Squid Game and My Name are both highly successful Netflix original K-dramas known for having shocking twists – but which ending was more shocking for viewers? Both released in late 2021, Squid Game quickly became, seemingly out of nowhere, the most popular series on Netflix, and My Name later joined Squid Game as one of the only two K-dramas on Netflix’s top ten list. Squid Game is K-drama’s first time tackling the death games horror sub-genre, a bizarrely grounded take on an otherwise familiar formula. Meanwhile, My Name is a neo-noir revenge crime drama that’s equally driven by a twisted plot and brutal violence.
My Name and Squid Game both employ the classic K-drama twist in their respective endings. Clever twists are a tradition in K-drama. From the period zombie series Kingdom to fantasy romance stories like Goblin and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, K-drama takes its twist endings seriously, and it’s almost expected of any new K-drama show released now.
This expectation is why it can be difficult for a new K-drama to successfully pull off any type of twist ending, as a twist ending, virtually by definition, shouldn't be expected. By this reasoning, Squid Game’s old man twist is more shocking than the twist ending of My Name. While both Squid Game and My Name have great twists that subvert the context behind key moments and events throughout the respective shows, Squid Game stands out because of the way it was set up, its overall impact on previous events, and its sheer in-the-moment shock value.
Squid Game's Twist Ending Explained
The plot of Squid Game and the respective internal motivations of its main characters are revealed very early on. This sets up the twist that the frail old man Il-nam is actually the billionaire founder of Squid Game. By the end, it’s revealed that Il-nam decided to take part in Squid Game as a player just for fun and nostalgia – in severe contrast to every other player who practically had no choice but to try and get the prize money. Leading up to this revelation, there are actually several subtle clues to Squid Game’s famous twist, which are scattered across its earlier episodes. It’s all meant to plant small details in the viewer’s recollection of events – clues that later blossom into the show's twist ending. Considering how Squid Game is a combination of K-drama and death games – genres that have both heavily relied on expectation-defying finales – viewers should’ve seen Squid Game’s final twist coming. Even so, despite the amount of clues that the series leaves behind, Squid Game still manages to pull off a truly shocking twist when it matters most.
My Name's Twist Ending Explained
My Name’s entire plot itself is full of small twists and turns that constantly question the internal motives of the main characters, culminating in the final twist that Ji-woo’s father Dong-hoon was not a gangster but rather a narcotics police agent named Joon-su, and that his killer was actually Dongcheon gang leader Mu-jin. Like Squid Game, the ending of My Name was set up perfectly. However, My Name’s twist ending is not as shocking, namely because it’s not a one-time revelation. Instead, it's a series of small clues that eventually accumulate into the season's big revelation. Unlike Squid Game’s subtle clues, My Name’s clues overtly question the ongoing narrative, such as how the gun that supposedly belonged to Dong-hoon’s killer actually belongs to Joon-su. Other clues include how gang members keep telling Ji-woo how she doesn’t know everything – seemingly innocent until her father’s identity and Mu-jin’s true intentions are revealed. However, while My Name’s twist ending lacks shock value, it certainly succeeds in providing a satisfying ending to its central mystery.
Which Twist Ending Worked Better?
Squid Game’s twist ending is definitely more shocking than the final twist of My Name. However, in terms of how the twists elevate their respective narratives, My Name and Squid Game are fairly even. My Name’s Ji-woo (Han So-hee) unravels the last twist in the sixth episode, and it’s used to set up and give greater weight to the satisfying confrontation between Ji-woo and Mu-jin in the eighth and final episode of the series. Moreover, My Name actually shows what happens to the characters after the biggest twist, and the finale closes the story, leaving behind almost no questions or mysteries about the main characters and plot – a satisfying and closed ending.
Meanwhile, Squid Game’s twist ending is in the ninth and final episode, and the revelation upends one of the series' most beloved characters by turning him into a monster, while simultaneously driving home the series’ points about the injustices of wealth inequality. Although Squid Game’s twist does little to resolve many of the series’ unanswered questions and hanging mysteries, this leaves room for Squid Game season 2 to provide these answers. In short, both My Name and Squid Game’s twist endings worked perfectly for their respective intent. Squid Game’s twist is more shocking, but in terms of serving the main plot lines and themes of the series, My Name’s twist ending is just as effective.
Squid Game & My Name: Will There Be A Season 2?
Squid Game’s twist raises more questions about the death games than it answers, generating interest for the continuation of a story that couldn’t be fully resolved in just one season. While there’s still no word on whether or not Netflix will be greenlighting Squid Game for season 2, the sustained interest in the show means that it’s likely to be renewed for a second installment soon. Meanwhile, My Name’s twist serves as the peak of a detective story that resolves its key mysteries after the first season. However, although My Name’s finale effectively explains and closes the story, Ji-woo is still alive, and so is narcotics chief Gi-ho, and the perspective of either character can be a great starting point for another ultra-violent neo-noir detective drama. In any case, it wouldn’t be surprising if both shows get renewed for a second season.
Squid Game and My Name continue the K-drama tradition of providing viewers with clever and unexpected twists. Considering how both shows are doing so well on the Netflix viewership charts, they’ve also dispelled the notion that western viewers don’t like watching shows with subtitles. If the success of My Name and Squid Game on Netflix are any indication, we can expect more K-dramas and unexpected twist endings to fill up the streaming giant’s future roster of content.