The VIPs

This article is about the characters. For the episode, see VIPS (episode).

The VIPs are a collection of rich men who observe the Squid Games as spectators. They wear golden masks resembling various animals. These masked men place bets on players of the Squid Games, in hopes to make more money. The majority of the VIPs appear to be American, though the Deer-Masked VIP speaks with a Chinese accent, while the Eagle-Masked VIP speaks with a French accent.

History[]

The VIPs were all originally clients of Oh Il-nam and his financial firm. At some point they, bored of their life of wealth and luxury, gathered together and established the Squid Games as a way of entertaining themselves. The VIPs used their capital to fund the game so Il-nam and his guards had everything they needed to organize Squid Games properly.

Midway through the 33^rd Squid Game, the VIPs all arrived on the island to watch the Squid Game in person. They were greeted by Front Man, as Oh Il-nam was unable to attend himself on account of secretly participating in the game as one of the players. The VIPs all observed the fifth round of the game, in which the 16 remaining players had to cross a bridge littered with tempered glass tiles and regular glass tiles that would shatter if stepped on and they would fall to their deaths.

Hwang Jun-ho manages to intercept the showing of the glass bridge disguised as a waiter whom he had knocked out earlier where he is forced to sit next to the VIP wearing a Panther Mask, where he begins to flirt with Jun-ho. The VIP orders Jun-ho to take off his mask, but in order to not be discovered, instead offers to "go somewhere private" with him. Once they're both alone, the VIP attempts to rape Jun-ho, but Jun-ho holds him at gun-point and is forced to reveal everything he knows while Jun-ho records him. Jun-ho then knocks him out before escaping and the VIP is eventually discovered by a masked guard.

They would later observe the final round of the game, in which Gi-hun and Sang-woo had to compete in a game of "Squid Game" to see who would be the winner. When Gi-hun beat Sang-woo, but stopped short of winning and attempted to end the game, the VIPs all reacted in disbelief. However, after Sang-woo killed himself to allow Gi-hun to win, the VIPs all left the island to return home. It is unknown whether they are either disappointed or satisfied with another successful and entertaining game.

Notable VIPs[]

VIP 1 (Lion Mask VIP)[]

VIP 1 (Portrayed by John D. Michaels), also known as the Lion Mask VIP, is the first of the VIPs attending the Squid Games hosted by Oh Il-nam. He and VIP 2 taunted VIP 4 for often betting on the wrong contestants, such as Player 069 and Player 096. At first, during the final game, Squid Game, he, along with the other VIPs, were disappointed when Player 456, Seong Gi-hun, wanted to forfeit the prize money and end the game so that he would not have to kill his childhood friend, Cho Sang-woo. However, they become either disappointed or satisfied when Sang-woo killed himself, due to Sang-woo knowing that Gi-hun would help his mother.

VIP 2 (Buffalo Mask VIP)[]

VIP 2 (Portrayed by Daniel C. Kennedy), also known as the Buffalo Mask VIP, is the second of the VIPs attending the Squid Games hosted by Oh Il-nam. He and VIP 1 taunted VIP 4 for often betting on the wrong contestants, such as Player 069 and Player 096. At first, during the final game, Squid Game, he, along with the other VIPs, were disappointed when Player 456, Seong Gi-hun, wanted to forfeit the prize money and end the game so that he would not have to kill his childhood friend, Cho Sang-woo. However, they become either disappointed or satisfied when Sang-woo killedhimself, knowing that Gi-hun would help his mother.

VIP 3 (Deer Mask VIP)[]

VIP 3 (Portrayed by David S. Lee), also known as the Deer Mask VIP, is the third of the VIPs attending the Squid Games hosted by Oh Il-nam. During the fifth game, he complains that it's no fun, in reaction to 017's ability to detect which glass panes are safe.

While watching the final game, he recites a saying in Chinese that translates into "Good rain knows the best time to fall", originally coined by poet Du Fu.

VIP 4 (Panther Mask VIP)[]

VIP 4 (Portrayed by Geoffrey Giuliano), also known as the Panther Mask VIP, is the fourth of the VIPs attending the Squid Games hosted by Oh Il-nam and also the most sexually deviant and depraved member of the group. At first, he bets a million bucks on Player 069 being the victor. However, after 069 commits suicide from the trauma of his wife's murder, he bets on Player 096, who is the first to fall to his death during Glass Stepping Stones. After this, he exploits a waiter to follow him to a secluded area and orders him to unmask himself. He then takes off his clothes and tries to rape him.

However, the waiter, revealing himself to be Hwang Jun-ho, attacks him and pulls out a gun, holding him at gunpoint. Jun-ho then records him with his phone and asks what he knows about the game. The VIP is later discovered unconscious but alive by a guard. He is never seen again afterwards.

VIP 5 (Bear Mask VIP)[]

VIP 5 (Portrayed by Michael Davis), also known as the Bear Mask VIP, is the fifth of the VIPs attending the Squid Games hosted by Oh Il-nam.

VIP 6 (Eagle Mask VIP)[]

VIP 6 (Portrayed by Stephane Mot), also known as the Eagle Mask VIP, is the sixth of the VIPs attending the Squid Games hosted by Oh Il-nam. He is portrayed with a French accent.

VIP 7 (Owl Mask VIP)[]

VIP 7, also known as Owl Mask VIP is a mask worn by Oh Il-nam; he himself is a VIP and hosted the Squid Games.

Trivia[]

• Curiously, the two competitors that VIP 4 bet on (069 and 096) had an interaction with the final two players (218 and 456 respectively) that indirectly caused their deaths.
• The acting of the VIPs was described as bizarre portrayals of "depraved rich Western men".
  • However, a few of the actors that portrayed the VIPs stated that they were specifically told by director Hwang Dong-hyuk to act as such. They were also far apart, and had to shout at each other so everyone could hear the lines. Actor for VIP 4, Geoffrey Giuliano also offered to rewrite the lines for the VIPs to touch up any unnatural sounding lines but, while the offer was appreciated, was told that there was no time.^[2]
  • Additionally, Dong-hyuk told him not to ad lib, which he usually did while acting.^[2]

Appearances[]

• Season One
  • "VIPS"
  • "Front Man"
  • "One Lucky Day"
• Season Two
  • "Halloween Party" (mentioned)
• Season Three

References[]