.