10 Most Soul-Destroying Moments In Squid Game
2. The truth behind the games
Oh Il-nam's true purpose may have been telegraphed ahead of the season finale, but that did not make its impact any less disheartening. The revelation that the elderly game participant was in fact its creator was unsettling and the reasoning behind it (however pure in Il-nam's perspective) was disturbing to say the least.
In a twisted combination of nostalgia and warped social commentary, Il-nam created the series of games to entertain his ultra-wealthy compatriots and drew on his childhood memories to develop said games. The latter made him yearn for his youth and the old feelings of comradery and competition, and this led to him participating in the games itself.
It is unsettling to watch a more indifferent Il-nam talk about society's failings and attempt to justify the reasoning behind the creation of the games. There is something particularly sombre about his final interaction with Gi-hun, who learnt that his most trusted companion in the game was the source of his and other participants' pain, suffering and deaths.