Squid Game Old Man? Plot Twist Explained
The Netflix sensation Squid Game has captivated millions worldwide with its intense psychological gameplay and shocking character revelations. One of the most jaw-dropping plot twists involves the seemingly innocent old man character, whose true identity fundamentally reshapes our understanding of the entire series. This revelation has sparked countless debates among fans and gaming enthusiasts alike, making it essential to break down exactly what happened and why it matters.
If you’ve watched the series, you know that nothing is as it seems in the world of Squid Game. The games themselves test players’ morality and desperation, but the characters orchestrating these deadly competitions have their own hidden agendas. The old man’s plot twist stands as one of the most carefully constructed reveals in television history, layered with foreshadowing that becomes obvious only in retrospect. Let’s dive deep into this mystery and uncover every detail of this mind-bending revelation.
Who Is the Old Man in Squid Game?
Throughout most of the series, the old man—known as Oh Il-nam—appears to be just another desperate participant caught in the nightmare of Squid Game. He’s frail, seemingly vulnerable, and struggles with health issues including brain tumors. Audiences naturally sympathize with him as he bonds with Seong Gi-hun, the protagonist, forming what appears to be a genuine friendship based on shared hardship and mutual respect. Their relationship becomes the emotional anchor of the series, making their interactions some of the most poignant moments in the show.
Oh Il-nam’s presence throughout the games serves multiple narrative purposes. He provides comic relief in darker moments, offers wisdom from his advanced age, and demonstrates surprising physical prowess despite his apparent frailty. Players and viewers alike root for him to survive, particularly given his terminal illness diagnosis. He represents the human cost of desperation—a man so financially ruined that even facing certain death from cancer seems preferable to his current circumstances. This characterization makes the eventual revelation even more impactful.
The old man becomes Gi-hun’s closest confidant within the games, and their relationship transcends the competitive nature of the challenges. They share stories, console each other through trauma, and develop genuine affection. Oh Il-nam even sacrifices his own interests multiple times to protect Gi-hun, seemingly validating the authenticity of their bond. This foundation is crucial for understanding why the plot twist hits so devastatingly hard when it finally arrives.
The Plot Twist Revealed
In a stunning revelation that recontextualizes the entire series, we discover that Oh Il-nam isn’t just a participant—he’s actually one of the game’s creators and organizers. He’s not a desperate man forced into playing; he’s a wealthy, powerful figure who designed these deadly competitions and has been orchestrating them for years as entertainment for an elite circle of VIPs. This twist transforms him from victim to villain in a single moment, forcing viewers to reassess every interaction he had with other players.
What makes this revelation particularly cruel is the timing and manner in which it’s revealed. Oh Il-nam admits the truth to Gi-hun after all the games have concluded, essentially mocking him with the revelation that their entire friendship was a performance. He wasn’t playing the games out of necessity—he was playing because he enjoys them. The thrill of competition, the psychological games, the violence—all of it entertained him in ways that his wealth and privilege could never replicate elsewhere. He’s not a victim of circumstance but rather an architect of others’ suffering.
The twist also reveals that Oh Il-nam’s health issues were largely exaggerated or fabricated. While he may have had a brain tumor, his apparent weakness was often theatrical. His participation in the games wasn’t a desperate attempt to pay debts but rather an indulgence—a chance to experience the games he created from a participant’s perspective. This explains his surprising competence in challenges and his ability to manipulate situations to his advantage throughout the series.
For fans seeking similar narrative complexity in gaming experiences, check out our guide to best indie games for PC that feature similarly intricate storytelling and character development. These games often deliver comparable emotional gut-punches through carefully constructed plot twists.
Foreshadowing Clues You Missed
Upon rewatching the series after learning the truth, countless foreshadowing elements become glaringly obvious. Oh Il-nam demonstrates an uncanny knowledge of the games’ mechanics and rules—knowledge that shouldn’t be available to a regular participant. He seems unsurprised by the violent turns events take and shows an unsettling comfort with the competitive brutality surrounding him. His calm demeanor in situations that should terrify a dying old man reveals his true nature: he’s seen this all before because he orchestrated it.
The old man’s ability to influence other players also hints at his true identity. He forms alliances suspiciously easily and maintains a level of social capital that doesn’t match his apparent status. Other players defer to him in ways that suggest underlying recognition or respect that transcends their immediate circumstances. His suggestions carry unusual weight, and his presence seems to calm situations that would otherwise devolve into chaos. These aren’t the behaviors of an ordinary participant but rather someone accustomed to authority.
Another crucial clue involves Oh Il-nam’s behavior during the marble game—one of the most emotionally devastating challenges in the series. While other players struggle with the moral weight of betraying their partners, Oh Il-nam approaches it with a detached, almost analytical perspective. He strategizes rather than agonizes, suggesting someone who views the games through a fundamentally different lens than genuine participants. His emotional distance from the human cost of the competition reveals his true nature as an observer rather than a victim.
The series also includes subtle visual cues that hint at Oh Il-nam’s true identity. His clothing, despite his supposed poverty, occasionally shows signs of quality and expense. His manner of speaking sometimes betrays an education and refinement that doesn’t match his cover story. These details, easily overlooked on first viewing, become significant evidence of the deception once the truth is revealed.
Character Development and Motivation
Understanding Oh Il-nam’s motivation requires examining the psychology of extreme wealth and the human need for stimulation. According to psychological research on ultra-wealthy individuals, money eventually ceases to provide meaning or satisfaction. Oh Il-nam represents this perfectly—he’s so wealthy that conventional pleasures hold no appeal. Creating and participating in life-or-death games becomes his solution to existential boredom, a way to feel alive and engaged with genuine stakes.
The old man’s character arc reveals the corrupting influence of absolute power and unlimited resources. He’s created a system where human desperation becomes entertainment, where suffering is commodified for the amusement of the elite. His participation in the games isn’t merciful or sympathetic—it’s exploitative. He gets to experience the thrill of competition while maintaining the knowledge that he could exit at any time, that the entire game is ultimately his creation and property.
This motivation also explains his relationship with Gi-hun. To Oh Il-nam, their friendship is another game, another layer of entertainment. He’s genuinely interested in Gi-hun as a person, but only in the way someone might be interested in a compelling character in a story they’re reading. The emotional investment is real but fundamentally one-sided and manipulative. For Oh Il-nam, connecting with Gi-hun is simply another thrill to be experienced.
The character also represents a commentary on the entertainment industry itself. Just as Oh Il-nam creates games for the amusement of wealthy VIPs, the series itself comments on society’s consumption of others’ suffering through media. This meta-narrative layer adds depth to the character’s motivations and makes his revelation more than just a plot twist—it becomes a statement about power, privilege, and entertainment.
If you’re interested in exploring narrative complexity and character psychology further, our Squid Game analysis provides additional insights into the show’s deeper themes and character motivations.
Impact on the Narrative
The old man’s plot twist fundamentally alters how we interpret every scene that came before it. Moments that seemed touching or meaningful become uncomfortable and manipulative in retrospect. His kindness to other players wasn’t genuine compassion but rather performance—he was playing a role in his own elaborate game. This recontextualization forces viewers to question the authenticity of every character interaction throughout the series.
The revelation also impacts our understanding of Gi-hun’s entire journey. Everything he accomplished, every friend he made, every moral choice he faced—all occurred under the watchful eye of someone who was essentially playing with him like a toy. Gi-hun’s growth and development as a character becomes more poignant because it occurred within a system designed and controlled by someone who viewed his suffering as entertainment. The psychological manipulation is profound and unsettling.
Furthermore, the twist raises questions about the nature of the games themselves. If Oh Il-nam created these competitions, what does that reveal about their true purpose? Are they genuinely designed to test human nature, or are they simply elaborate entertainment? The moral and philosophical questions the games pose become more complex when we realize they were created by someone with fundamentally different motivations than we initially believed. The games become less about exploring human morality and more about providing spectacle for the wealthy elite.
The impact extends to how we view the other game organizers and VIPs. If Oh Il-nam—someone who appeared sympathetic and human—is actually a manipulative villain, what does that suggest about the others involved in the organization? The entire structure of power within the Squid Game world becomes more sinister and complicated. The revelation implies a systemic corruption that extends far beyond individual bad actors.
Comparisons to Other Gaming Narratives
Squid Game’s use of plot twists involving hidden identities and secret organizers draws comparison to other complex gaming narratives. Similar narrative structures appear in various games and shows that explore themes of control, power, and hidden manipulation. The concept of a seemingly sympathetic character revealing themselves as a villain has been explored in gaming narratives for decades, but Squid Game executes it with particular emotional precision.
The twist also resonates with gaming communities because it reflects common experiences in multiplayer gaming environments. Players often encounter others who appear trustworthy but harbor hidden agendas. The betrayal feels familiar to gamers who’ve experienced in-game deception, making the narrative particularly impactful for gaming audiences. This connection between the show’s narrative and gaming culture has contributed to its massive popularity among gaming communities worldwide.
For those interested in exploring games with similarly complex narratives and character developments, our guide to best co-op games on Steam highlights titles that feature intricate storytelling and meaningful character interactions. Games like these often deliver comparable emotional and psychological depth.
The Squid Game plot twist also influenced how contemporary storytellers approach character reveals and narrative structure. It demonstrated that audiences were hungry for complex, layered narratives that challenge their assumptions and force them to reconsider everything they’ve witnessed. The success of this plot twist has inspired other creators to develop similarly intricate narrative structures in their own projects.
Additionally, the twist exemplifies how streaming platforms have changed storytelling possibilities. Unlike traditional episodic television, streaming allows for more complex, serialized narratives that reward careful viewing and analysis. The old man’s plot twist couldn’t work as effectively in a traditional broadcast format, making it a distinctly modern storytelling achievement that leverages the unique opportunities of streaming media.
If you’re interested in creating content about games or developing gaming-related projects, our guide on how to record gameplay on PC provides essential technical knowledge for capturing and sharing gaming content effectively.
FAQ
Why didn’t other players recognize Oh Il-nam as one of the game organizers?
Oh Il-nam successfully maintained his cover through careful performance and strategic behavior. He disguised his wealth and power, acted consistently with the cover story of a desperate participant, and used his position as an elderly man to deflect suspicion. Additionally, other players were too focused on their own survival to scrutinize his background thoroughly. The game organizers had likely created a completely false identity with supporting documentation to prevent recognition.
Was Oh Il-nam’s brain tumor real?
While Oh Il-nam may have had some health issues, his terminal brain tumor diagnosis was likely exaggerated or fabricated as part of his cover story. This false diagnosis made his participation in the games seem more sympathetic and prevented other players from questioning why someone with such limited time would risk their life. It’s a brilliant element of his deception—it made him appear vulnerable while actually providing perfect justification for his willingness to participate in deadly competitions.
Did Oh Il-nam genuinely care about Gi-hun?
This remains deliberately ambiguous. Oh Il-nam may have experienced genuine affection for Gi-hun while simultaneously viewing him as entertainment. The character is complex enough that both things could be true simultaneously. He wasn’t necessarily lying about his feelings, but those feelings were fundamentally exploitative and manipulative. He cared for Gi-hun in the way someone might care for a compelling character in a story they’re enjoying.
How long has Oh Il-nam been organizing the games?
The series implies that Oh Il-nam has been orchestrating Squid Game for many years, possibly decades. He discusses the games with the familiarity of someone who has refined them over multiple iterations. The VIP clients he serves suggest a well-established operation with a long history. This extended timeline makes his deception even more calculated and his manipulation of Gi-hun more premeditated.
Will Season 2 explore Oh Il-nam’s backstory further?
While GameForge Daily Blog and other gaming news sources have reported on Squid Game announcements, the extent to which Season 2 will explore Oh Il-nam’s background remains to be seen. However, given the impact of his character, it’s likely that future seasons will delve deeper into his motivations, his relationship with other game organizers, and the history of Squid Game itself. His character is too compelling to leave completely unexplored.
