Few characters in “Squid Game” have lingered in the audience’s imagination quite like the Front Man, and in Season Two, that masked figure finally steps out of the shadows. Played by Korean screen legend Lee Byung-hun, the character becomes a central force in the show’s evolving narrative—no longer just an enigma, but a haunted architect of the very system he once opposed. It’s a role that gives Lee one of his most layered performances to date: restrained yet volatile, performative yet deeply human.
For longtime fans of Korean cinema, Lee Byung-hun’s talents are no surprise. He is one of Korea’s most celebrated and versatile actors, with acclaimed roles in “I Saw the Devil,” “Joint Security Area,” “The Good, the Bad, the Weird,” and “The Fortress.” Though he broke into the American market with roles in “G.I. Joe” and “Red,” those parts only hinted at his depth. “Squid Game” now offers global audiences a deeper look at his range and presence, especially through the nuanced duality of his role as both observer and player.
In Season Two, the Front Man takes on the disguise of Player 001, and Lee Byung-hun leans into the performance with a quiet intensity. There’s something theatrical about the way he moves through the game, but the real weight is in the stillness—in the moments where you sense the mask slipping. He’s not just a villain pulling strings. He’s a man who once had conviction and lost it somewhere along the way. Lee plays that erosion with restraint, letting flashes of doubt and buried grief flicker across his face before they disappear again.
The narrative also sets up several unresolved threads heading into the final season. While a potential confrontation with his brother Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) remains in question, the greater intrigue lies in how the series will conclude and what role the Front Man will ultimately play in the fate of the surviving players from Season Two, including Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae). With Season Three premiering June 27, all eyes are on how these characters will collide and who, if anyone, escapes the system intact.
Lee’s performance helps elevate “Squid Game” beyond spectacle. As the character shifts from cold overseer to emotionally engaged performer, Lee draws from years of experience inhabiting morally complex roles. His ability to move between detachment and intensity gives the season its emotional depth, and provides a sharp contrast to Gi-hun’s unraveling sense of purpose. With Season Three on the horizon, his portrayal of the Front Man stands as one of the series’ most fascinating and quietly devastating turns.
In this interview with Awards Focus, Lee discusses his initial surprise at being brought more fully into the show, the creative freedom he was given in shaping the character, and the evolution of Korean drama on the world stage.
Awards Focus: It’s a pleasure to meet you. One of my first questions: “Squid Game” was not initially intended to be a multi-season show, right? It was meant to be one season. We see a little bit of you, but not that much, in Season One. At what point did you know that your character would become so much bigger in Season Two—and probably Three as well?
Byung-hun: Yes. So, as you said, when Director Hwang first offered me the cameo role for Season One—we had worked on “The Fortress,” a feature film, together before—so we were friends. I said, “It’s a brief appearance, sure thing.” Plus, the narrative was very experimental and fun.
After it got so much global love, Season Two was greenlit, and I was wondering what was going to happen to Front Man. Director Hwang just said to me that he actually didn’t know either—he still had to write the script for Season Two. But when I got the script, it really took me by surprise in a very pleasant way. He told me he didn’t have any ideas for Season Two, yet he somehow wrote such a perfect script.
I was very happy to receive that script, and excited to take on this multi-persona role, because Front Man is sometimes Front Man himself, and sometimes his older self peeks out. And he’s also playing young Player Number One. So it was very fun for me as an actor to play this character.
AF: Did you have an opportunity to shape your character? As you mentioned, it’s such a nuanced role. In your conversations with Director Hwang, did you influence the arc your character takes—or how to play certain scenes?
Byung-hun: First of all, I had to start from the idea that Jun-ho was at the lowest point of his life when he turned to “Squid Game.” That was his last resort. He had lost everything already. And when he was in the game, he lost all hope in humanity—there was so much betrayal, so much inhumane behavior. Sometimes he had to kill to survive.
After all that happened, he just lost all hope in the world and in people. My question as an actor was: how can someone like this—who is now so pessimistic and cynical—still act like a normal person who feels all these emotions? Because in the game, he has to feel nervousness, joy, fear. He has to go through these emotions and perform them for the players. That was the biggest challenge I had in creating this new character I fabricated myself.
So I thought long and hard about the level of expression Front Man would use when acting as this other character. I had a lot of talks with the director as well. He would sometimes tell me to go further—more expressive. And when I did that, I found that I looked creepier, more strange, more eerie and daunting. It really worked well with the narrative of the show overall.
I believe that in the beginning, Front Man would have had a hard time performing emotions he no longer feels. But after some time passed, he truly immersed himself in the role and started enjoying the games. He even began to feel nervous again. That’s how I created my character.
AF: Until the very last episode of Season Two, the motivations of the Front Man/Player 001 are still a bit of a mystery, partially because of the relationship that’s formed as a fellow player with Gi-hun. It’s such a complicated dynamic and the chemistry is crucial. Did you do anything off-camera to prepare or build that unique chemistry?
Byung-hun: More than 20 years ago, Gi-hun and I were actually in the same TV project—but we never shared a scene. This is our second collaboration, “Squid Game,” but it’s safe to say it’s almost like our first, because this time we were truly sharing scenes and exchanging emotions and chemistry.
We’ve known each other personally for 30 years, so we didn’t have any difficulty building that chemistry. We had a lot of fun on set.
AF: About 15 years ago, Western audiences got to know you from roles in “G.I. Joe” and “Red.” But thanks to “Squid Game” and the rise of Korean drama globally, there’s so much more visibility for you and other Asian actors. Have you seen opportunities change for you, and are you receiving more interesting Hollywood scripts now?
Byung-hun: Yes, I do have experience starring in Hollywood films, and I’ve seen fan reactions at those times. We’ve done red carpets and all that. But when I was on the promotion tour for “Squid Game” Season Two, it felt very different. It was quite strange in a good way.
Here was a Korean drama—created by a Korean staff, Korean director, Korean cast—and I was amazed at how passionate the global fan base was. Fans were even more enthusiastic about “Squid Game” than some big Hollywood movies.
I knew people enjoyed K-pop around the world, but I think the entertainment industry is evolving, and I’m grateful to be part of that change. I believe fans all across the globe transcend barriers—language, culture—and they use platforms like Netflix and YouTube to watch not just “Squid Game,” but also to seek out my other works and more recent projects. I’m very thankful, and I’m looking forward to more opportunities opening up for me.
AF: Thank you so much for your time.
Byung-hun: Thank you very much.