10 Most Soul-Destroying Moments In Squid Game
8. The death of Gi-hun's mother
From the beginning, it was evident that Gi-hun's relationship with his mother was complicated, as it was borne out of a place of both love and concern. The Seong matriarch was upset by her son's gambling addiction and Gi-hun was worried for his mother's health, but not yet worried enough to actually change his ways. The latter was one of the key factors that motivated the protagonist to join the mysterious games.
After the surviving the eponymous final game, Gi-hun wins and stands as the only living player. After winning, he is returned to his home where he finds his mother's body, who had passed away from diabetes-related complications.
This further breaks an already despondent Gi-hun, who can only lie down next to his mother in pained silence. This scene is not as viscerally harrowing as other scenes on this list, but it still plays a key role in furthering Gi-hun's despair as he was unable to save his mother and/or be with her in her final moments.