Netflix's smash hit series Squid Game was full of awful, terrifying, thoroughly disturbing scenes. Every person on the show did something heinous, though some were worse than others. From murdering others to further their own game (literally) to manipulating people, lying, cheating, and mistreating people in the real world, they each had a lot to answer for. Because of this, and for other reasons, there were plenty of shocking plot twists on Squid Game.
All the main characters were fighting their own personal demons, so in some cases, fans might actually feel a little sympathetic towards them. But there's no denying that, of all the terrible things many of the main characters did, some take the evil cake. (Note: spoilers ahead).
Jang Deok-su (#101): Pushed A Man To His Death
It's difficult to pinpoint one particular thing that Jang Deok-su did that was the worst, considering he murdered a man in cold blood before joining the games, pulling out his insides as he finished him off. He also manipulated people who were weaker than him and took every opportunity possible to show his cowardice, like forcing a change in the marble game when he was about to lose.
But arguably the worst was during the bridge game, one of the most difficult games on Squid Game, when Jang pushed an innocent man to his death simply because the man refused to pass him, go first, and take the risk of falling through the non-tempered glass.
Cho Sang-woo (#218): Tricked Ali, Leading To His Death
By far one of the most emotional scenes and episodes of Squid Game was episode 6 when Cho, realizing he was going to lose the marble challenge, manipulated Abdul and set him up to die. Cho pretended he was concocting a clever plan to help them both live. Instead, he secretly switched out Abdul's marbles with rocks and sent him on a suicide mission while Cho presented all 20 marbles to the guard to confirm his win.
The realization in Abdul's face when he figured it out, knowing not only that the man he thought was his friend and ally, but that he was about to be killed, was heart-wrenching. And it's the moment that fans truly understood how despicable Cho was.
Abdul Ali (#199): Harmed His Old Boss
Ali was one of the purer souls in the games, joining simply because he had gotten a raw deal and wasn't able to make enough money to support his family. Desperate to find a way to provide for his family, he went along with this last resort option, despite the tremendous risks.
The only bad thing Ali truly did was leave his former boss with his hand being completely crushed in a piece of machinery–something most fans would say was justified. It was an accident, but nonetheless, Ali should have owned up to the act instead of running
Han Mi-nyeo (#212): Murder-Suicide
Mi-nyeo did a lot of bad things, including joining forces with Deok-su and taunting people throughout the games. But she also did some good, such as when she covered for Sae-byeok while the young woman investigated what was going on at the beginning of the games.
But Mi-nyeo's final act was her worst: when she secured her arms tightly around Deok-su's waist, insulted him, then leaned back as far as she could until the pair plummeted together to their death. In the end, it helped the others survive. But it was a heinous and selfish act that was more of an act of revenge than selflessness.
Ji-yeong: (#240) Killed Her Father
Ji-yeong only appeared in the pivotal episode 6. But she certainly made an impact, stealing every scene she was in. Surrendering herself so Sae-byeok could live was the most selfless thing Ji-yeong did on Squid Game. At the heart, she was a loving young woman who made fast friends with Kang. She was dealing with trauma having witnessed her mother dead on the floor, her father holding the knife over her body. This is why some fans have sympathy for Ji-yeong since she was avenging her mother's death by killing her father.
Hwang Jun-ho: Watched People Die Without Intervening
Hwang Jun-ho was the hero of the story, the police officer who infiltrated the game undercover to try and take them down. And while he didn't have many options with no cell service, no back-up, and no concrete evidence on camera to prove the stories, he stayed a rather long time without trying to report what was going on.
There were few opportunities for him to leave, and it wouldn't have made sense unless he got the whole story to take back to the department. Nonetheless, he walked around the compound, watching people get brutally murdered and did nothing.
Seong Gi-hun (#456): Mistreated His Mother
Despite the many bad things Squid Game main character, Gi-hun, did on the show, he remains one of the most likable characters on Squid Game. At his core, Gi-hun was a good person who took a bad turn in life. But he also did terrible things, like taking advantage of Oh Il-Nam in the marble game.
But one particular thing about Seong didn't sit right with fans: the way he treated his mother. While he wanted to help her once he knew she was ill, he also let her work endless hours in her old age and cater to his every whim as if he were a child, giving him money, room and board, and making him food. What's worse is that he was rude and unappreciative, despite everything she had done for him.
Kang Sae-byeok (#67): Stole From Gi-hun
Another kind soul in the games, Sae-byeok wasn't a bad person. She escaped North Korea and was simply trying to find a way to make a quick buck so she could get her mother over and provide a good home for her little brother. In a desperate situation, she resorted to desperate measures. She actually did plenty of great things, like reminding Seong which glass to step on when he panicked and opening up to Ji-yeong during the marble game.
With that said, the worst thing Sae-byeok did was steal money from Seong right in the beginning, before they both entered the game. While it was a simple street theft, the action caused a series of reactions that led to Seong deciding to call the number on the card.
The Front Man: Killed His Brother
The Front Man was a mysterious masked figure for much of the series, but he finally revealed his face when confronted by Jun-ho, who, as some fans had guessed early on, was his younger brother. Even knowing his brother had snuck onto the compound and had been wreaking havoc undercover for the sake of finding him, he disregarded any love he might have had for the young man.
He gave him a single chance to surrender, and when Hwang didn't budge, he shot him in cold blood. With that said, one of the wildest fans theories about Squid Game on Reddit suggests that Hwang Jun-ho might not actually be dead.
Oh Il-nam (#001): Set Up The Games
As fans discovered in the final episode, Oh Il-nam was the person behind the games all along, a former financier who had worked with the wealthy all his life. After discovering how having too much money can make you just as unhappy as having not enough, he devised a way to give these lost (but wealthy) souls some happiness in their life. As it turns out, it was at the expense of the poor and disadvantaged, watching them fight to the literal death for a fraction of their fortunes.
Fans absolutely adored Il-nam at the beginning, so when this truth was revealed, along with the fact that he was still alive, fans were livid. Even if he opted to play in the games alongside others for his own thrills, what he did to others was despicable.