Here’s Why Fans of Survival Drama 'Squid Game' Think Hwang Jun-ho Is Still Alive (SPOILERS)

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 1 of Squid Game.

The South Korean drama Squid Game has taken the world by storm. Over the nine episodes of Season 1, the thriller leaves fans on the edge of their seats as it follows a group of down-and-out people who are willing to risk their lives to win a huge amount of cash. In a total of six games based on Korean childhood games, 456 players participate. However, each challenge includes a deadly twist.

In Episode 2, viewers are introduced to Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun), a police officer investigating his older brother’s disappearance. Player 456 Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) leaves the game at first and goes to the police to try to expose the horrors he witnessed. Hwang Jun-ho instantly recognizes the card, which his brother also had before disappearing.

Jun-ho assumes a position as one of the masked workers, and during his time on the island, he learns these games have been going on since the 1990s and his brother won in 2015. In Episode 8, Jun-ho tries to escape since he has enough information to report back to his department, but the Front Man and his guards capture him. The Front Man shoots Hwang, but fans think he’s still alive and could return for Season 2 of Squid Game.

In Episode 8, Hwang Jun-ho makes his getaway off the island and tries to get up the cliff as he looks for a signal to send his superior all the intel he collected via cell phone. Before long, he's surrounded by pink jumpsuited workers and the Front Man.

The Front Man ends up removing his mask, revealing to fans that he is the police officer's missing brother. In-ho shoots his little brother in the arm, and Jun-ho falls off the cliff into the ocean.

This scene is a major cliffhanger since viewers don't ever see a body, which means Jun-ho's fate remains unconfirmed. However, some fans have come up with their own theories on why he's still alive.

In a Reddit discussion group about the Netflix series, one user shares, "Gi-hun needs him (or a character like him) to help him take down the game in Season 2. Gi-hun is just way too much of a bumbling idiot nice guy (I mean that in the nicest way possible) to do this by himself."

They continue, "He is going to need help from someone who has more commando skills and also is more ruthless in order to take down the game."

Another fan who agrees says, "He only shot him in the shoulder. He didn't want to kill his brother. Besides, no body was shown. I think he's still alive."

Another commented, "When they don't show you the dead body of a character, he's not dead. Simple." Even the actor who plays Hwang Jun-ho believes his character is still alive.

Wi Ha-jun told Newsweek, "I believe the detective was not fatally wounded," since he was shot in the arm. Squid Game does subtly suggest that the police officer may, in fact, still be alive.

Unfortunately, it will be some time before we know one way or another if Hwang Jun-ho will be back because the popular series has not been greenlit for another season. However, there will likely be another season, and hopefully, viewers will get the answer they are hoping for.

Season 1 of Squid Game is available to stream on Netflix.