Park Min-su (박민수 Bag Min-su?), also known as Player 125, is a contestant of the Squid Game in 2024.
Personality[]
Min-su is timid, lacking in confidence, and tends to go along with whatever others say. This submissive nature caused him to make cowardly choices, such as picking scissors when Se-mi offered to pick a door with her, and instead opting to go with Thanos, and Nam-gyu.
In times of stress, he is shown to be prone to panicking and crumbling under pressure, but at heart, he does wish to help those who have truly looked out for him. This is proven when he changes his vote from "O” to "X”after Mingle despite Thanos and Nam-gyu's peer pressure into continuing the games. Furthermore, he was the only person who tried to help Gyeong-su after Thanos kicked him from the group and the only one, other than Thanos, concerned for him when they reached safety. His cowardice led to him betraying Se-mi, but his betrayal didn't have any malicious intent, it was just because he was too anxious and scared to do anything. After Se-mi's death, he is left in utter distress.
History[]
Backstory[]
Min-su was a victim of a rental scam, leading to immense amounts of debt he could not sustain. At some point he was approached by The Recruiter and invited to join the 2024 Squid Game.
2024[]
Off-screen, Min-su successfully completed Red Light, Green Light and when they had their first vote, he voted "X".
Min-su is introduced when Thanos, Nam-gyu and Gyeong-su approached Se-mi, due to the former being attracted to her and needing an extra player for their team. Se-mi had previously approached Min-su and asked to partner with him and so refuses unless they let him join too. Despite Min-su's timid nature and the reluctance of Nam-gyu, Thanos agrees. Whilst waiting for their turn, Nam-gyu becomes annoyed by Min-su for just looking at him, but Se-mi defends her new friend.
In "Six-Legged Pentathlon", Min-su played Gonggi. Despite Nam-gyu getting infuriated at his failed attempts, the five eventually completed the game together successfully. Back in the Dormitory, Nam-gyu begins insulting the other surviving groups and asks Min-su to count them. He reluctantly agrees but is stopped by Se-mi. She candidly insults Nam-gyu, pointing out the guards will soon tell them how many died; Thanos stops the argument by talking to Min-su and pointing out both he and Nam-gyu are 27, so he does not have to follow his orders. When voting begins, Min-su is pressured by his team, apart from Se-mi, into voting "O".
Once voting has ended and "O" wins, Min-su approaches Se-mi and refers to her as "Noona", asking why she chose to vote "O". Then she reveals that she fears the outside world more and she tells him not to call her "Noona" since she was born in 1998 and Min-su in 1997, but asks him not to tell the rest of the team.
The next morning, Min-su sees Thanos and Nam-gyu taking drugs, Se-mi arrives and tells Min-su not to even think about taking one, because once you take it, you never go back to normal again, Min-su nods and then Se-mi asks him that if he can get out of there, never to get involved with that assholes again. Min-su asks her why she wanted to be with them, to which Se-mi tells him that because people like them are easier to deal with, then Min-su asks her what about him and why she wanted to team up with him, to which Se-mi tells him that she thought that he wouldn't deceive her, Se-mi adds that she will leave when the Prize money reaches ₩200,000,000 and suggests Min-su think about if he wants to leave, since she doesn't think that he will last long there.
In the next game, "Mingle", Min-su survives the first round of groups of 10, by staying with Thanos, Nam-gyu, Se-mi and Gyeong-su. In the second round the number is 4, Thanos thinks about which members of his team to take and Gyeong-su tries to beg for his life, then Thanos kicks Gyeong-su to kick him out of the team and yells the team to run. Min-su worries about Gyeong-su, but Se-mi grabs his arm and they run. Thanos' team makes it to Room 41 and closes the door.
Min-su asks Nam-gyu about Gyeong-su, to which he angrily hits Min-su and says "Talk to me like I'm your friend again and I'll leave you out there next time.". Then Thanos (after the drug wears off) asks the team where Gyeong-su is, suddenly shots start to be heard and Thanos realizes that Gyeong-su stayed outside, Thanos pushes Nam-gyu away, looks through the peephole and screams in horror, regretting leaving him alone. Gyeong-su is shot in the chest and is eliminated. Thanos expresses regret for leaving him outside, his rapid change in opinion exacerbated by his substance abuse. Stepping outside, Min-su is frozen and shocked by the pools of blood, but Thanos brings him back to reality by telling him to come with the team.
In the third round the number is 3. Nam-gyu asks Thanos if he would choose Min-su or Se-mi and Thanos tells them to play Rock paper scissors to choose who comes with them, Se-mi tells Min-su to come with her and extends her hand, but Min-su panics due to the pressure of the moment and extends 2 fingers, making it look like scissors against paper, Thanos and Nam-gyu tell Min-su that he won and take him with them, leaving Se-mi alone while she and Min-su are shocked by what happened. Min-su, Thanos, and Nam-gyu leave Room 35, Min-su sees that Se-mi survived by joining Players 400 and 418 and entering Room 30, they both look at each other, Se-mi walks away and Min-su feels guilty for leaving her alone.
In the fourth round the number is 6 and Min-su manages to survive alongside Thanos and Nam-gyu. In the fifth and final round the number is 2, Thanos grabs Nam-gyu and Min-su is left alone, fortunately Min-su joins Seon Han-nam (Player 015) and they manage to get to a room in time.
Upon returning to the Dormitory, Thanos is glad that Min-su is still alive, hugs him and tells him that he was worried about him, Nam-gyu mentions when Min-su beat Se-mi in rock, paper, scissors and they tell him to play one more game, but Min-su is distracted thinking about Se-mi. Then the Pink Guards arrive, announce that there are 100 players left and the third vote begins, Se-mi decides to join to the side of Seong Gi-hun (Player 456) and votes for "X", which angers Thanos and Nam-gyu. Thanos tells Min-su that he wants to play just one more game and Nam-gyu assures him that he convinced Min-su to play one more game and leave that place, Min-su's turn comes and Nam-gyu pressures him to vote for "O" while Se-mi sees what Nam-gyu is doing and she shows the bastard the middle finger. Min-su's fear makes it difficult for him to choose, but he finally decides to do what Se-mi told him, he joins Gi-hun's side and votes for "X". Nam-gyu gets shocked to see Min-su protecting himself from them and he votes for "O" while Se-mi is happy that Min-su stood up for himself.
Min-su goes to the bathroom to hide from Thanos and Nam-gyu, but they find him and try to intimidate him into voting with them. Fortunately, Lee Myung-gi (Player 333) arrives and defends Min-su. Myung-gi asks Team X for help and warns them that Thanos and Nam-gyu threaten Min-su to join them, Thanos asks Team O for help and declares that Team X wants to attack them. Then Min-su leaves the cubicle and hides among the Team X, Thanos tells him to come, but Myung-gi gets in the way to protect Min-su. Afterwards, Thanos and Nam-gyu mock Kim Jun-hee (Player 222) which makes Myung-gi furious and ignite a fight between Team O and Team X, giving Min-su the chance to escape to the dorm. During the fight, Thanos tries to kill Myung-gi but Myung-gi stabs him with a fork in the chin and neck, which causes Thanos to bleed to death, freeing Min-su, Myung-gi and Jun-hee from Thanos forever.
In the dorm, Min-su hides between the bunk beds and it is announced that the fight claimed the lives of 5 players, making it 95 players left and the prize increases to ₩36,100,000,000 (making it ₩380,000,000 for each player), the survivors of the fight arrive at the dormitory and both teams blame each other for starting the fight. Then, teams count their players and discover that died 2 players from Team X and 3 players from Team O, which means that Team O has 47 players left and Team X has 48 players left. As a result, Team X has the advantage in the vote and they believe that if no one changes their mind, they will be able to go home.
Min-su was not one of Gi-hun's inner circle and so was unaware of the plan to hide and not help Team X when the Team O attacks. This causes him to be taken off guard and forced to fight. He grabs a glass bottle for protection and escapes to a high bunk. Below him, he sees Se-mi get attacked by Nam-gyu and throws the glass bottle down. It misses him, but Se-mi is able to use the shards to fight back. Ultimately, however, she is overpowered and stabbed to death whilst Min-su hides from view, frozen and sobbing. When Gi-hun's Rebellion prevents the Guards from removing all of the bodies, Min-su begins hyperventilating and becoming emotional upon standing by Se-mi's corpse.
Fate[]
Min-su survives the Special Game and riot, as well as choosing not to join Gi-hun's Revolt. He ultimately survives to continue the games.
Behind the scenes[]
Min-su is portrayed by Lee David.
Trivia[]
- The name Min-su is associated with the characters Young-hee and Cheol-su. All three of them appear in Korean children's textbooks.
Appearances[]
- Season Two
- "001" (icon)
- "Six Legs"
- "One More Game"
- "O X"
- "Friend or Foe"
Gallery[]
Season Two[]
Season Three[]
Promotional[]
References[]
- ↑ "One More Game"
- ↑ Under the traditional Korean age system, which was changed in June 2023, a year is added to a person's age after birth, meaning he would be 28 in 2024. His age, as stated, is given in international years.