Summary
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Il-nam could be Front Man's father because of the milk scenes and their involvement in the game. (Characters: In-ho and Il-nam)
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Fans believe that Il-nam could also be Gi-hun's father based on similar scenes and regional connections. (Characters: Gi-hun and Il-nam)
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Theories about Il-nama's connection to the characters add depth to the Squid Game and keep fans engaged. (Characters: Various)
Over the years, there have been many theories thrown around by fans regarding them Squid game and his characters. In the second season, the Front Man himself joins the games and becomes a more prominent character, prompting fans to look deeper into his past and his family. While the only confirmed blood relative is his brother Jun-ho, many believe he could also be related to someone else on the show – specifically a key character from the first season.
This theory revolves around Il-nam being secretly the frontman's father. Fans have discovered several different signs that point to this, making it a plausible theory for the game's leaders. Here is what was collected for Squid game theory.
This article contains spoilers for Season 2 of Squid Game.

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Is Il-nam the Front Man's Father in Squid Game?
Breaking down the theory
The reasons why many fans theorize that Il-nam might actually be In-ho's (Front Man) father comes from several different scenes in Season 1 and Season 2. After Season 2 was released in December 2024, fans began watching these theories together based on what they knew about the two characters.
In Season 1, there is a scene between Gi-hun and Il-nam, who bond during the games, where they choose between regular milk and chocolate milk. Gi-hun decides to take the chocolate milk and Il-nam tells him:
As a kid I'm willing to bet you got spanked a lot… My son did too. He was like you, my friend.
In one scene in Season 2, In-ho, also known as Front Man, has some pure milk and decides to give it to Jun-hee. He tells her that he doesn't drink regular milk, leading many to make the connection between this scene and the one between Gi-hun and Il-nam. While the original theory for this connection had incorrect subtitle translations, the correct translations could still hint at the possibility that Il-nam is related to Frontman.
Is this theory plausible?
Could this actually be implemented into the story?
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In-ho and Il-nam's son are implied to dislike milk.
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Both are heavily involved in the games.
While the original theory led fans to believe that Il-nam's son and Front Man were both lactose intolerant, even a correct translation could still suggest a connection. Front Man, aka In-ho, basically means that he just doesn't prefer milk, which Il-nam tells Gi-hun. Il-nam suggests that his son usually chose chocolate milk over regular milk, which often got him into trouble. While an actual explanation makes this theory less possible, it's still something that could be implemented into the story and appear in Season 3.
This theory could also be more likely due to Il-nam being the original creator of the Games and becoming the Front Man after In-ho won in 2015, which ties the two together. It's possible that because In-ho had a hard life before joining the games and was trying to make ends meet and save his wife, he didn't know that Il-nam was actually his father. Even if Il-nam turns out not to be his father, it's likely that In-ho felt a special bond with him because he gave In-ho a chance to save his wife by entering the games and winning the profits. Then, soon after winning, he decided to continue the games legacy as Front Man, especially since his wife did not survive.

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Another theory revolving around Il-nama
Could he be the father of another player?
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A possible connection between Gi-hun and Il-nam
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It means that Gi-hun could be Il-nam's son due to his dislike of milk
There have been other theories regarding Il-nama, including the possibility that he could be one Gi-hun's father instead. Since Gi-hun's father is never mentioned in the show, just like Front Man, many have put together several moments that could hint at this possibility.
In particular, some fans analyzed the same scene from Season 1 involving milk. Since Il-nam mentions that Gi-hun is like his own son, who also got spanked for not liking pure milk, many speculated that this might mean that Il-nam is actually Gi-hun's father rather than a frontman. Later in the first season, they both realize that they are from the same region and grew up playing the same children's games.
While this theory is also plausible, it is plausible not so strong as the second, due to the fact that Gi-hun would probably have memories of what his father looked like if he was around to spank him. Both theories have interesting origins and prove that fans are always on the lookout for little easter eggs and ramifications, even if the chances of the theories proving true are quite slim. Although there is still a possibility that this could come true in Season 3 when it is released later in 2025.

- Release date
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September 17, 2021
- Cast
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Wi Ha-joon, Anupam Tripathi, Oh Yeong-su, Heo Sung-tae, Park Hae-soo, Jung Ho-yeon, Lee Jung-jae, Kim Joo-ryoung
- Season
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2
- Showrunner
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Hwang Dong-hyuk