One of the more curious subplots in Netflix's new Korean survivor thriller Squid Game revolves around a group of rogue guards and an underground organ harvesting ring that left many viewers wondering exactly what was going on. Written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the surrealist bloodbath has turned into the season's biggest sensation, and is currently on track to becoming one of Netflix's most watched shows of all time, despite the extra-large dose of graphic violence that earns every bit of the show's mature rating.
Throughout the series, Squid Game's brightly costumed henchmen are used for everything from food distribution to body collecting to breaking up fights in the bunker, and many are even tasked with killing the losing players. Rank is determined by the symbol on their mask — circles are the grunts, triangles have the guns, and squares seem to essentially be the foremen of the group. A simple set of rules makes sure the masks stay on at all times, and no one is allowed to speak to the rank above them without first being invited to so, ensuring complete anonymity at all times.
Among the many characters in Squid Game is a group of rogue guards at all different levels, working together to steal the bodies of deceased players in order to harvest their organs. This arc was rolled out slowly at first, with flashes of the plot coming together before it was later revealed that player 111, a doctor by the name of Yoo Sung-joo, was working in conjunction with the guards in exchange for life-saving information about the upcoming rounds. It is believed that this operation was going on behind the backs of those in charge, although there have been plenty of fan theories speculating that the Front Man may have known and chose not to shut them down until the doctor's involvement interfered with the sanctity of the game.
While concrete information about the smuggling ring in Squid Game is hard to come by, it's likely their operation has been going on for quite some time. Things are expected to run like clockwork: the doctor harvests the organs; the organs are sealed in protective backpacks and given to two guards who are both trained divers (one of them specifically mentions this); the divers take a series of winding tunnels down under the island and into the ocean, where a boat is waiting at a specific time to make the drop. The process is far too involved to be a first-time endeavor and has likely been refined over the course of many years.
What's not specific, and has left many viewers scratching their heads, is exactly why these henchmen are doing any of this, and who they are selling the organs to. Squid Game's lack of specificity here is likely intentional. They have a surplus of dead bodies and good quality organs sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars on the black market. It's really that simple. The viewer isn't taken beyond the execution stage of the illegal organ trafficking ring because the entire subplot is a shockingly nuanced vehicle to get Hwang Jun-ho, the police officer in Squid Game who infiltrated the island in search of his brother, where he needs to go. This explains why immediately after Jun-ho interrogates the other diver and finds his way to the Front Man's office, the ring is exposed and everyone involved dies. At that point, the vehicle has served its purpose and is never mentioned again.