Gganbu

SPOILER WARNING! This article contains spoilers from Season 1

Gganbu
GENERAL
Squid Game
Character	Oh Il-nam
Character	Seong Gi-hun
Canonical?	Canon
Status of Relationship	Former Teammates & Close Friends/Enemies; Il-nam is deceased
IN FANDOM
Type (?)	Friendship
Also Known As	Ginam
Tropes	Big Bad Friend - Il-nam is the host of the games and befriended Gi-hun, one of the players contesting in the same games False Friend - Il-nam reveals to Gi-hun that he's the host of the games and wasn't an actual player. However, he does tell him he geniunely enjoyed their time together Fire Forged Friends - Il-nam and Gi-hun become friends during the games, despite their differences in background and age Intergenerational Friendship - Il-nam and Gi-hun are of different ages born in different decades Tragic Keepsake - Il-nam gives Gi-hun his last marble We Used to Be Friends - Gi-hun sees Il-nam like this after the old man reveals he's the host of the games

1

❝

Take it. It's yours. We're... gganbu, aren't we? Don't you remember? We made a pinky promise to be each other's gganbu. And when you're gganbu with another, you share everything. Thank you for everything. Thanks to you, I had a good time before I go. It's all right. Everything will be all right

—Il-nam giving his last marble to Gi-hun in "Gganbu"

Gganbu is the friendship between Oh Il-nam and Seong Gi-hun from the Squid Game fandom.

Canon

Gi-hun and Il-nam meet each other for the first time during the mysterious killing games that they both participate in. Shortly after waking up and descending down the stairs, Gi-hun hears an old man counting how many players are in the room. He is told to not disturb him because he is counting, to which Gi-hun shows him on the screen that there are 456 players in the game. They realize that Il-nam is the first while Gi-hun is the last based on the numbers on their jackets. After asking why the old man is participating in the games, Gi-hun finds out that Il-nam is actually diagnosed with a brain tumour. Their conversation ends as a fight in the middle of the room starts between Kang Sae-byeok and Jang Deok-su. Later, they play Red Light, Green Light in which they both survive successfully.

After Red Light, Green Light, players start begging to leave the game and a vote is held on whether they will continue playing or not. Gi-hun casts the first vote by voting to leave. Eventually, the last vote is casted by Il-nam which lets the players leave the game. After a few days have passed, the two meet each other again outside a convenience store. Gi-hun is drinking his soju while Il-nam exits the building and recognizes the fellow player. The two have a conversation where Gi-hun finds out that Il-nam wants to go back to the games because he doesn't want to wait for his death. Il-nam also tells him that he thinks the guards were right and that life outside the games is even more brutal than the games. During the same evening, Gi-hun gets the same invitation and both end up back in the games.

Ending up back in the games, Il-nam is woken up by Gi-hun which makes him happy as he recognizes the same person from before. The two notice that a lot of players are back and that the woman with a child, Han Min-yeo, is also back as well. Shortly after, they are joined by Cho Sang-woo and Ali Abdul to which they decide to team up together for the future games. The four eat together when they are given food and talk about all kinds of topics like their past and most importantly, what the next game is going to be.

On the next day, after food is given out and Gi-hun tells the guard that he can't tolerate milk, Il-nam tells Gi-hun that his son also didn't like milk. The announcement of the next game is played out, after which all the players end up in a room that resembles a playground. While trying to guess what the game is going to be, they are asked to chose one of the shapes and Sang-woo offers that everyone in their team gets a different shape, which makes Gi-hun tell Il-nam how smart his childhood friend is.

Eventually, they all decide on their shapes from which the star is taken by Il-nam while Gi-hun takes the umbrella. After the game is revealed to be Dalgona and all players try to take out their respective shapes of their choice out of the cookies, Gi-hun takes on a different strategy and starts licking his cookie instead. At first confused by the tactic, Il-nam decides to do the same and successfully gets out the star shape out of his cookie. Gi-hun also gets the umbrella shape out of his cookie and survives the game on the last second.

While walking to the dormitory, Il-nam comes up to Gi-hun to thank him for saving his life because he copied his actions of licking the cookie. The team meet up again after Dalgona is finished in the dormitory, and later take the food that is offered by the guards. After one of the players died by the hands of Deok-su and everyone in the room realized that players can die outside of the games, Sang-woo tells his team that they shouldn't sleep the night in case of an attack. Gi-hun wakes up Il-nam who was dozing off, and tells him that they shouldn't fall asleep after lights out in case of danger.

During the Special Game, Gi-hun with Sang-woo, Ali and later Sae-byeok try to find Il-nam who is nowhere to be found throughout the fight. It is then revealed that the old man somehow got on top of one the beds and starts screaming to stop the fight, how it's scary and how he doesn't want to die. After the fight is stopped, the team now with an additional member as Sae-byeok all sit down together. Gi-hun asks Il-nam on how he got on top of the bed considering the dangers of doing such action. Then, Gi-hun suggests the team to get to know each other and they all find out their names, except for Il-nam as he doesn't get to say his name. On the next day during the morning, Gi-hun is surprised to find out that Il-nam didn't sleep at all during the night. Il-nam tells him that it was solely due to his fear of another attack that might've happened.

The next game is revealed to be Tug of War, for which the two are together under number 4. Their team is called up and while taking the elevator ride to the top floor, Il-nam starts telling his team that strength isn't the most important part of the game but rather the strategy is. Player 196 takes his statement into question and tells him to stop talking, which makes Gi-hun say that the old man should continue talking. Il-nam then talks about how he has never lost a game when playing in his village, even if the other team had atheletes on the team. During their turn, Il-nam tells his team a specific strategy that helps them for sometime until it gets too dangerous. Their team survives thanks to Sang-woo's risky last-minute strategy that helps them win.

Following the night, each member takes turns in pairs watching out for their team. Il-nam and Gi-hun both stay up together during which Gi-hun tells the old man about what happened when they went on a strike and his past. He tells the old man that the barricade that they built reminds him of the one that they made during the strike. Il-nam also remembers that years ago there was a strike and reminds that someone died during it. Then, Gi-hun pours some water on a cloth, after Sae-byeok gives him a water bottle, puts it on Il-nams head and lets the old man take a rest because he got a temperature. Il-nam thanks him for it while Gi-hun tells him to sleep to get enough rest for the next game.

A siren then plays out and players are asked to line up. Gi-hun tries to explain to the guard that the old man is sick which is why he is unable to get up. It is then revealed that Il-nam wet himself and later Gi-hun gives his own jacket to cover up what happened. The players are then taken to the next game.

Players are asked to team up by pairs, which leads everyone in the room to start getting their respective partners. Gi-hun at first wants to team up with Sang-woo but the other offers to be teammates with Ali, so he decides to find himself someone else. Before talking to someone else, he wants to tell Il-nam that he will unfortunately find another partner. However, Il-nam interrupts him and gives him his own jacket as he tells him that he will look better in it. Gi-hun then finds himself talking to Player 062 who tells him that they should team up together because they would be great together. In their conversation, he mentions how Il-nam is alone and brings up his theory that he might end up dying if no one choses him as his partner. After hearing those words, Gi-hun offers to be partners with Il-nam for the game right before the timer runs out.

Following the announcement, the two start talking about how they lived in the same exact type of neighborhoods as the one they are going to be playing in. After players are told that they will be playing with marbles, Il-nam tells Gi-hun that they should be gganbu with each other as he explains that it's a friend who you share everything with, after which they make an agreement that they will be gganbu for each other. Afterwards, the game is revealed and everyone realizes that they will be playing against their partner.

The timer starts and Il-nam starts talking about his neighborhood and how he used to play during his childhood, as he is trying to find the exact house where he used to live in. Throughout the game, Gi-hun desperately tries to get Il-nam to play Marbles with him but to no avail, he still goes walking around while ignoring his partner. The two eventually get to playing when Gi-hun finds himself losing to Il-nam, having one last marble left, after which he takes advantage of Il-nam due to his brain tumour and starts lying about his bets. Gi-hun, after getting most of the marbles, attempts to tell the guard that he has won the game but Il-nam reveals that he has one more marble left.

Eventually, they get to the house that Il-nam recognizes as his own and they hold a conversation where Gi-hun tries to get the old man to play one more time. Il-nam then suggests that they bet every marble they have which makes Gi-hun angry, for which he gets called out as Il-nam reveals to him that he knew of his deceptions the entire time. Gi-hun starts crying but is gifted the last marble as he is told that it is now his. Il-nam reminds Gi-hun that they are gganbu and that they share everything with each other, this being his reasoning for giving him the last marble. He also thanks him as he tells him that he had a good time playing with him. They share their last hug with each other as the timer runs out, and before Gi-hun leaves, Il-nam tells him his full name, Oh Il-nam.

“I remember my name now. My name is Il-nam. Oh Il-nam”

— Il-nam's last words before his supposed death

During Glass Stepping Stones, Player 017 successfully attempts through the glass panels due to his expert knowledge on the difference between different types of glasses. However, he is unable to recognize the difference between the last two panels as the lights are turned off and thus, don't let him see the difference between the glass panels. In an attempt to help, Gi-hun decides to give him his last marble that Il-nam gave him during Marbles. Unfortunately, that doesn't help much as afterwards he gets pushed by Sang-woo and the three, with Sae-byeok and Gi-hun, survive the game.

A year has passed since Gi-hun participated in the games and has yet to spend a single bill as shown by his appearance. While drinking his soju, an elderly woman comes up to him to ask if he wants to buy some roses. He gives her some money and she hands him a rose while thanking him as she leaves. Upon first inspection there is nothing special about the rose except for a business card that comes with it. Gi-hun sees that it's the same business card that was first given to him as an invitation to the games and he flips it over to find an address which he decides to later visit. On the back of the card reads,

"24TH DECEMBER, 23:30.
'SKY' SKYSCRAPER, 7TH FLOOR. FROM YOUR GGANBU."

After he enters the building and makes his way onto the correct floor, he meets Il-nam who is looking out of the window while laying in his bed with medical equipment nearby. Il-nam asks Gi-hun to pour him some water. After pouring him some water, Gi-hun asks who Il-nam actually is while the old man starts talking about the man that is on the street. Gi-hun realizes that he is the host of the games and continues asking angrily on why he started the games. Then, Il-nam asks Gi-hun to play one last game with him by asking him whether anyone will help the man outside that's freezing. Gi-hun even attempts to choke Il-nam but resists and decides to play the game with him as they both look outside the window while the clock is ticking closer to twelve.

Il-nam starts explaining how he got rich, about his past and the truth. He confirms that his real name is Oh Il-nam and talks about the neighborhood during the Marble game. Gi-hun is told by the old man that he has the full right to use the money he won and that life is short to blame himself for it. Gi-hun then asks why he did what he has done, after which Il-nam starts explaining his beliefs while questioning Gi-huns. Then, he tells that the ultimate reason for joining the games was because he has a brain tumor and was close to death, so he decided to participate in the games to have fun for the last time. While saying his final words to Gi-hun, he says that he actually had fun playing with him which is why he let him live.

“It had been such a long time… since I… was able to have that much fun”

— Il-nam last words before his actual death

Before the clock hits twelve, some people do actually come to help the man that's freezing outside, thus winning Gi-hun the game. After it hits twelve, Gi-hun realizes that Il-nam actually died right at the same time. Before leaving, Gi-hun tells Il-nam that he lost.

Quotes

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Fanon

A friendship that was beloved up until the reveal of Il-nam being the host of the games, which quite saddened a lot of people. Most fans were unsatisfied with the plot twist of Il-nam being one of the creator of the cruel games and wished he stayed as a normal old grandpa, as most people hold the opinion that it undermines their relationship and all the scenes in the games were for nothing. Despite this, people still do believe that even with Gi-hun's hatred and Il-nam being the host, Il-nam still genuinely considered Gi-hun as his close, and possibly only friend.

In fan content set in AU's, Il-nam is sometimes changed to be a normal grandpa who isn't the creator of the cruel game but is a genuine friend to Gi-hun. However, in most works with Il-nam he is usually still the creator of the games, or in AU's where the games don't exist he is to be depicted as some sort of antagonist. Fanart also like to show their geniune friendship, whether it is in an AU or during the games.

It is rare to find any romantic content of the two (in fact, it is almost impossible) because of their significant age difference and their friendly relationship in the show. This might be the case also because of the plot twist with Il-nam being the host of Squid Games which led to a lot of people disliking his character. Though, some people believe that had Il-nam be of the same age as Gi-hun, their ship would be on the same wave as 457 or even Sangihun.

There are currently 15 works of the two on AO3.

Dad Theory

There has been a theory about the two since the release of Season 1, which was that Il-nam might be Gi-hun's father. People started to believe this theory at first because Il-nam has stated that his son doesn't like milk and Gi-hun mentions that he can't drink it. The show also never showed Gi-hun's father, though there is a picture of his family on one of the walls in his house. Due to this, people believed that Il-nam and Gi-hun might be related because of lactose intolerance. However, after the release of Season 2 the theory of Il-nam being Gi-hun's father died out as people started to instead believe that Hwang Bros, or at least one of them, might be related to Il-nam.

People started to see that there are some inconsistencies to the theory. The first one being, Il-nam has said that his son was born on the 24th of the month when they were playing Marbles with Gi-hun. It is believed that the 33rd Squid Game was played during June as evident by the dates on Sang-woo's and Jun-ho's phones, which would not align with Gi-hun's birthday as it is on the 31st of October.

Additionally, people have also brought up that in South Korea a high percentage of the population have lactose intolerance, or at least don't consume milk. Due to this, people think that Gi-hun and Il-nam's son not liking/tolerating milk is only because a high percentage of the population just can't drink milk, and isn't good evidence to prove that they are related in any way. Due to these reasons, the theory that Gi-hun and Il-nam might be related has died out and isn't believed as much anymore as a lot of people believe it wouldn't fit the narrative to pull such a twist. People might also just enjoy their friendship, despite how short it was, more than the theorized family dynamic considering that Gi-hun never showed how he actually feels about his dad.

Fandom

FAN FICTION

Oh Ilnam & Seong Gihun tag on AO3

TIKTOK

Gganbu tag on TikTok

Il-nam and Gi-hun posts on TikTok

Trivia

• Il-nam and Gi-hun call each other gganbu. Gganbu or ganbu in Korean, "깐부", means "comrade" or "close friend" who share everything with each other. Il-nam himself says that it means 'someone who you share everything with' in the show.

Variations

Team Four refers to the ship between Gi-hun, Il-nam, Cho Sang-woo, Ali Abdul, Kang Sae-byeok, Ji-yeong, Han Mi-nyeo and Player 276