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flwerangii · 6 days ago

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unexplained character backstories

headcannons for squid game characters (season two+three)

featuring: kang dae-ho, se-mi, gyeong-su, kim junhee, namgyu, and kim young-mi.

synopsis: this is my personal headcanon for the backstories of these squid game characters, based on my interpretation of them in the show and what their wiki describes. if you do not agree with these, that's cool. however, i'd like to hear other opinions on what i might've missed as well.

warnings: mentions of drug addiction, homelessness, parental death, sibling death, financial hardship, religious rebellions, homicide from the games, childhood abuse, neglect. mature and graphic content. 18+

kang dae-ho (player 388):

dae-ho was born in 1987 as the youngest of five siblings, with four older sisters, in a modest household nearby namhae-gun.

its explained and canon that he grew up in a female-dominated family.

dae-ho was surrounded by the influence of his sisters, who shaped much of his early personality and interests.

as the only boy, dae-ho was often dressed in hand-me-downs or clothing chosen by his sisters, leading to a childhood where he adopted more traditionally feminine traits.

he enjoyed playing with his sisters’ toys, watching reality tv shows like singing competitions or dramas, and engaging in creative activities like drawing or storytelling.

these interests were not a deliberate choice but rather a natural result of his environment.

dae-ho's father, a very traditional man born in a japanese occupied korea, disapproved of dae-ho’s softer demeanor.

he saw dae-ho’s lack of interest in sports or traditionally masculine activities as a failure.

the older man frequently berated dae-ho, yelling insults like “you’re not man enough” or “i wish you were never born.”

physical abuse, such as backhanding, was common when dae-ho failed to meet his father’s expectations.

it left physical and deep emotional scars.

dae-ho’s mother, while present, was often passive.

she was unable, and sometimes did not want to shield daeho from his father’s wrath.

this was due to her own fear or adherence to traditional family roles.

this lack of protection left dae-ho feeling isolated within his own home.

what isn't explained is how among his sisters, dae-ho was closest to the fourth eldest, who was only eighteen months older than him.

she was his confidante, protector, and best friend during his early years.

she would sneak him snacks, defend him when their father was harsh, and include him in her games.

this was the first bond that dae-ho cherished deeply.

as dae-ho and his fourth sister, lets call her jia, entered their teenage years, their relationship began to change.

puberty brought new social pressures, and jia now more focused on her own friends and interests, drifted away from him. s

jia assumed dae-ho would find his own group, leaving him feeling abandoned at a critical time in his development.

dae-ho did manage to form a small friend group of three other boys during middle school.

they shared interests in video games, music, and sneaking into arcades after school.

however, dae-ho’s unresolved trauma from his father’s abuse began manifesting as anxiety and self-doubt.

it made it hard for him to fully connect with his peers.

he often felt like an outsider, even among his friends.

daeho never felt like his friends truly liked him, even though they really found him funny.

the guy's mental health struggles became more pronounced during this period.

dae-ho exhibited signs of social anxiety and low self-esteem, often second-guessing himself in conversations or avoiding confrontation.

these issues were compounded by his father’s relentless criticism, which echoed in his mind.

it always made him feel unworthy of love or respect.

despite these challenges, dae-ho was naturally kind and respectful, traits that endeared him to teachers and some classmates.

he was diligent in his schoolwork, though not academically exceptional, and showed a strong sense of discipline in following rules and helping others.

however, his internal struggles made it difficult for him to assert himself or pursue ambitious goals.

dae-ho’s father, desperate to “fix” his son’s perceived lack of masculinity, pressured him to enlist in the military as soon as he was eligible.

eager to prove himself and escape his father’s disapproval, daeho saw this as an opportunity to gain respect and redefine himself.

however, during the evaluation process, dae-ho was deemed unfit for regular military service due to his mental health challenges, which were likely exacerbated by years of emotional and physical abuse.

instead, he was assigned to serve as a social services personnel.

this assignment was a blow to dae-ho’s already fragile self-esteem, as it reinforced his father’s narrative that he was “less than” other men.

to cope with his feelings of inadequacy, dae-ho began lying about his military service, claiming he had served in the marines.

this lie became a way for him to gain respect from others and feel a sense of belonging.

during a night out with his small friend group, they decided to get matching marine tattoos from a mutual friend who was an amateur tattoo artist.

dae-ho’s tattoo became a symbol of his fabricated identity, one he wore with a mix of pride and guilt.

the lie about his marine service extended beyond his friends.

dae-ho would casually mention it in conversations with strangers or coworkers, embellishing stories of bravery and discipline that never happened.

while he was naturally respectful and disciplined, these traits were overshadowed by his need to project an image of strength he didn’t fully believe in.

after completing his social services personnel term, dae-ho faced the harsh reality of returning to a family that still viewed him as a disappointment.

as a young adult, daeho's father’s abuse didn’t stop.

his sisters, now focused on their own lives, offered little support.

feeling suffocated, dae-ho left home at a young age.

he was around 20....long before he had the financial stability or life skills to support himself.

without savings or a clear career path, dae-ho drifted between low-paying, unstable jobs.

he worked as a dishwasher in a small diner during the day, scrubbing plates in a hot, cramped kitchen for minimum wage. at night, he drove a taxi, navigating the chaotic streets of seoul and dealing with difficult passengers.

these jobs barely covered his living expenses, and dae-ho often lived in cramped, rundown apartments or shared rooms to make ends meet.

over the years, dae-ho accumulated significant debt, totaling 630 million won by the time the salesman found him.

a portion of this debt was owed to his sisters, who had occasionally lent him money to cover rent or medical expenses.

however, the majority was owed to loan sharks, who preyed on his desperation and lack of financial literacy.

the interest on these loans spiraled out of control, trapping dae-ho in a cycle of borrowing and repayment that he couldn’t escape.

for 15 of his 35 years, dae-ho lived in constant instability, moving from one temporary job to another, unable to build savings or plan for the future.

this lack of stability reinforced his feelings of worthlessness, as he compared himself to peers who seemed to have their lives together.

by dae-ho's death in november 2024, he never got to be the two things that he truly wished he was: brave and stable.

han se-mi (player 380):

se-mi, born in 1998, grew up in a chaotic household near inchon.

she has no family name, but I agree with the popular headcannon 'han'

han se-mi.

the girl, unfortunately, was raised by two drug-addicted parents who consistently neglected her needs, prioritizing their addiction over their daughter.

this environment left se-mi feeling invisible and unloved from a young age.

at eight years old, se-mi suffered when her infant brother died of sids.

it seemed like her parents were getting clean until the death of her brother.

things got worser with his death.

the tragedy marked a turning point in her life, as the grief and her parents’ inability to cope deepened her sense of isolation.

something inside her broke, and she never experienced a childhood where she felt valued or prioritized.

witnessing her father’s abusive behavior toward her mother, often fueled by their drug use, instilled in se-mi a deep hatred for drugs and a general distrust of men.

the violence and chaos in her home made her associate drugs with destruction and violent men with unpredictability, though she later found exceptions in individuals.

individuals like minsu, even though others like namgyu validated it.

at fourteen, se-mi got her first piercings on her ears as an act of rebellion and self-expression.

se-mi loved seeking control in a life where she had little.

the rush of getting pierced became addictive.

over time, she adorned herself with multiple piercings on her lip, nose, and both ears, often pairing them with chokers.

doing her hair was another act of self-control.

by sixteen, se-mi realized she was bisexual.

for a long time, she denied this.

however, it was obvious that she had a stronger preference for women.

she never had connections with a man, at least until the last week of her death.

the parents' neglect allowed se-mi a degree of freedom most teenagers didn’t have.

she frequently sneaked out to attend parties, where she drank heavily to cope with her pain but staunchly avoided drugs, having seen their devastating effects on her family.

these parties became an escape, a place where she could momentarily forget her home life.

at one such party, when she was fourteen, a mutual friend introduced se-mi to biseokchigi.

it was a traditional korean game.

the friend taught her the technique of throwing underhand and rolling the stone along the ground for precision, a skill she mastered and enjoyed.

little did she know, this seemingly small moment would prove lifesaving a decade later during the six legged race.

as se-mi grew older, she began stealing to survive and assert control over her circumstances.

starting with small thefts, she eventually targeted her parents, who had transitioned from drug users to small-time drug dealers.

she stole money and drugs from them, amassing a debt of 175 million won, which they demanded she repay.

this had further strained their already fractured relationship.

se-mi’s stealing was not just about survival since it was a way to rebel against her parents’ neglect and take back some semblance of power.

however, the debt to her parents, combined with her own financial struggles, trapped her in a cycle of desperation.

she lacked the resources to escape her toxic environment.

it’s likely that se-mi’s social circle included drug addicts, given her familiarity with individuals like thanos and nam-gyu, whom she knew well but disapproved of for their drug use.

in the show, she gave warnings to min-su about avoiding drugs, emphasizing that they would prevent him from returning to normal.

in my opinion this can suggest that she seen the irreversible damage drugs caused, possibly in her parents.

se-mi’s fear of what awaited her outside the squid game if she didn't come back without a good amount of money.

potentially her parents’ wrath, or the consequences of her theft...drove her to participate in the deadly competition.

she saw the game as a chance to win enough money to pay off her 175 million won debt and start anew, far from her past.

se-mi had plans of escaping to a place like japan, which she viewed as distant enough to offer a fresh start, kept her going.

japan represented freedom from her parents, their neglect, and the weight of her debts.

unfortunately, the horror se-mi grew up enduring with the high of her parents’ addiction, was the final image etched into her mind before her death.

nam-gyu, lost in his own drug-fueled haze, taunted her with a, echo she’d fought so hard to escape.

kim jun-hee (player 222):

junhee was born into a life of comfort in 1999.

she was born in late january, there was a blizzard when she was born.

the girl had affectionate parents who were middle class.

they showered her with love, after they miscarried with (what would've been) junhee's older brother just two years before.

all of her parent's attention was on her during her early years in seoul.

their home was filled with warmth, from cozy family dinners to weekend trips to the countryside, where junhee’s laughter echoed through open fields.

at six years old, tragedy struck when both her parents died in a car accident.

this left junhee orphaned and shattering the secure world she had known.

the loss was a wound that never fully healed, as she was too young to process the permanence of their absence.

sent to an orphanage, junhee’s new life became a contrast to her privileged upbringing.

the cold and overcrowded dormitories and strict routines replaced the warmth of her parents’ home.

she struggled to adapt to a world where she felt invisible.

growing up in the orphanage, junhee longed for a family to call her own.

she watched with envy as younger children were adopted, their new parents whisking them away to lives she could only dream of.

each adoption felt like a reminder of her own rejection, deepening her sense of loneliness.

as one of the older children, junhee was often overlooked by prospective parents, who favored younger, and “easier” children.

by her teens, she had internalized the belief that she was unwanted, a belief that shaped her desperate desire for connection and belonging.

at eighteen, junhee aged out of the orphanage, leaving with little more than a small bag of belongings, some won, and a heart heavy with unfulfilled dreams.

she entered the world with no family, and no clear path forward

junhee was forced to navigate adulthood alone.

in her early twenties, junhee met hanna, a vibrant and kind-hearted girl who became her best friend since they were both coworkers at a local piercing shop.

hanna was a lifeline, offering companionship and a sense of sisterhood that junhee had craved since losing her parents.

they spent countless nights talking, laughing, and dreaming of better futures.

through hanna, junhee was introduced to myunggi.

in the beginning of their three-year relationship, she saw in him the security she had lost as a child.

junhee was immediately smitten with myunggi, by the apparent stability he offered.

for three years, junhee believed she had found the family she always wanted.

myunggi’s affection, though sometimes superficial, felt like a lifeline.

junhee clung to the idea of a future with him.

however, myunggi’s financial expertise proved to be a facade.

he convinced junhee to invest her growing modest savings in a opportunity he promoted.

the investment was a scam, and junhee lost everything.

the betrayal was devastating, but the pain deepened when junhee discovered she was pregnant with myunggi’s child.

filled with hope that the baby could be her true family, she shared the news with him, only to be met with rejection.

he demanded she abort the pregnancy, claiming it would ruin his career and their lives.

there was no chance that they could raise a child in poverty.

for six months, junhee struggled to survive when myunggi ignored her.

she was working multiple jobs to cover rent and medical expenses while pregnant.

junhee's debt grew, reaching 200 million won.

despite the hardship, she held onto the hope that her daughter would give her life purpose.

kim gyeong-su (player 256):

kim gyeong-su, born in december 1998, grew up in a modest working-class neighborhood inside the city busan.

he mainly cared about music and pop culture while growing up.

his irresponsibility and impulsive spending led him down a path of financial ruin.

concerts, music rap battle gambling, and sports betting were all he invested into.

as the eldest of three siblings, gyeong-su had two younger half-sisters from his mother’s second marriage.

gyeong-su's father died when he was young, leaving a void that his mother filled by doting on his half-sisters, whose father showed little interest in gyeong-su.

gyeong-su was like an afterthought in the family.

growing up, gyeong-su felt sidelined in his own home.

this dynamic fostered a sense of detachment, and he rarely engaged with his sisters, preferring to escape into his own world rather than compete for affection.

music became gyeong-su’s refuge early on.

in school, he excelled in music class, particularly drawn to the trumpet, which he loved to play was allowed to take home every friday.

despite his talent, gyeong-su’s commitment to the trumpet went away in his teens.

the pressure to fit in with cooler crowds and his short attention span led him to abandon the instrument.

he went to chasing other interests like video games, fashion, and later on the hip-hop scene.

by his late teens, gyeong-su’s fascination with music reignited, but this time it was less about creating and more about being part of the culture.

he idolized thanos, a growing rapper.

he attended all of his concerts, no lie.

gyeong-su’s admiration for thanos was more about the lifestyle.

he wanted to be a socialite, someone who gained fame by proximity to the right people, attending the right parties, and being seen in the right circles.

gyeong-su saw thanos as the epitome of this dream.

however, gyeong-su lacked the discipline to pursue a stable career, let alone one in music or entertainment.

instead of honing a skill, he spent his time and money chasing fleeting pleasures.

he tried to live like the influencers and rappers he admired without the means to sustain it.

gyeong-su bet on everything from card games to underground rap battles, convinced that a big win would put him into the lifestyle he craved.

by his late twenties, gyeong-su’s debts had spiraled to 580 million won when the recruiter found him.

unfortunately, gyeong-su’s idolization of thanos led to his downfall.

during a critical moment in the games, thanos put gyeong-su in harm’s way by kicking him out of their group since it had too many people for the round.

unaware of the consequences, gyeong-su was kicked out and into his death.

gyeong-su’s death was a shock to thanos, who hadn’t realized how much gyeong-su looked up to him.

kim namgyu (player 124):

namgyu was born in 1997 in the affluent hannam district of seoul.

the later drug addict grew up in a wealthy, devoutly christian family with old money roots.

there were korean websites floating around saying namgyu's family name was 'kim'.

so I headcannon that 'kim namgyu' could've been his name that he detached from himself once he got cut from his family.

the man's parents had strict religious expectations and a polished public image that defined gyu's early life.

(someone else came up with this headcannon, which I agree with^)

as the youngest of two sons, namgyu idolized his older brother, who was the golden child in their family, excelling in academics and embodying the values their parents and church community prized.

namgyu, however, felt overshadowed, struggling to meet the same high standards.

gyu's family’s wealth came from generations of successful business ventures, and their status in their christian community demanded perfection.

namgyu attended church services, bible studies, and charity events.

as he entered his teens, he began questioning the faith he was raised in.

by sixteen, namgyu’s doubts about christianity solidified into outright disbelief.

he saw his parents, brother, and church members as brainwashed, clinging to what he viewed as hypocritical and outdated beliefs.

this rejection sparked a deep resentment.

it fueled his need to break free from their control.

namgyu’s rebellion started small with sneaking out to attend parties, drinking with friends, and skipping church events.

as his defiance grew, so did his appetite for escape.

at eighteen he started to experiment with drugs, starting with marijuana and escalating to heavier substances like cocaine and heroin.

namgyu's drug use became an addiction by the time he turned twenty.

to his family, he became a stranger.

the man's behavior spread to the community overtime which tarnished the kim family’s pristine image in their tightknit church community.

at twenty-one, namgyu’s family who were unable to tolerate his actions, disowned him, citing the need to protect their reputation.

kicked out of their luxurious hannam home, he found himself homeless, carrying only a backpack on the way out.

for months, namgyu drifted through seoul, sleeping in parks or cheap motels when he could afford them.

namgyu's addiction deepened, and he survived by panhandling or doing odd jobs.

however, his odd charisma helped him connect with others in similar situations.

a turning point came when namgyu met a group of roommates who had also left the same hannam church.

one of them, a former acquaintance from youth group, offered him a place to stay and introduced him to a job as a club promoter at club pentagon, a trendy nightlife spot in seoul.

working at club pentagon gave namgyu a sense of purpose and belonging he hadn’t felt since childhood.

the fast-paced, chaotic environment suited his rebellious streak.

the job provided enough money to support rent, and provided free drugs for him to have.

namgyu’s addiction to drugs extended to tattoos, which became another outlet for his need to reclaim his identity.

he started with small designs, but his obsession grew, covering his arms, chest, and his legs with ink.

before becoming a full-time club promoter, namgyu briefly worked at a tattoo shop.

this iswhere he learned basic techniques and even tattooed himself and friends.

at twenty-three, his criminal record started growing.

it started out with a drug possession when police caught him with cocaine during a club raid.

a second charge came a year later for assault, after a high namgyu started a fight at club pentagon that escalated into a brawl, badly injuring a patron.

the assault charge stemmed from namgyu’s volatile temper, amplified by drugs.

he threw the first punch in a dispute over a spilled drink.

the resulting cfight led to his arrest and a brief 30 day jail sentence, further damaging his chance for a stable life.

kim young-mi (player 095):

young-mi was born in 2003 in a middle-lower class neighborhood near sillim-dong.

she grew up in a poor but her household was anything but.

the girl was raised solely by her devoted father, whose warmth shaped her bright, girly personality.

without a mother, young-mi’s father was her entire world.

he was a hardworking man who scraped by as a factory worker to provide for her.

despite their poverty, he filled their small apartment with love, encouraging her to embrace her passions and shielding her from the harsh realities of their financial struggles.

young-mi was a “girly” girl, delighting in everything feminine despite not having a mother to show her everything there was.

she spent hours painting vibrant watercolors of flowers and sunsets.

she savored strawberry ice cream from the corner store, and experimenting with colorful nail polish.

she often painted her father’s nails as a playful bonding ritual.

young-mi's childhood was marked by small joys despite their circumstances.

young-mi would save her allowance to buy glittery stickers or cheap makeup, transforming their cramped home into a canvas for her creativity.

it was a space where she could dream beyond their poverty.

in school, young-mi was a ray of sunshine, forming a tight-knit friend group of four girls who shared her love for k-pop, fashion, and late-night study sessions filled with laughter.

the woman's friend group was her second family, and they supported each other through the ups and downs of adolescence.

young-mi’s infectious optimism and things for making others smile made her the heart of the group, always ready with a kind word or a silly joke.

when young-mi was nineteen, her world began to unravel.

two of her closest friends moved to the united states for college, chasing opportunities unavailable in korea.

the distance strained their bond, and the remaining group drifted apart, leaving young-mi feeling abandoned for the first time.

around the same time, her father’s health began to decline.

what started as fatigue and a persistent cough was diagnosed as lung cancer, likely from years of working in poorly ventilated factories.

the diagnosis devastated young-mi, who had never known life without her father’s unwavering presence.

medical bills piled up quickly, far beyond what her father’s meager savings could cover.

at twenty-two, young-mi had no savings of her own, working part-time as a server while taking community college classes in art, hoping to one day become an illustrator.

all of the debt from her father’s treatment grew to 347 million won.

young-mi felt powerless, terrified at the thought of losing her father, the only family she had ever known.

desperate to save him, young-mi was approached by a mysterious recruiter who offered her a chance.

he promised enough money to clear the debt and secure her father’s treatment.

with no other options, she accepted, driven by love and fear.

young-mi’s youth and inexperience left her vulnerable in the games.

she was one of the youngest in that games, if you don't count the baby.

young-mi died believing her sacrifice might save her only family left, a final act of devotion to the only family she’d ever known.

the twenty-two year old's father never knew where his daughter has gone to, he just hopes that his daughter found requited happiness.

masterlist

note: please add more you'd think would fit with these characters! I love reading headcannons

not me realizing almost everyone's family name in here is kim LMAOOOOOOO