Inho’s deep emptiness and…
This is my take on Inho in season 3. It’s a first look impression and thoughts are everywhere so forgive me.
One of the things I was really glad watching Sguid Game season 3, I felt my analysis of Inho of season 2 https://t.co/GweU5sd9IP was close enough with what I got in season 3.
Difference is that, I said old Inho in him is screaming for help. Watching season 3, I feel Inho doesn’t want to be saved.
Majority of the time what I got from Inho is his deep emptiness. For me, it is clear he didn’t enjoy the games and hosting VIPs at all. Maybe he was more willing in season 1, but now, it seems he was doing it only because it was what he does. He did it efficiently as a host, but I couldn’t help but deep emptiness in him in season 3. Like he didn’t want to feel anything. I feel he covered his emotions with thick armor and covered with emptiness.
I think I really get what LBH said “Small part of him wanted Gihun was right and cheering for him.” It’s really “a small part of him”. I actually could see it expressed exactly accurately in his face when he saw Gihun didn’t kill and walked away and that was amazing. Inho was filled with emptiness. Almost completely but a tiny part of him, there’s still good soul. Tiny.
I saw his what it left of good soul when he offered VIPs that let the baby participate the game. It’s clear that he wanted to save the baby and participating the game was the only option the baby would have a chance to live. I guess that once the game starts, you have to obey the rules of the game. Even the host cannot just let a player to quit and live. You can give a player some support, but not just quit and live.
Same goes when he gave Gihun a knife. He knew Gihun would never let the baby go. Gihun would most likely die with/without the baby in next game. He wanted both of them to live. So he offered Gihun the best chance to survive. Of course part of the reason was a challenge. Whether he could resist the temptation to kill someone in cold blood to survive. But part of him actually wanted them to survive. The tension of look on his face while watching Gihun put the knife on one of the players’ throat was palpable. And slight change of his facial expression and sighs when Gihun didn’t kill and walked away, it’s expressed very complicated emotions. Big parts of him tried to suppress his feelings but the emotion was leaking on his face. Sadness that Gihun would likely to die with his decision, and there was unmistakable “awed” feeling, admiration that Gihun didn’t give in, while he did when he was given the same offer and it most likely destroyed himself inside. Flashback scene was amazing, too. I know makeup helped but even so, he really looked young and more vulnerable and completely different from him now. This whole scene was really showcase of actor LBH. And after watching his flashback, I think I can stand with my analysis in season 2, mingle game was really a turning point. Until then Inho could have regain his old self, but killing an innocent player with his own hand brought him back when he killed players in 2015 and destroyed old him again. He didn’t fully back to Frontman before he become Youngil, I think he was not fully sure what he does now, but his emptiness got deepen.
When there were only Gihun and the baby were left before final round started, Inho knew exactly what Gihun would do. I think Gihun might not believe in other person’s humanity anymore, but he refused to lose his own humanity. Gihun’s action also saved Nouel, who lost hope for humanity and tried to kill herself. She stopped and decided to live again when she saw Gihun sacrificed himself for the baby. She realized she could still believe in humanity.
Inho approached to Gihun’s body and took off mask. His face showed no emotion but he took a little time like paying respect. The way he stared and look away reminds me of when he looked down when Junho dropped down the cliff. Hiding emotion but feel it’s there underneath. He left Gihun’s body there without even closed his eyes(it shows he kept distant emotionally) but he hold the baby carefully and secured with him.
I think only person who can save Inho from his emptiness is Junho (if Inho deserves to be saved is another thing.). Inho knew Junho could crack his armor. He almost did in season 1. If he cracks, the guilt would crash him. He didn’t want it. He just wanted to stay in emptiness and darkness. So he shut himself even more with Junho. He actually ordered to kill Junho. When Junho finally reached and saw Inho with distant, pointing a gun to him, he looked at him with distant as if he wanted to be shot by him. I could hear him inner voice saying “Go ahead, shoot me.” It’s not a challenge. I think he was OK to be killed by Junho at that moment. When Junho didn’t pulled a trigger, Inho turned around and left without answering Junho’s “why?” Like when he faced with Gihun, showing no emotion. I feel his emptiness strongly. But later, he left the baby to Junho. I think it because Junho is the only person he trusted with humanity. The fact he entrusted Junho with the baby tells Inho still has a good soul somewhere and is cared for both Junho and the baby. And narratively, this event would lead Junho to start searching Inho again, because he surely knew this was from his brother.
(Btw, it is kind of fun and funny to think Inho raised the baby by himself for 6 months. Did he really? I don’t know. And yes, the name put on the deposit card should be the baby’s instead of Junho’s but I decided that it because if you make it the baby’s card, you have to put the name of the baby on it and Inho thought he didn’t deserve to name the baby so he put Junho’s name. And he knew Junho wouldn’t spend money for himself.)
Inho visited Gihun’s daughter and handed Gihun’s used uniform and money (in card). I think major reason is he did it as the host of the game, that’s what he should do: give the money where it belongs, not that’s what Gihun would want (evidence is that the box had the game’s logo). But he brought it himself and met his daughter means something. Maybe he wanted to meet her. Maybe he wanted to tell her Gihun cared for her (not that he actually said anything comfort but his grief was evident in his eyes). He also gave her Gihun’s uniform with blood still on. Maybe he wanted to give her actual evidence of Gihun. For a memento. After all his uniform was actually the only thing he could give. But when I think about it, if I was a daughter and got the father’s clothes with the blood on and told he died, I would want to know how he died and start searching for. If she does, she might find out about the game and that’s the last thing Gihun would want for his daughter. No. I don’t think Inho is that kind of person who leads Gihun’s daughter to participate the game. That’s too devilish. No. Maybe if she finds out, he would want to tell her what kind of person he was, how he died to save a baby (well, maybe Youngil would but he’s dead).
In the very last scene, seeing a recruiter on the street of US(clearly leads to American spinoff and sure I was surprised and laughed there was no other than Kate Blanchett there), look on Inho’s face was more like resignation, than confirmation. I wonder where he goes from here.
All in all, I’m glad season 3 didn’t destroy my view of Inho rather strengthen my view, made me to want think about him more and want to see more of him.
If we ever get the story of Inho/Frontman, what I want to see is aftermath story. How Gihun affected him, and final face-down with Junho (it must happen). Full of flashback with his past include time with family and 2015 game. I doubt it will actually happen now, and it’s fine. But if it will, I would like to see how HDH and LBH will make it (I’m pretty sure LBH will fully involve making Inho’s character if it happens).
#SquidGame
Inho’s emptiness and glimpse of hope… or not.
This is my take on Hwang Inho in Squid Game Season 2.
This is VERY long. And maybe my overactive brain has gone too far.
If you enjoy, I’d be so grateful. If you don’t, please leave it.
(And be aware that I’m not a native English speaker so some of my choices of words might be inaccurate.)
So.
Inho’s face right after he killed a man during mingle game has been sticking in my mind since I first watched the show.
Dazed. Blank.
It is not the face I’d expect from cold blooded killer.
I’ve been wondering what does this represent.
And now, I think I figured it out. At least I’m satisfied with my thought.
(1/7)
Any person with a brain and a heart would watch this and conclude that the US has become a danger to humanity. You may want to deceive yourself and find all kinds of excuses but deep down you know this is true