Oh Mal-soon (오말순 O Mal-sun?)[2], also known in the Squid Archives as Kim Chun-ja[1] was the elderly mother of Seong Gi-hun, and they lived together in Ssangmun-dong, Seoul, until her death from diabetes during her son's participation in the 33rd Squid Game.
History
Oh Mal-soon is the archetypal nagging but deep-down loving mother. She is very worried for the safety of her son, as Gi-hun gets himself into plenty of trouble, and questions him if he stole or gambled the money he brings back home. She is deeply disappointed by her son's path in life, and their debts have left them penniless. In fact, she is still working to make money and pay rent, and makes more than Gi-hun does; he frequently asks for loans from her and has taken money from her account before.
Gi-hun remarks that his mother probably cares more about her granddaughter, Ga-yeong, than him. Despite their troubles, Oh Mal-soon does still love him and could not imagine disowning him.
When telling Gi-hun that Ga-yeong and her new family will be moving to the United States, she implores Gi-hun to fight for custody of her, because if Ga-yeong ends up moving, she will forget how to speak Korean and they will not be able to communicate well. Gi-hun's mother attempts to refer him to a neighbor who works in law, who claims that if the father of a child is financially stable, he can claim custody of the child. This remark from Gi-hun's mother is what initially sparks Gi-hun to follow up on the business card he was given earlier in the day and participate in the Squid Games.
However, due to her advanced age, Oh Mal-soon is plagued by health issues, including type-2 diabetes. Even after a diabetic emergency, she refused to pay for medical care because of the cost of the related bills and so that she could continue to pay rent for her and her son to have a home. This inspired Gi-hun to return to the Squid Games after their initial cancellation, so that he could pay for his mother's care. Upon returning home after his victory in the Squid Games, Gi-hun found his mother deceased on the floor of their apartment, having died alone from diabetes complications while he was competing in the Squid Games. At first he does not process the loss of his mother, but once the reality sets in, he lies down next to her body and cries.
Appearances
| Episode One | Episode Two | Episode Three | Episode Four | Episode Five | Episode Six | Episode Seven | Episode Eight | Episode Nine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Behind the scenes
Oh Mal-soon is portrayed by Kim Young-ok. She was 83 years old during the production of Squid Game.
Trivia
- Her name is likely a reference to the main character in director Hwang Dong-hyuk's 2014 comedy-drama film, Miss Granny.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 During a brief flash of Gi-hun's profile in the Squid Archives, personal details can be found in "The Man with the Umbrella"
- ↑ Her name is written on her credit card in "Red Light, Green Light".
