Did Gi-hun give all his money to Sangwoo‘s mom?

As a passionate Squid Game fan and content creator, one of the most common questions I‘ve gotten is whether protagonist Gi-hun really gave away his entire ₩45.6 billion (approx. $38 million USD) prize to the mother of his childhood friend Sangwoo after winning the deadly survival game.

The Short Answer

The short answer is no. According to the show‘s creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, Gi-hun gave away half of his winnings to Sangwoo‘s mother, not the entire amount. Here‘s a quick breakdown:

So why did Gi-hun choose to give away such a massive chunk of change in the first place? And what does he plan to do with the remaining ₩22.8 billion ($19 million USD)? Let‘s take a closer look…

Gi-hun and Sangwoo‘s Tragic History

As highlighted in flashbacks throughout Squid Game‘s nine episodes, Gi-hun and Sangwoo go way back as childhood buddies from the same neighborhood. They went to the same school, played together as kids, and knew each other‘s families.

So when a debt-ridden Sangwoo re-enters Gi-hun‘s life years later by recruiting him to the deadly survival game, it dredges up that deep-rooted camaraderie. Especially when Sangwoo ultimately [SPOILER] kills himself after losing to Gi-hun in the final round.

In the aftermath, a guilt-ridden Gi-hun seeks to provide for the family his old friend left behind – starting by repaying Sangwoo‘s outstanding ₩6 billion debt so loan sharks don‘t harass his mother.

The Money Is Gi-hun‘s Way of Making Amends

Based on Gi-hun‘s history with Sangwoo‘s family and his immense grief over his friend‘s death, most fans interpret the ₩22.8 billion as Gi-hun‘s way of making amends. Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk himself confirmed this motivation behind Gi-hun‘s donation in a recent interview:

"I thought he should make some kind of compensation for Sang-woo’s mother, because he probably spent a lot of money for his education because he was such a genius, and his mother must have made a lot of effort and sacrificed a lot for Sang-woo."

This explanation aligns perfectly with Gi-hun‘s tendency for emotional decisions throughout the series, including his refusal to initially spend any prize money while grappling with his guilt and grief.

Breaking Down Gi-hun‘s Winnings

So Sangwoo‘s mom receives ₩22.8 billion – but what about the rest? Let‘s analyze a breakdown of what we know Gi-hun ultimately did with his full ₩45.6 billion prize:

• ₩22.8 billion to Sangwoo‘s mother
• ₩6 billion to repay Sangwoo‘s debt
• ??? – Remainder of ₩22.8 billion

Squid Game‘s creator has implied Gi-hun likely allocates part of his remaining ₩22.8 billion to fulfill Sae-byeok‘s dying wish of reuniting her brother with their mother in North Korea.

But that still leaves a large portion – possibly around ₩15-18 billion ($12-15 million USD) left specifically for Gi-hun. So what has he been doing with this small fortune?

Theories on Gi-hun‘s Remaining Winnings

For over a year after winning Squid Game, Gi-hun left his money untouched while grappling with trauma and grief over losing so many to the game. After finding his mother dead too, he becomes a depressed recluse – so the funds likely just sat stagnant in that time.

However, the emotive ending that sees Gi-hun rediscovering his drive to take down the organization behind Squid Game hints that his winnings may soon be put to use for a very different purpose going into Season 2…

But this is pure speculation territory. Based on Gi-hun‘s characterization, his remaining billions could be funding:

• A secret operation to infiltrate Squid Game HQ and gather intel
• Hiring help to track down other key game operators like the Front Man
• Resources to rescue future players taken to the island

Personally though, I have another theory…

Gi-hun Could Use His Money to Fund Legal Action

We still don‘t know exactly how high up this deadly game goes in terms of influencers and backers enabling it. But Gi-hun is clever – he may realize violence won‘t stop them, only exposure will.

So rather than solely bankrolling solo vigilantism, Gi-hun may tap his winnings to launch widespread legal action against the operation behind Squid Game.

Imagine Gi-hun teaming up with Jun-ho‘s policeman brother to go public with evidence of the games, get lawsuits filed, and spark large-scale investigations. It would align perfectly with Gi-hun‘s core motivation of protecting others from future games.

And funded by his ₩15-18 billion left from the prize? He would have plenty of resources to cause real damage through the court system and social pressure.

Final Thoughts and Fan Theories

Until Squid Game Season 2 reveals Gi-Hun‘s full motivations and plan of attack against the game operators, the purpose behind his remaining ₩15-18 billion prize remains a mystery.

But based on Gi-hun‘s selfless characterization and bond with Sangwoo‘s family, his decision to donate over half his winnings tracks perfectly. And leaves plenty of monetary fuel for him to still mount an ambitious quest for justice and vengeance in the name of all those lost in the games.

Some personal theories I‘m excited to see pan out:

• Gi-hun teams up with Jun-ho (if he survived his gunshot) to take down the games
• He uses his money to launch lawsuits, spark investigations, and turn public sentiment against "Squid Game"
• In the end, he donates the last of his funds to support families impacted by the games‘ victims

But of course that‘s just speculation until the hit show‘s second season arrives. And if it matches up to the first‘s level of drama and suspense? I‘ll be glued to my screen finding out.

What are your best theories so far around Gi-hun‘s motivations and his remaining prize money? Let‘s discuss down below!