Episode 6 of *Squid Game*, titled **“Gganbu,”** is widely considered one of the most emotional and heartbreaking episodes of the entire series. It shifts the tone from suspense and strategy to deep personal connection, trust, and painful sacrifice. If you’ve made it this far in the show, be prepared—this one hits hard.
At the start of the episode, the remaining players are told to split into pairs. Many quickly team up with friends or people they trust. **Seong Gi-hun** (Lee Jung-jae) naturally pairs with **Oh Il-nam** (Oh Yeong-su), the sweet elderly man he has bonded with since the beginning. **Cho Sang-woo** (Park Hae-soo) teams up with **Abdul Ali** (Anupam Tripathi), and **Kang Sae-byeok** (Jung Ho-yeon) partners with a quiet girl named **Ji-yeong** (Lee Yoo-mi).
The game? **Marbles.** Each pair must play against each other—winner takes all the marbles, and the loser is eliminated. The twist crushes everyone: it’s not about teamwork this time, it’s betrayal.
The episode focuses on emotion over action. Gi-hun and Il-nam’s storyline is especially touching. They laugh, joke, and reminisce about life, but when Il-nam starts forgetting things due to his dementia, Gi-hun feels guilty about tricking him. In a gut-wrenching moment, Il-nam reveals he knew all along—and chooses to lose. Their final moment is quiet, sad, and unforgettable.
Meanwhile, Sang-woo shows his dark side by manipulating the trusting and loyal Ali, stealing his marbles and leaving him to die. It’s one of the most painful betrayals in the series, especially because Ali saw Sang-woo as a role model and friend.
The scene between Sae-byeok and Ji-yeong is also deeply moving. Instead of competing, they spend their time talking, opening up about their painful lives. In the end, Ji-yeong sacrifices herself, choosing to give Sae-byeok a chance to reunite with her family.
By the end of “Gganbu,” viewers are emotionally drained. Three beloved characters are gone, and the game feels more brutal than ever—not just physically, but mentally and morally. This episode shows that *Squid Game* isn’t just about survival—it’s about the cost of survival, and the pain of losing the people you care about.
“Gganbu” reminds us that sometimes, the hardest battles are not with enemies—but with our own hearts.
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