Squid Game: Cast, Roles, Net Worth, Height, Families, And Relationships

Squid Game (2021–present) is a South Korean survival drama series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, streaming on Netflix. Set in a dystopian South Korea, it follows 456 debt-ridden contestants competing in deadly children’s games for a ₩45.6 billion ($31 million) prize.

Filmed in Seoul and Daejeon, Season 1 drew 1.65 billion viewing hours, making it Netflix’s most-watched series, with a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score. Season 2 aired in 2024, and Season 3 is set for 2025. Critics praise its social commentary but note graphic violence.

Main Cast and Their Roles

Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun (Player 456)

• Role: Gi-hun, a divorced, debt-ridden chauffeur, joins the game to provide for his daughter and aging mother. His arc from desperation to resolve spans Seasons 1–2 (~1,200 minutes). Salary: ~$250,000/episode (Season 1), $1 million/episode (Season 2).
• Net Worth: $12 million
• Height: 5’11” (1.80 m)
• Family: Born November 15, 1972, in Seoul, South Korea, to parents (names private). One brother, name private. Dongguk University graduate (Theater).
• Relationships: Partner Lim Se-ryung (Daesang Group heiress) since 2015. No children.
• Post-Film: Starred in Hunt (2022), The Acolyte (2024). Upcoming: Squid Game Season 3 (2025), Ray (2026).

Park Hae-soo as Cho Sang-woo (Player 218)

• Role: Sang-woo, Gi-hun’s childhood friend and a disgraced businessman, betrays allies in the game (Season 1, ~600 minutes).
• Net Worth: $8 million (2025)
• Height: 5’11” (1.81 m)
• Family: Born November 21, 1981, in Suwon, South Korea. Family details private; no siblings reported. Dankook University graduate (Theater).
• Relationships: Married (spouse private) since 2019; one son (born 2021).
• Post-Film: Starred in Money Heist: Korea (2022), Narco-Saints (2022). Upcoming: The Great Flood (2025).

Jung Ho-yeon as Kang Sae-byeok (Player 067)

• Role: Sae-byeok, a North Korean defector, aims to win for her family (Season 1, ~500 minutes).
• Net Worth: $4 million (2025)
• Height: 5’9″ (1.76 m)
• Family: Born June 23, 1994, in Seoul, South Korea. Family details private; two siblings, names private. Dongduk Women’s University attendee.
• Relationships: Dating Lee Dong-hwi (actor) since 2015. No children.
• Post-Film: Modeled for Louis Vuitton, starred in All of Us Are Dead (2022). Upcoming: Hope (2025).

Lee Byung-hun as The Frontman (Hwang In-ho)

• Role: The Frontman, the enigmatic game overseer, has a mysterious past (Seasons 1–2, ~400 minutes).
• Net Worth: $20 million
• Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
• Family: Born July 12, 1970, in Seoul, South Korea, to parents (names private). One sister, Eun-hee (former Miss Korea). Hanyang University graduate (French Literature).
• Relationships: Married Lee Min-jung (actress) since 2013; one son, Joon-hoo (born 2015).
• Post-Film: Starred in Concrete Utopia (2023), Emergency Declaration (2022). Upcoming: Squid Game Season 3 (2025).

Wi Ha-joon as Hwang Jun-ho

• Role: Jun-ho, a detective infiltrating the game to find his brother (Seasons 1–2, ~600 minutes). Salary: ~$50,000–$100,000/episode.
• Net Worth: $3 million
• Height: 5’11” (1.80 m)
• Family: Born August 5, 1991, in Wando, South Korea, to parents (names private). One sister, name private. Sungkyul University graduate (Theater).
• Relationships: Single as of 2025; no confirmed public relationships.
• Post-Film: Starred in Bad and Crazy (2021), The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (2024). Upcoming: Squid Game Season 3 (2025).

O Yeong-su as Oh Il-nam (Player 001)

• Role: Il-nam, an elderly contestant with a secret, impacts Gi-hun (Season 1, ~400 minutes).
• Net Worth: $2 million
• Height: 5’9″ (1.75 m)
• Family: Born October 19, 1944, in Kaesong, North Korea (now South Korea). Family details private; no siblings reported.
• Relationships: Married; spouse and children details private.
• Post-Film: Starred in The Flower in Prison (2016). Recent: Retired post-2024 sexual misconduct allegations; no upcoming projects.

Heo Sung-tae as Jang Deok-su (Player 101)

• Role: Deok-su, a ruthless gangster, terrorizes players (Season 1, ~400 minutes).
• Net Worth: $1 million
• Height: 5’11” (1.80 m)
• Family: Born October 20, 1977, in Busan, South Korea. Family details private; no siblings reported.
• Relationships: Married (spouse private); one daughter, name private.
• Post-Film: Starred in The Outlaws (2017), Beyond Evil (2021). Upcoming: Black Salt Dragon (2025).

Gong Yoo as The Recruiter

• Role: The Recruiter, a mysterious salesman, lures players into the game (Seasons 1–2, ~100 minutes).
• Net Worth: $14 million (2025)
• Height: 6’0″ (1.84 m)
• Family: Born July 10, 1979, in Busan, South Korea. Family details private; one sister, name private. Kyung Hee University graduate (Theater).
• Relationships: Single as of 2025; no confirmed public relationships.
• Post-Film: Starred in Train to Busan (2016), The Silent Sea (2021). Upcoming: Squid Game Season 3 (2025), Wonderland (2025).

Park Gyu-young as Kang No-eul (Player 241)

• Role: No-eul, a North Korean military deserter and game guard, navigates moral conflicts (Season 2, ~300 minutes). Salary: ~$50,000–$100,000/episode.
• Net Worth: $5 million (2025)
• Height: 5’6″ (1.69 m)
• Family: Born July 27, 1993, in Busan, South Korea. Family details private; no siblings reported. Yonsei University graduate (Psychology).
• Relationships: Single as of 2025; no confirmed public relationships.
• Post-Film: Starred in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020), Sweet Home (2020–2024). Upcoming: Squid Game Season 3 (2025).

Im Si-wan as Lee Myung-gi (Player 333)

• Role: Myung-gi, a cryptocurrency-obsessed contestant, faces betrayal (Season 2, ~300 minutes).
• Net Worth: $3 million (2025)
• Height: 5’8″ (1.73 m)
• Family: Born December 1, 1988, in Busan, South Korea. Family details private; one sister, name private. Busan National University attendee.
• Relationships: Single as of 2025; no confirmed public relationships.
• Post-Film: Starred in Unlocked (2023), Boyhood (2023). Upcoming: Mantis (2025).

Park Sung-hoon as Hyun-ju (Player 360)

• Role: Hyun-ju, a transgender contestant, seeks funds for surgery (Season 2, ~300 minutes).
• Net Worth: $3 million
• Height: 5’8″ (1.74 m)
• Family: Born February 18, 1985, in Seoul, South Korea. Family details private; no siblings reported.
• Relationships: Single as of 2025; no confirmed public relationships.
• Post-Film: Starred in The Glory (2022–2023), Queen of Tears (2024). Upcoming: Squid Game Season 3 (2025).

T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) as Thanos (Player 230)

• Role: Thanos, a volatile rapper, stirs chaos (Season 2, ~300 minutes).
• Net Worth: $12 million to $44 million
• Height: 5’11” (1.81 m)
• Family: Born November 4, 1987, in Seoul, South Korea. Family details private; one sister, name private.
• Relationships: Single as of 2025; previously dated Shin Min-a (rumored, 2016).
• Post-Film: Starred in Tazza: The Hidden Card (2014). Recent: Returned to acting post-BigBang hiatus and 2017 legal issues. Upcoming: Squid Game Season 3 (2025).

Additional Notes

Salaries: Lee Jung-jae earned ~$250,000/episode in Season 1, rising to $1 million in Season 2 due to global fame. Lee Byung-hun and Gong Yoo commanded $100,000–$500,000/episode, reflecting their veteran status. Others (Park Hae-soo, Jung Ho-yeon, Wi Ha-joon, O Yeong-su, Heo Sung-tae, Park Gyu-young, Im Si-wan, Park Sung-hoon, T.O.P) earned $20,000–$200,000, with Season 2 hikes. The $21.4 million Season 1 budget ballooned to ~$100 million for Seasons 2–3, covering elaborate sets like the Red Light, Green Light arena. Netflix streaming adds residuals.

Casting Insights: Lee Jung-jae, a K-cinema veteran (The Thieves), anchored Gi-hun. Park Hae-soo’s Prison Playbook fame fit Sang-woo’s duality. Jung Ho-yeon, a model, debuted as Sae-byeok. Lee Byung-hun (Joint Security Area) and Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) brought star power. Wi Ha-joon’s rising status (Romance Is a Bonus Book) suited Jun-ho. O Yeong-su’s theater background deepened Il-nam. New Season 2 actors (Park Gyu-young, Im Si-wan, Park Sung-hoon, T.O.P) added diversity, with T.O.P’s K-pop fame boosting buzz.

Impact and Legacy: Squid Game’s 1.65 billion viewing hours and $900 million Netflix value boost made it a cultural phenomenon, winning six Emmys. Its 94% Rotten Tomatoes score reflects acclaim for its capitalism critique, though some X posts note pacing issues in Season 2. Tracks like “Way Back Then” trended globally. The series spurred Squid Game: The Challenge (2023). Green tracksuits and Dalgona candy became cultural icons.

Post-Show Careers: Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun lead global projects. Jung Ho-yeon balances modeling/acting. Park Hae-soo and Wi Ha-joon star in K-dramas. Gong Yoo and Park Gyu-young remain K-drama staples. Im Si-wan and Park Sung-hoon rise post-Season 2. T.O.P revives his career. O Yeong-su retired amid controversy. Heo Sung-tae thrives in villain roles.

Cultural Influence: The show’s critique of inequality resonated globally, sparking X debates on wealth disparity. Its diverse cast (Sae-byeok’s North Korean arc, Hyun-ju’s transgender story) was praised, though some criticized violent excess. Red Light, Green Light and the Frontman’s mask became pop culture staples, inspiring Halloween costumes and TikTok challenges. Streaming on Netflix.

Conclusion

Squid Game’s cast, led by Lee Jung-jae’s desperate Gi-hun and Lee Byung-hun’s chilling Frontman, crafted a global sensation. Net worths range from $1 million (Heo Sung-tae) to $20 million (Lee Byung-hun), reflecting their industry stature. Personal lives, from Lee Jung-jae’s private partnership to Jung Ho-yeon’s long-term romance, add depth. Its record-breaking viewership, Emmy wins, and cultural impact ensure its legacy, with Season 3 looming.