Squid Game Season 2: Why did Hwang Jun-ho hide the truth about the Front Man's identity from Seong Gi-hun?

Squid Game Season 2 has ended on a cliffhanger note but fans won’t have to wait too long for answers. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has said Seasons 2 and 3 were filmed simultaneously, and has confirmed that the third and final season will drop this year.

While fans will watch out for several answers in Squid Game Season 3, we know why Hwang Jun-ho didn't reveal the Front Man's identity to Seong Gi-hun (Player 456). Being a key character, Wi Ha-joon's Detective Hwang Jun-ho was introduced in Squid Game Season 2. He spent most of the second season searching for his brother Hwang In-ho.

Initially, Hwang Jun-ho thought his brother might be in the game, and even asked Gi-hun if he knew a player named Hwang In-ho in Season 1. However, Gi-hun couldn't help him, so Jun-ho continued his search.

Eventually, Jun-ho discovered that his brother Hwang In-ho won the game almost five years ago, and is now operating as the Front Man. As seen in the Season 1 finale, while Jun-ho hoped to change his brother and dismantle the game, In-ho, or the Front Man, shot him, leaving his fate uncertain.

Squid Game Season 2 reveals Hwang Jun-ho had survived. He teams up with Gi-hun to once again find the island and destroy the games for good. Gi-hun shares his plan with Jun-ho and asks if he knows anything about the Front Man.

Since Hwang Jun-ho wants to protect his brother In-ho and feels it would not be right to disclose any vital information about him, he lies to Gi-hun. His silence is not just about emotional protection, it is also a calculated decision.

Read on to learn more about Hwang Jun-ho and his brother Hwang In-ho on Squid Game.

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Hwang Jun-ho's reason for hiding the true identity of the Front Man from Seong Gi-hun

Squid Game Season 2 dropped three years after the first season had instantly won over fans upon release. The makers seem to have deliberately ended the second season in a way that the audience is left with curiosity about the ultimate fate that possibly awaits each of the characters.

It would be intriguing to watch if Hwang Jun-ho succeeds in changing his brother's mind and in stopping the game, or if he becomes the victim of a betrayal for the second time.

Squid Game Season 2 begins with the revelation that Hwang Jun-ho made it out alive after being betrayed, shot, and left for dead by his brother, Hwang In-ho in Season 1. Despite the betrayal, Jun-ho does not give up. Rather, he joins forces with Gi-hun in his mission to put an end to the deadly game.

In Squid Game Season 2 Episode 2, titled Halloween Party, Gi-hun asks Jun-ho if he knows the Front Man or has seen his face, to which Jun-ho replies, "No, I didn't see his face. He was wearing a black mask".

Also Read: What is the Gonggi in Squid Game Season 2? Details about the traditional Korean game, explored

While fans know this is a lie, Gi-hun is not aware of the Front Man's relationship with Jun-ho. The two are half-brothers, and In-ho (who is actually the Front Man) even gave one of his kidneys to save Jun-ho before taking part in the dangerous game.

Hwang Jun-ho lies to Seong Gi-hun because he wants to confront his brother Hwang In-ho directly. Jun-ho is convinced that he can redeem his brother and he thinks that if he reveals the truth, it could lead to unnecessary complications that would endanger his life as well as Gi-hun's. By resorting to the lie that he has no idea of who the Front Man is, Jun-ho ensures that his brother’s fate remains in his control.

However, little does Jun-ho know that his brother In-ho has outplayed Gi-hun by disguising himself and entering the game as Player 001. In-ho subsequently goes on to ruin Gi-hun's attempt at a rebellion to dismantle the game. He even punishes Gi-hun by eliminating his oldest friend, Park Jung-bae, in the Season 2 finale.

Also Read: Why does Gi-hun go back to the Squid Game in Season 2? Character's motivations, explored in depth

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Why did Hwang In-ho join the deadly game: Reason revealed in Squid Game Season 2

Squid Game Season 2 has revealed the reason behind Hwang In-ho joining the competition as a player, and later transforming into the Front Man. In Episode 4, titled Six Legs, the Front Man is seen disguised as Player 001 under the fake name of Oh Young-il, and striking up a conversation with Gi-hun.

While explaining why he entered the competition, In-ho reveals that his wife (who has already dead) has acute cirrhosis, and is also expecting their first child. He needs money for her liver transplant to save his wife and child.

However, in reality, Front Man's wife died when he was competing in the game, and, following the tragic loss, he chose not to return to his normal life. Instead, he became the Front Man.

In-ho revealed his past to Gi-hun in a twisted way, though this was the first time he was being open with him. In-ho has lost all his hope and, unlike Gi-hun, he barely believes in humanity. This was highlighted by actor Lee Byung-hun, who plays Hwang In-ho or the Front Man, during an interview with Variety:

"In-ho is a character that no longer has belief or hope in the outside world. So it’s almost like he has nowhere to go, because that is not really a world that he feels like he’s a part of anymore."

He believes that people in the world die meaninglessly, so he chooses to support the brutal Squid Game. According to him, the deadly competition gives at least one person a chance for a new life or opportunity.

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Also Read: Every death in Squid Game Season 2, ranked from most expected to least

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