{"id":678487,"date":"2025-07-04T01:15:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T22:15:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/squid-game-star-lee-byung-hun-on-possible-front-man-spinoff\/"},"modified":"2025-07-04T01:15:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T22:15:20","slug":"squid-game-star-lee-byung-hun-on-possible-front-man-spinoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/squid-game-star-lee-byung-hun-on-possible-front-man-spinoff\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Squid Game’ Star Lee Byung-hun on Possible Front Man Spinoff"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t[This story contains MAJOR spoilers from the\u00a0Squid Game<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>season three finale, \u201cHumans are \u2026\u201d]<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tLee Byung-hun\u2019s masked antagonist, known as The Front Man, has stalked the edges of Squid Game<\/em> since its debut \u2014 the coolly enigmatic figure who oversees the show\u2019s merciless contest with a disturbing sense of detachment. But in seasons two and three, and especially in the series<\/a> finale released last Friday, the character steps ever further into the spotlight, revealing new dimensions of sorrow, cynicism, and maybe even a lingering sliver of moral conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tPlayed with masterful restraint by Lee, one of Korea\u2019s most celebrated movie stars of the last two decades, the Front Man is enigma personified, a man hollowed by tragedy whose only app<\/a>arent joy is his unnerving devotion to procedure \u2014 and perhaps the occasional whisky sipped in solitude. But the Game grows increasingly personal for him after Gi-hun, aka Player 456 (Lee Jung-jae), re-enters the contest on a mission to challenge its central tenant \u2014 that human beings are fundamentally selfish and unworthy of grace or respect. In face of Gi-hun\u2019s sacrifice and unwavering commitment to basic human dignity, does a crack ultimately emerge in The Front Man\u2019s fatalism, or will he always remain the Game\u2019s loyal servant?\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tIn a wide-ranging sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter<\/em>, Lee opened up about his character\u2019s evolution and the layered meaning behind several of the finale\u2019s most debated moments \u2014 including the Front Man\u2019s cryptic encounter with Gi-hun\u2019s daughter, and that unexpected encounter with the recruiter played by Cate Blanchett on the streets of Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\n\t***<\/p>\n

\n\tFrom the beginning, Squid Game<\/em> has been famed for its exceedingly dark vision of humanity, and the real world outside the show has arguably only grown darker during the five years since the series first went into production. Rather than dwelling on that, though, I wanted to start by asking whether there was anything about making Squid Game<\/em> that gave you hope, or made you feel better about human nature in an unexpected way.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, Squid Game<\/em> is a show that explores the darkest aspects of our social<\/a> and political situation, while also diagnosing an absence of humanity. So to see a story like that resonate with people all around the world? I was happy the show we had worked so hard on was successful. But another part of me, I have to admit, felt quite bitter about the fact that these issues resonated with so many people in such an urgent way. Later, though, I had another thought: The show ultimately says that we need to wake up and look at what we\u2019re doing to each other. So, the fact that people all around the world are connecting with this show and stopping to engage with and think about these themes \u2014 our collective loss of humanity \u2014 that could also mean there is hope for us. That\u2019s the hopeful way of looking at the whole phenomenon.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t(L to R) Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as Frontman in season three.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNo Ju-han\/Netflix<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tThe Front Man is profoundly enigmatic throughout the full run of Squid Game<\/em>. What did you come to understand about his beliefs and motivations throughout the process of making the show?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You get a brief backstory of him in the series. He had a previous life as a police detective. He was a very ordinary guy with an ordinary family. But due to some really extreme and unfortunate circumstances, he lost his wife and child, and he experienced intense betrayal and desperation, which is what drove him to take part in Squid Game<\/em>. Once inside the Game, he witnesses even more brutality and extreme cruelty right in front of him, and all of this makes him into an extremely pessimistic and cynical person who believes that there is no hope left for the world or humanity. And so, as he watches Gi-hun, he thinks that Gi-hun is too naive \u2014 and that he will end up just like himself, and only time will tell.<\/p>\n

\n\tAbout that last point, there were some key moments where I was really curious what the Front Man was actually thinking and hoping for. One is when he gives Gi-hun the knife, and watches Gi-hun contemplating killing the other players in their sleep. The Front Man is watching him very intently, and the audience is given a flashback to a time when the Front Man was put in the same situation and killed everyone mercilessly. So, in that moment, is the Front Man hoping Gi-hun will kill everyone just as he did \u2014 or something else?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019m glad you asked, because that uncertainty is exactly what I wanted viewers to feel when they watched that scene. I played that scene thinking there are both sides to him. I believe the Front Man wanted Gi-hun to live, because Gi-hun is someone he feels differently about compared to the other players, because of the time they spent together inside the Game. So if Gi-hun had killed everyone just as the Front Man did, the Front Man would have felt a sense of victory, because he would have been proven right in his core belief. He could say, \u201cSee? You\u2019ve ended up just like me.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tOn the other hand, if Gi-hun doesn\u2019t go through with it \u2014 which is what happens \u2014 the Front Man will feel a sense of defeat. He would also feel a form of self-reproach, or even envy, in seeing Gi-hun protect his values in precisely the way that he failed to do. However, I think deep inside him, part of him was almost rooting for Gi-hun. The deepest part of him wanted to see Gi-hun not give in and continue to hold onto hope for the world and for humanity. So I played that scene thinking that he was feeling all of these things, but in the deepest sense, the latter.<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s really amazing how much of that comes across in your performance, despite how little you say and how brief that scene is. Were there aspects of yourself \u2014 your memories, personality or beliefs \u2014 that you tapped into to help you play the Front Man, this very impressive but broken man?<\/strong><\/p>\n

For actors, every life experience you go through, every emotion that you feel in life \u2014 it all becomes an asset. And I think that whether or not I was aware of it when I was reading the script, all of my personal experiences affected the way I approached the character. So, yeah, there were definitely moments in my life when I wondered about the loss or absence of humanity \u2014 and it deeply upset me. It\u2019s hard to pinpoint particular experiences or events, but I\u2019ve been through some of those internal struggles. But the entire experience of just living life is what most affected the way I played this character.<\/p>\n

\n\tHow did you interpret the scene in the finale between the Front Man and Gi-hun\u2019s daughter? Is he stirring the pot to try to get Gi-hun\u2019s daughter curious about the Games? Or is this encounter a sign of his somewhat restored humanity \u2014 that he wanted to give her closure, and personally deliver the money her father won?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tI asked that exact question to the director when we were filming \u2014 and he responded by asking me the same question. So we ended up talking a lot about this scene \u2014 what is he feeling at that point, and what should my headspace be while I\u2019m trying to bring the scene to life? At the end of the day, I would have to say it\u2019s closer to the latter. He\u2019s had a little bit of humanity restored and he\u2019s offering what Gi-hun left behind with a little sliver of the goodness that\u2019s left in his heart. <\/p>\n

\n\tBut at the same time, his strongest feeling is simply to make sure that everything is done fairly and by the rules of the Game. However, it\u2019s also perfectly natural for the audience to consider a lot of possibilities, as you just have. Is there another motive behind this? Is he signaling the beginning of a new game? Is he sowing the seed so that the Game can be continued? All of that is ultimately open for interpretation. We knew this scene would spark a lot of speculation, so we put a lot of thought into it \u2014 even down to the detail of whether the green tracksuit should be bloody or whether it should have been washed.<\/p>\n

\n\tSimilarly, I was wondering why the Front Man gave his brother the baby and the baby\u2019s money. Could this be one more test of humanity versus greed \u2014 to see what his altruistic brother will do with all of that cash? Or does he simply think that his brother is a reliable person and this is the right thing to do?
<\/strong>
After everything he\u2019s been through, I think the Front Man is a little sick of testing people or putting them through trials at this point. I think that impulse may have left after the Game ended \u2014 especially after everything he went through in his confrontation with Gi-hun, and after witnessing Gi-hun\u2019s sacrifice. So I think he left the baby with his brother mainly because he doesn\u2019t have a lot of options. Most of all, like always, he wants to follow the rules. The baby won the game, so the money should go to the baby. His brother is family and he knows very deeply that his brother is a reliable and trustworthy person, and that he will protect the baby and make sure no one takes the child\u2019s money. The rules say the money goes to the child, and his brother can help ensure that.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tThe Front Man looks out the window at the recruiter played by Cate Blanchett in Los Angeles. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tOkay, one last scene interpretation question. The Front Man\u2019s reaction to seeing the recruiter played by Cate Blanchett on the streets of Los Angeles \u2014 is he surprised, or did he already know that there\u2019s another recruiter out there and the Game, or Games, will continue elsewhere? I wasn\u2019t sure how to read his reaction.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The director and I talked a lot about this scene as well. What\u2019s interesting is that when I first read the script, I had a different impression. I thought the Front Man had already known that there was another game \u2014 exactly the same \u2014 unfolding in another country. But I asked the director, just in case, and he told me, \u201cPlease play the scene by imagining that you didn\u2019t know she was there.\u201d This was really confusing for me, because I got a very different impression from the script and we were quite close to filming at that point. So we discussed it quite a lot, and here\u2019s the tone I decided to go for in that moment: As the series started, the Front Man had nearly no hope left in humanity \u2014 there was only a tiny little shred of goodness left in him, subconsciously. But through his journey with Gi-hun, he was able to nurture that sliver of hope, and by the end, as his Game came to a close, he\u2019s trying to look at things differently, thinking, \u201cMaybe Gi-hun was right; maybe there\u2019s something still there.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tAnd he\u2019s trying to reach this sense of closure, and the potential for a new beginning \u2014 and then he sees this other recruiter, pulling new players into the Game. And now he realizes that this never ends. It\u2019s all going to just keep going. So, that sense of bitterness is the main feeling he\u2019s experiencing in that moment. I actually wondered whether what I was trying to communicate would be delivered to viewers, so thank you for the question.<\/p>\n

\n\tCate Blanchett\u2019s appearance has sparked a lot of speculation about a potential U.S.-based spin-off. I know nothing is official, but now that the Front Man knows the Game is underway in America, how do you imagine the Game would work in the United States?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, depending on the culture and local circumstances, I suppose the ambience and the arena and the specifics of the games could be a little different. There could be some U.S. elements in there. But still, as we\u2019ve been discussing, I believe the reason the series received so much love across the world is because people everywhere can relate to its overarching theme of loss of humanity. I think that aspect is essential, so the U.S. players would have to go through a lot of hardship and face impossible choices. The essence of the Game would be the same.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnother possibility fans have gotten excited about is a Front Man spinoff or prequel. If Netflix and some of your key collaborators are behind it, would you be up for it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Director Hwang and I have been joking about a Front Man spin-off since the beginning. We both thought that the Front Man or the recruiter could be interesting for more story, because we haven\u2019t really explored these characters in their entirety yet. Their backstory is still vague, and their character is still a little murky. To look at the Front Man with a full character study would be a very fun thing to do. So, as for your question \u2014 of course I\u2019d be willing to star in it. The character has already been built and designed, and I\u2019m very compelled by him. Just as the fans are curious to know more about him, I am too. That\u2019s a story I\u2019d be very willing to tell.<\/p>\n

\n\t***<\/p>\n

\n\tThe final season of\u00a0<\/em>Squid Game\u00a0is now streaming on\u00a0Netflix. Read\u00a0<\/em>THR\u2019s take on\u00a0the finale cameo\u00a0and\u00a0how it could set up a spinoff and our two-part\u00a0interview with creator Hwang Dong-hyuk\u00a0on the\u00a0final season\u00a0and\u00a0final scene.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our Social Media category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[This story contains MAJOR spoilers from the\u00a0Squid Game\u00a0season three finale, \u201cHumans are \u2026\u201d] Lee Byung-hun\u2019s masked antagonist, known as The Front Man, has stalked the edges of Squid Game since its debut \u2014 the coolly enigmatic figure who oversees the show\u2019s merciless contest with a disturbing sense of detachment. But in seasons two and three,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":678488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Squid_Game_n_S3_E6_00_27_18_10.png?w=1440&h=810&crop=1","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[25196,38074,145005,124783,1377,117772],"class_list":["post-678487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-mediaa","tag-asia","tag-cate-blanchett","tag-hwang-dong-hyuk","tag-international","tag-netflix","tag-squid-game"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678487","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=678487"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678487\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/678488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=678487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=678487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=678487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}