Decoding the Symbolic Meaning Behind 'Squid Game' Masks

The Big Picture

In order to safeguard their identities and evade potential legal repercussions, the individuals orchestrating Squid Game conceal their faces with masks. This not only enhances the unsettling nature of their characters, but also intensifies the fear factor for the participants, who remain unaware of the identities or intentions of these masked figures.

The workers don masks to ensure their anonymity, fostering a sense of unity while impeding their ability to develop connections or rely on one another.

In contrast, the VIPs don distinctive and costly masks that distinguish themselves from others. These masks depict various animals, symbolizing power, affluence, or other connotations. The VIPs enjoy the privilege of unveiling or concealing their true identities at their discretion.

Why Do The Characters on Squid Game Wear Masks?

Squid Game is a Korean drama series on Netflix that follows individuals facing desperate financial situations who opt to participate in children's games with the aim of securing a substantial cash reward. However, the stakes are high as losing a round means being "eliminated," or in other words, killed. Notably, all the workers wear masks, while the contestants remain unmasked.

Squid Game is an exclusive tournament held on a secluded island, overseen by a select group of individuals with high social status. In this competition, participants are required to engage in a series of innocent children's games. However, the twist lies in the altered rules, as anyone who loses a particular game faces immediate and fatal consequences. More than 400 daring individuals register to take part in the Squid Game, yet only one will emerge as the ultimate survivor, claiming an enormous cash prize.

The individuals behind Squid Game wear masks to maintain their anonymity and avoid any legal repercussions. Their intention is to prevent both the contestants and the general public from discovering their identities, as it could potentially jeopardize the secrecy of Squid Game. Additionally, the masked appearance of these "bad guys" contributes to the unsettling atmosphere, as the contestants remain oblivious to the originators of the twisted games and the reasons behind their participation. This lack of knowledge intensifies the fear and uncertainty surrounding their actions. This concept is acknowledged by the Front Man, who cautions a worker against removing his mask in front of the contestants, emphasizing the risk of losing everything once their identities are exposed.

Worker Masks

The psychology surrounding the masks not only impacts the competitors, but also has an effect on the workers, the Front Man, and the VIPs. Every morning, the workers are required to don their masks and uniforms before leaving their individual quarters, ensuring that they remain anonymous even to their fellow workers. As a result, it becomes more challenging for the workers to establish personal connections with each other or determine who they can truly rely on. This environment creates a sense of complete isolation for the workers, forcing them to constantly regulate their own actions because they never know the true identities or beliefs of those around them.

Image Via Netflix

While Squid Game is overseen by a select few privileged individuals, a significant workforce is required to ensure the smooth operation of the games. These workers do not belong to the privileged class but are employed by the owners of Squid Game in return for monetary compensation. It is implied that their payment is relatively meager, as evidenced by some resorting to breaking the rules in order to supplement their earnings.

There are three distinct types of worker masks, all easily identifiable as such. All workers don a uniform consisting of a red jumpsuit with a hood, complemented by a black mask completely concealing their faces, adorned with a white shape on the upper half. The shapes on the masks vary, with options including a triangle, a square, or a circle. However, apart from this difference in shape, their uniforms remain consistent. This fosters a sense of unity among the workers, giving the impression of a cohesive entity rather than a diverse collective. Fully covered from head to toe, their identities and humanity become indistinguishable, as nothing reveals them as individuals. The workers are mandated to keep their masks on at all times, with the Front Man cautioning that once their true identities are revealed, it signals their ultimate demise.

The shapes on the worker masks, depicted in simple, sharp white lines, resemble the icons found on video game controllers. Consequently, a visual connection emerges between the workers and children's games, further stripping them of their individuality and integrating them into the broader realm of these games.

While the shapes on the masks of the workers may appear to be random, they actually symbolize distinct hierarchical categories among the workers. The workers with a circle on their masks hold the lowest rank. Their duties encompass performing essential yet mundane tasks on the island, which include cleaning, serving food to contestants, cleaning up blood, disposing of deceased contestants' bodies, and incinerating them. These workers are obliged to maintain silence unless addressed by a superior.

The workers with a triangle emblem on their masks represent the second tier of workers. Their primary responsibilities include enforcing game rules, directing groups to different areas, "eliminating" players who lose, and maintaining crowd control when situations escalate. Unlike circle workers, triangle workers possess authority over contestants and even possess the ability to execute them. In terms of hierarchy, triangle workers are akin to police officers or chain store managers - they enforce specific regulations but lack the autonomy to establish new rules or significantly alter the circumstances.

The highest-ranking workers are distinguished by a square emblem on their masks. These individuals serve as supervisors overseeing both triangle and circle workers, and possess the authority to issue orders to them. Square workers directly communicate with the Front Man, receiving instructions from him. Additionally, they have access to the recorded island footage. While square workers hold a higher position than contestants, circle workers, and triangle workers, they nevertheless remain part of the workforce.

The masks, presumably made by the host, the Front Man, or others like them, actually have a negative effect in one instance. This occurs when a police officer manages to sneak onto the island and disguises himself as a worker without being detected. While it may have been challenging for him to reach the island, blending in undetected was easy for him once he arrived. Initially, he disguises himself as a circle, but later switches to a square mask taken from a deceased worker. Presumably, he seizes this opportunity to switch masks because the square mask grants him slightly more privileges as a worker. However, once the Front Man and his workers see the police officer's face without his mask, they quickly overpower him.

Front Man Mask

Contrary to the workers who follow his command, the Front Man dons a distinctive mask. Throughout the season, it may appear that the Front Man is the one in control. Yet, it becomes evident that he is merely performing for the VIPs, despite his authority over both the workers and the contestants. However, in truth, even the Front Man must answer to the enigmatic "host," whose true identity remains unknown until the ultimate episode.

Since he holds the position of second-in-command, it is logical for the Front Man to possess a unique mask. His mask, characterized by its black color and angular design, gives his face an appearance reminiscent of a robotic character from a video game. Unlike the workers, his mask does not feature any white shapes, thus setting him apart. Additionally, the Front Man dons a black uniform instead of the workers' red attire. Despite his visual distinctiveness from the workers, the Front Man ensures his true identity remains concealed from the contestants through the use of a complete uniform and mask.

VIP Masks

Image Via Netflix

The wealthy individuals known as VIPs have the privilege of witnessing the Squid Game unfold. Although they view the games in real-time, they do so from the comfort of an exclusive, luxurious room equipped with screens. Within this room, they are lavishly entertained with fine food, alcoholic beverages, and an array of attendants at their service. Engaging in discussions amongst themselves (in English, unlike the other characters), they analyze and comment on the ongoing events within the games. The VIPs possess the ability to influence the course of the games by submitting requests to the Front Man, such as requesting the lights to be turned off to intensify the challenges. Distinguishing themselves as VIPs, their masks exhibit a more elaborate and upscale design compared to others. Each VIP dons a golden mask adorned with the face of a distinct animal: a deer, a tiger, a lion, a bear, or a bull. The golden hue of the masks likely symbolizes the immense wealth possessed by these VIPs. Similar to the angular masks of the Front Man, the VIP masks feature eye holes, allowing them to observe the games. While it remains unclear how the workers and the Front Man manage to have visibility through their masks, as no discernible eye holes are visible, their faces remain entirely concealed. The presence of eye holes in the VIP masks implies their pivotal role as spectators. In the realm of film theory, the one who gazes (the possessor of "the gaze") holds power over the individual subjected to their scrutiny. By virtue of watching and even placing wagers on the game's outcome, the VIPs exercise control over the contestants.

The specific animals depicted on the VIP masks may carry symbolic meanings, although it is uncertain. For instance, the deer is often associated with divinity, implying that the person wearing the deer mask could be a religious leader. Similarly, the tiger symbolizes power, suggesting that the individual donning a tiger mask might be a politician. Furthermore, the bull represents wealth, indicating a possible connection to banking or finance. Additionally, there is a myth proposing that Koreans originate from a bear-woman, implying that the person wearing a bear mask may have ties to royalty or hold significant national importance. However, these associations between animal symbolism and lucrative careers are merely speculative.

Contrary to the workers, who achieve anonymity through their masks, the VIPs do not hide their true identity. Instead, the VIPs distinguish themselves from one another through their unique masks. Consequently, even while masked, the VIPs and the Front Man maintain their individual identities, despite concealing their "real" faces and withholding complete knowledge of their names. In the twisted universe of Squid Game, identity appears to be a privilege that not everyone is granted. The differentiation between the workers and the Front Man/VIPs highlights a distinct class divide.

Unmasked Characters

Image via Netflix

The contestants on Squid Game are not masked like other measures taken to minimize their identities. However, they all wear identical uniforms, with the only distinction being the number printed on each one. To further strip their identities, the workers only refer to the contestants by their numbers, disregarding their actual names. While contestants may occasionally address each other by name, they do not possess names within Squid Game. Despite losing certain aspects of their identity, the contestants continue to forgo wearing masks, leaving them susceptible to some extent. This allows others to easily recognize their true identities without any confusion.

In a particular scene, a VIP brings a worker (who is actually an undercover cop) into a private room with intentions of sexually assaulting him. In this display of power, the VIP demands that the disguised cop remove his mask and reveal his true face. This demonstrates another privilege within Squid Game, the ability to choose when to expose or conceal one's own identity, as well as making this choice for those considered "inferior."

While masks are typically used to hide one's true identity, it is ironic that the character with the most effective disguise does not wear a mask at all. Player 001, known as Oh Il-Nam or the old man, is actually the game's host but poses as a contestant. He dresses and behaves like a regular player, fooling everyone around him. Due to his elderly appearance, he stands out from the other contestants, yet no one perceives him as a threat. The other players are unaware that Player 001 could potentially eliminate them while they sleep, and they underestimate his abilities in the games, believing him to be frail and weak. Interestingly, it is logical that if a contestant were to secretly be the host, they would logically be assigned the number 001. However, during the games, the other contestants did not find anything suspicious about Oh Il-Nam being player number 001. They simply assumed that someone would hold that number, unaware of his true role in the game.