Warning! This article contains spoilers for Squid Game season 3.
After watchingSquid Gameseason 3, many viewers seem to have mixed feelings about Jun-ho and the Front Man’s final confrontation — and rightfully so. Like most sophomore installments of popular shows,Squid Gameseason 2 struggled to impress the franchise’s massive audience. While some appreciated how the show brought in big names to star as its leading characters, others could not help but criticize its abrupt and inconclusive ending.
Despite all the divisive views surroundingSquid Gameseason 2’s ending, it was hard not to appreciate how it perfectly paved the way for the series' endgame. While Gi-hun’s complex arc was enough to draw most viewers in, even characters like Jun-ho and the Front Man served as massive hooks for audiences to tune into season 3. Unfortunately, it looks like Jun-ho and the Front Man’s final confrontation has left fans split.
Jun-ho And In-ho Did Not Have A Conversation In Squid Game Season 3
The Two Characters Never Got To Bury Their Grudges Against One Another
Squid Game’s first two seasons established that Jun-ho and In-ho are half-brothers who grew distant after In-ho disappeared to compete in the 33rd Squid Games. Season 2 also established that long before he became the Front Man, In-ho had donated his kidney to Jun-ho to save his brother’s life. Unfortunately, In-ho took a massive financial and psychological hit after his wife got sick, and none of his family members stepped forward to help him.
While Jun-ho started believing his brother had gone missing, In-ho gradually became one of the frontrunners of the games. Despite holding grudges against his younger brother, however,In-ho spared his life in season 1by ensuring that he got medical attention after he shot him. Given the depth of the backstory between the two brothers, viewers expectedSquid Gameseason 3to bring a well-rounded conclusion to their story. Unfortunately, the two do not even get to have a proper conversation.
Jun-ho’s entire season 3 arc just revolves around him being clueless about Captain Park’s true motivesbefore it is too late. When he finally finds the game’s venue, he reaches there right before In-ho leaves with the baby. He even points his gun at his brother but struggles to shoot at him. In-ho realizes his brother would never hurt him and flees the scene, while Jun-ho (like the show’s audience) is left with many unanswered questions.
The Lack Of Resolution For The Front Man And His Brother’s Story Was Frustrating
Given how viewers were expecting the two characters to have a final confrontation and resolve their issues for good, it makes sense that the show’s ending left most viewers feeling underwhelmed.Squid Gameseason 3 attempts to bring a positive closure to their arcs by showing how In-ho leaves Jun-ho with Jun-hee’s baby’s responsibility and even gives him access to the baby’s grand prize. However, this seems to change nothing between the two characters' complex dynamic.
…The lack of resolution between the two characters undermines all the time the series' previously invested in disclosing the truth about their torrid relationship.
The ending suggests that,despite their differences, In-ho never truly stopped caring for his younger brother. It also highlights how In-ho believes his brother is a good man and is capable of raising the orphaned child. Yet, the lack of resolution between the two characters undermines all the time the series' previously invested in disclosing the truth about their torrid relationship. While it is understandable thatSquid Gameseason 3 had limited time, it could have given Jun-ho and In-ho’s arc a more conclusive closure.
In-ho’s Ambiguous Fate In Squid Game Leaves The Door Open For A Front Man Spinoff
The Front Man’s Story Deserves More Exploration
Instead of revealing more details about how In-ho gradually became desensitized towards human suffering and rose in the ranks to transform into theFront Man we see inSquid Game’s present arc, the show’s season 3 only reveals a defining moment from his past. It shows that Oh Il-nam gave him the opportunity to eliminate his completion before the final round by offering him a knife to murder them. In-ho did not let the opportunity go and let his sense of morality dwindle as he slashed his opponents' throats.
This sequence offered new insights intohow he was forced to believe that none of the financially desperate participants deserved his sympathy. However, many aspects of his backstory still remain unresolved. For instance, the show never revealed what happened after he won the games or how he even ended up playing them in the first place. Even when it came to his wife, the show allowed audiences to fill in the blanks by hinting that she had died. With so many missing elements in his story, the Front Man would be a great protagonist for a potentialSquid Gamespin-off.
Squid Game
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
