The Shocking Truth About Who Wins Squid Game Season 1: Player 456's Tragic Victory And The Mastermind Twist

The question of who wins Squid Game Season 1 is one that continues to captivate global audiences, even years after its debut. As of December 18, 2025, the winner of the deadly survival drama's first season remains the kind-hearted, yet deeply flawed, protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, also known as Player 456. His victory, however, is far from a celebratory one, instead serving as the tragic culmination of a brutal competition that tested the limits of human morality and survival.

The finale of the critically acclaimed Netflix series delivered a gut-wrenching conclusion, pitting the last two remaining players against each other in the titular "Squid Game." Gi-hun's ultimate triumph was secured not just through luck and skill, but through a devastating sacrifice and a shocking post-game revelation that completely recontextualized the entire competition, setting the stage for his future crusade against the organization.

Seong Gi-hun (Player 456) Biography and Profile

Seong Gi-hun is the central character of the series, a man defined by his financial desperation and underlying, if often buried, humanity. His journey from a debt-ridden gambler to the sole survivor of the 33rd Squid Game forms the emotional core of the season.

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• Player Number: 456
• Full Name: Seong Gi-hun (성기훈)
• Date of Birth: October 31, 1974
• Hometown: Ssangmun-dong, Seoul
• Occupation: Divorced former chauffeur, currently unemployed, and a gambling addict.
• Primary Motivation: To pay off massive debts to loan sharks and to gain financial stability to support his mother, Oh Mal-soon, and his daughter, who lives with his ex-wife.
• Actor: Lee Jung-jae

Gi-hun's character arc is pivotal. Despite his flaws, he consistently demonstrates empathy and a desire for fair play, contrasting sharply with the ruthlessness of other contestants like Cho Sang-woo (Player 218). This moral compass, though wavering at times, ultimately saves him and defines his post-game existence.

The Final Game: A Battle of Morality and Survival

The final episode, titled "One Lucky Day," sees Gi-hun and his childhood friend, Cho Sang-woo, as the last two contestants standing. The ultimate challenge is the traditional Korean children's game, Squid Game, a brutal, hand-to-hand combat match played on a sand-drawn court.

The Brutality of the Finale

The match is intensely physical and emotional. Gi-hun, driven by his desire to survive and his deep-seated sense of justice, manages to gain the upper hand. He pins Sang-woo to the ground, ready to deliver the final, killing blow that would secure the 45.6 billion won prize.

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However, Gi-hun’s humanity resurfaces. He stops, refusing to kill his friend. Instead, he appeals to the masked guards and the mysterious Front Man to invoke the third clause, the rule that allows the majority of players to vote to end the games.

In a devastating twist of fate, Sang-woo, who had previously displayed an extreme willingness to sacrifice others for his own survival (most notably Ali Abdul and Kang Sae-byeok), makes a final, shocking choice. He stabs himself in the neck, committing suicide.

Sang-woo's final act is a tragic paradox. By killing himself, he ensures Gi-hun is the sole survivor and, crucially, that the games cannot be stopped by the third clause. His final words are a plea to Gi-hun to use the money to help his own mother, cementing Gi-hun as the undeniable winner of the massive cash prize.

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The Shocking Post-Game Twist: The Mastermind Revealed

Gi-hun returns to the outside world a billionaire, but deeply traumatized. He does not touch the money for an entire year, living in a state of shock and grief, haunted by the deaths of his fellow players, including Sae-byeok (Player 067) and Oh Il-nam (Player 001).

The Truth About Oh Il-nam

The most significant twist of the season occurs when Gi-hun receives a cryptic invitation. He arrives at a high-rise building on New Year’s Eve and finds Oh Il-nam, the elderly man he befriended during the games—and who he believed died during the Marbles game—alive but on his deathbed.

Il-nam reveals that he is the original creator and mastermind of the entire deadly competition. He was not a mere contestant but the enigmatic "Host" who participated in the games for his own perverse enjoyment, having grown bored of simply watching as one of the VIPs.

This revelation is a massive turning point. Il-nam explains that the games were designed to give the financially desperate a "fair" chance to escape debt, while simultaneously entertaining the ultra-wealthy elite. Il-nam dies shortly after making a final, cynical bet with Gi-hun about whether anyone would help a homeless man freezing on the street.

Gi-hun’s Fate and The Future of the Games

The confrontation with the mastermind finally spurs Gi-hun into action. He honors his promise to Sang-woo by helping his mother and leaves a significant portion of his winnings for Sae-byeok's younger brother.

After a year of living in emotional paralysis, Gi-hun finally uses the money to transform his appearance, dyeing his hair a shocking red—a literal and symbolic change. He is about to board a plane to see his daughter in the United States when he witnesses a man being recruited for the next round of the games, using the same familiar calling card.

In the final moments of Season 1, Gi-hun calls the number on the card and confronts the organization, vowing to stop the games. He turns away from the boarding gate, choosing to stay and fight the system rather than seek personal happiness. This cliffhanger ending confirms that Gi-hun, the winner of the prize, has now dedicated his life to taking down the entire operation, making his tragic victory a prelude to a larger war against the Front Man and the secretive organization behind the Red Light, Green Light and Glass Bridge challenges.