29 "Squid Game" Scenes That Absolutely Wrecked Me — Mind, Body, And Spirit

    "It'd been so long since I had that much fun..."

    Hannah Marder
    by Hannah Marder

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Korean thriller Squid Game is Netflix's most recent hit, and for good reason — it's incredibly written and acted, and every episode is jam-packed with anxiety-inducing drama.

    Netflix

    But some moments definitely stand out — here are 29 of the absolute best Squid Game scenes that I keep finding myself revisiting.

    🚨🚨WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD!🚨🚨

    1. We'll start in order: first up is the very first elimination, when the players realized that elimination meant death.

    324 is eliminated after getting caught by It as everyone looks
    Netflix

    The tone of the entire show changed. SO GOOD!!

    2. Next up...when Ali saved Gi-hun in Round One:

    Ali holding the back of Gi-hun's jacket
    Netflix

    This established Ali from the start as an incredible player, and it was such a great moment of high-stakes drama in a scene that was already incredibly high-stakes.

    3. When it was revealed how remote the place was at the end of the first episode:

    the camera pans out as the roof goes over the players' heads and it shows they're on an island
    Netflix

    Did anyone else get Pretty Little Liars Season 5 finale vibes here?

    4. When Gi-hun brought Sae-byeok onto his team:

    Sae-byeok runs to Gi-hun and he says "you're here" and she says he told her to - when Deok-Su asks why they're protecting her Gi-hun says she's on their team
    Netflix

    The dream team. 

    5. When Sang-woo convinced their team to step forward in Tug of War and then the episode ENDED:

    Sang-woo counts down then they all step forward, then the screen goes black
    Netflix

    This has got to be one of the best episode endings of ALL TIME. I IMMEDIATELY clicked on the next episode.

    6. When Jun-ho found out the tournament had been going on since at least 1999, then discovered his brother was a prior winner:

    Jun-ho sees a file labeled 1999
    Netflix

    This whole part was so stressful. I was convinced Jun-ho would be caught at any second.

    7. When Jun-ho brought a gun to the knife fight:

    Netflix

    Jun-ho, king of gaining the upper hand then repeating the words the villain just used on him (See entry #16).

    8. When Ji-yeong let Sae-byeok win the marble game:

    Sae-byeok tells Ji-yeong to roll again, but Ji-yeong refuses, saying she has nothing and no reason to leave, and she want Sae-byeok to win so she can go back to her family
    Netflix

    I know this whole episode was devastating, but the scenes with Ji-yeong and Sae-byeok were the most painful to me.

    9. And when she died:

    Ji-yeong telling Sae-byeok "I'm honored...that we were partners" as she's killed and Sae-byeok cries
    Netflix

    This scene will literally haunt me for the rest of my life. THINK OF WHAT WE COULD HAVE HAD WITH THESE TWO!!!

    10. When Sang-woo betrayed Ali:

    Ali looks down to see his pouch was full of rocks
    Netflix

    Ali...you deserved better.

    11. When Il-nam gave Gi-hun his last marble:

    Il-nam reveals he knows Gi-hun has been tricking him, then gives him his last marble, hugging him and saying everything will be alright as Gi-hun cries
    Netflix

    I regret crying at this...

    12. And when Il-nam remembered his name:

    Il-nam remembers his name and tells Gi-hun before he's presumably shot
    Netflix

    ...And this.

    13. When Mi-nyeo pushed Deok-su off the bridge:

    Mi-nyeo grabs Deok-su's waist and refuses to let go, saying they promised to stick together until the end, and she said she'd kill him for betraying her - she then tells him he has a tiny dick and falls back, and they both die
    Netflix

    If my last words aren't "you've got such a tiny dick," I'm gonna request a do-over.

    14. When Sang-woo pushed Player 017 off the bridge:

    Sang-woo pushes 17 off after he says he can't figure out which is the tempered glass
    Netflix

    15. And then when Gi-hun and Sang-woo fought afterward:

    Sang-woo calls Gi-hun pathetic, nosy, idiotic, and always getting into trouble, and Gi-hun admits he's all those things, but that Sang-woo ended up in the same place as him even though he's a "genius" and "successful"
    Netfkix

    Damn, Gi-hun!!! This moment was so cathartic.

    16. When Jun-ho recorded a VIP describing Squid Game and used the same creepy phrase the VIP had used on him:

    the VIP tells Jun-ho if he can satisfy him in 5 minutes, he'll change his life – Jun-ho points a gun at him and tells him if he can satisfy him in 5 minutes, he might let him live
    Netflix

    My sexuality is exclusively Jun-ho saying "Satisfied?"

    17. When Gi-hun and Sae-byeok bonded...:

    Gi-hun says he wants to be a good dad, then Sae-byeok tries to get him to promise that they'll take care of each other's families if one dies, but he shushes her
    Netflix

    I KNEW Sae-byeok was 100% going to die after this. But it was really such a great scene for both their arcs — Sae-byeok was finally trusting someone, and Gi-hun was resolving to actually try to be better.

    18. ...and then Sae-byeok convinced him not to kill Sang-woo:

    Sae-byeok tells Gi-hun he's not the king of person to kill Sang-Woo
    Netflix

    I know Sae-byeok would've probably died regardless, but thinking of what may have happened here if Gi-hun had gone through with it...it pains me.

    19. When Sang-woo killed Sae-byeok while Gi-hun was screaming for help:

    Gi-hun sees Sae-byeok dead and Sang-woo bloody with the knife
    Netflix

    This was definitely the final straw for Sang-woo. Sae-byeok was already dying!!!

    20. When Jun-ho found out the frontman was his brother In-ho:

    In-ho tries to get Jun-ho to go with him, but he refuses, to In-ho shoots him as In-ho asks why
    Netflix

    I kind of saw this one coming, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt.

    21. When Gi-hun tricked Sang-woo at the beginning of the final game:

    Gi-hun asks what they used to call it when they crossed, and Sang-woo says he doesn't care, then Gi-hun throws sand in his face and crosses saying they called it "inspector royal"
    Netflix

    BAMF moment.

    22. When Gi-hun refused to win the game:

    Gi-hun says he can't and wants to end the game
    Netflix

    Very much a "holding the poison berries up in the sky" moment.

    23. ...And when Sang-woo ended it for him by killing himself:

    Sang-woo says they'll never have their mothers call them in from playing again, and Gi-hun begs him to leave with him — Sang-woo reaches out, then says sorry and stabs himself
    Netflix

    Honestly, I was happy about this, 'cause I would've been PISSED if no one got the money.

    24. When Gi-hun realized Il-nam was still alive and behind the whole game:

    Gi-hun looks at the card from Il-nam then visits him in a gurney
    Netflix

    Mind=blown.

    25. When Il-nam explained why he'd joined the game:

    Il-nam said he had fun playing with Gi-hun
    Netflix

    His whole explanation was so messed up and bone-chilling, but also so good.

    26. When Il-nam lost his final game to Gi-hun:

    Gi-hun sees the police home for the homeless man, then sees Il-nam is dead and tells him he lost
    Netflix

    Let me know in the comments whether or not you think Il-nam heard Gi-hun or not.

    27. When Gi-hun called Sae-byeok his friend:

    Gi-hun tells Sae-byeok's brother Cheol that Sae-byeok is his friend
    Netflix

    I'm not crying, you're crying.

    28. And when Gi-hun left Cheol with Sang-woo's mother and gave them a suitcase of money:

    Sang-Woo's mom sees the briefcase of money
    Netflix

    The pairing we didn't know we needed.

    29. And finally, when Gi-hun decided not to get on the plane:

    the frontman tells Gi-hun to get on the plane, and Gi-hun turns around and gets off
    Netflix

    I mean, I hate this for Gi-hun and his daughter, but it's also such a good ending. It's nice to almost have that resolution that someone is going to do something to make sure this doesn't continue.

    What moments did we miss? What was YOUR favorite moment? Let us know in the comments!