Front Man & Player 222

How did I hear about Squid Game?

After a 13-year hiatus from watching K-dramas, I'm hooked on a Korean series... AGAIN! The last K-drama I watched was "BIG" in 2012, where Lee Min-jung was part of the main cast. But now... destiny brought me back to a drama where LMJ's husband, Lee Byung-hun (the Front Man from Squid Game) is in it. What a big coincidence, right? Haha!

Ma'am, I didn't even expect myself to ship the Front Man with Player 222! Who would've thought I'd find myself rooting for mysterious, masked leader and a player? I don't really watch TV series on Netflix, but Squid Game being a unique suspense psychological thriller is exactly what pulled me back in!

I have to thank my mom for this one! She just casually brought up this huge, killer doll. We were at dinner when she talked about it and told me to watch that show with her. I was intrigued and started watching Squid Game from Season 1 to its last season.

My impression with Front Man and Jun-hee.

To be honest, I never thought I would become so hooked on these characters. They are both complicated and already have partners in the story. The Front Man (in his masked form) and Jun-hee NEVER actually met in the series. The only "closure" they had was when the Front Man joined Seong Gi-hun's team under the fake identity of Oh Young-il.

I started to like their dynamic because of some sort of similarities in their lives. Hwang In-ho's pregnant wife connects with Jun-hee (Player 222). Jun-hee is also pregnant. He also cares for Jun-hee and shows empathy, which is unexpected for his role.

His concern for Jun-hee is not what you would expect from the ruthless Front Man. It's a small crack in his tough exterior. Squid Game shows he might still have some humanity left despite the terrible things he does. Front Man's "soft side" makes him MORE interesting and complex character.

This kind of connection between them, even though it's short and not direct, adds more depth to the story. It shows that even in a brutal game, there can be moments of shared understanding or echoes of past lives. Hwang In-ho isn't just a cold leader! He's a man who understands a tough situation because he has experienced something similar.

Even though Jun-hee never met the Front Man in his masked role, she did interact with Hwang In-ho (or Young-il) as Player 222. She might have sensed a genuine, caring side to him. His little gestures to her were soft. She wouldn't consider him "good" for the whole game. But still, in those specific situations, he did show a bit of kindness.

She'll never learn the dark truth about him being the Front Man. She'll probably just remember him as a kind player, despite their brutal situation. I know it's just a minor thing, but his unexpected humanity is what makes their connection so interesting to me.

Front Man x Jun-hee: A Taboo Ship

When it comes to the world of fan shipping, it seems like almost every character pairing gets explored. Yet, I've noticed a "strange silence" around a ship I rarely see on social media: Front Man and Jun-hee.

You know how it is on TikTok. I saw a Squid Game video about the Front Man's past, and I just casually put a comment there saying, "I love Front Man and Jun-hee 🥰." That's it! But some random, demonic rude user jumped in... calling me out and sending a long reply (around 500+ characters!) to tell me why I shouldn't "ship" them. Like, seriously? I never even asked for their opinion! 😆

Anyway, I think talking about this pairing seems to be off-limits. A taboo! Maybe some fans like the idea of them together, but most people seem to think it's "wrong" or "shameful" to even talk about... probably because of their big age gap. Front Man is 49 and our baby Jun-hee (Player 222) is only 25, based on the Squid Game Wiki.

As a fanfic writer who enjoys exploring all kinds of romantic stories (especially age-gap romance in the books I read on my Kindle), I find myself wondering why this quiet disapproval exists. While I completely understand and respect why some might be uncomfortable with the idea, I personally don't see shipping Front Man and Jun-hee as "inherently bad". My perspective comes from a place of, you know... appreciating the complexities that can arise in relationships even fictional ones. And acknowledging that age alone doesn't define the depth or nature of a connection.

Let's not forget that these are fictional characters! Yes in reality, they are played by actor Byung-hun and K-pop actress Yu-ri. But we still have to make a limit in separating the characters from the actors. We need to know the story is not real life. This helps us respect the actors and enjoy the show as it is.

Now... when we ship fictional characters, we're basically exploring different stories and connections that could happen in their fictional world. As long as we maintain a respectful attitude towards both characters and acknowledge their fictional nature, there's NO REAL HARM in imagining different possibilities for them. What's awesome about being in a fandom is how it always gives you new perspectives and sparks interesting discussions.

I want to make it clear that this isn't an invitation to disregard established norms or promote anything harmful. My main point is that in fictional stories, we can explore and imagine so much more than we might in real life. If a ship brings you joy and helps you connect with the characters in a meaningful and respectful way, then maybe we should think about why we sometimes limit our fictional imagination with rules from real life, right?

I respect every fan's preferred ships and their reasons for choosing them. I simply hope to encourage more open-minded talks about all kinds of pairings, even the ones that seem a bit unusual and strange at first. After all, fiction is a playground for our imaginations. Sometimes, the most interesting stories appear when WE'RE BRAVE enough to think a little differently.