4 “Squid Game” Actors Who Almost Weren’t In The Show

Squid Game has a talented cast, but these four actors and actresses almost missed their chance to be part of it!

1. Wi Ha Joon (Hwang Jun Ho)

Can you imagine Squid Game without this handsome and daring police officer? If it wasn’t for a script change, Hwang Ju Ho wouldn’t exist.

In an interview with Netflix Korea, director Hwang Dong Hyuk revealed that Jun Ho wasn’t in the original script. Squid Game was intended to be a movie, not a series.

When I was originally writing the movie script, Jun Ho wasn’t there. Two hours wasn’t enough to even cover all the games. But when it was turned into a series, we were able to add more stories to the plot.

— Hwang Dong Hyuk

Jun Ho is an incredibly important character “that sees the essence of the game.” Throughout the series, he is the only real threat to the games’ organizers and VIPs.

2. Anupam Tripathi (Abdul Ali)

Ali is played by Anupam Tripathi, an Indian actor who has appeared in several Korean dramas and films, including Space Sweeper and Hospital Playlist. Ali is, by far, one of the kindest, most selfless characters in Squid Game.

Originally, Anupam Tripathi wasn’t the actor the director had in mind. The role was intended for Filipino actor Carlo Aquino.

At the time of filming, the actor was unable to enter Korea due to travel restrictions for COVID-19. If things had gone different, Anupam Tripathi would have missed out on his biggest role yet!

3. Jung Ho Yeon (Kang Sae Byeok) and Lee Yoo Mi (Ji Yeong)

Squid Game wouldn’t be the same without this dynamic duo. Kang Sae Byeok is a North Korean defector determined to reunite her family, while Ji Yeong is an ex-convict who was convicted of killing her abusive father. During a game, Ji Yeong sacrificed herself so her new friend could survive.

Both actresses would have missed out on Squid Game if the script hadn’t changed. Although these characters existed in the original script, they were male not female.

When I first wrote this 10 years ago, they were originally male characters. Ji Yeong (Lee Yoo Mi) was originally called Ji Yong. [. . .] After writing it, I realized that there is something about women and their solidarity that have more persuasion.

— Hwang Dong Hyuk

Find out more about Squid Game here:

10 Things You Might Not Know About “Squid Game” (But Really Should)