Cho Sang-woo (Squid Game): Was He Really a Hero?

I’ve always found myself returning to the character of Cho Sang-woo from Squid Game. At first glance, he seems like a desperate man caught in an impossible situation — a former stockbroker turned participant in a deadly game of survival. But the more I think about it, the more complicated he becomes. Was he a hero? Or was he just another person trying to survive at any cost?

Let’s dig into the details and examine both sides of the argument.

## Did Cho Sang-woo protect the weak?

Cho Sang-woo did, at times, act in ways that suggested a sense of morality. He shielded his mother from the harsher realities of the game and tried to maintain a sense of dignity in the face of death. He even stepped in to stop the bullying of Ali Abdul during the tug-of-war game, offering the Pakistani worker a place on his team.

But here’s the catch: these acts often came with ulterior motives. Protecting his mother was deeply tied to his sense of shame and guilt over failing her financially. His defense of Ali was less about altruism and more about ensuring he had strong teammates to increase his own chances of survival.

## Did he betray others for his own gain?

Cho’s most controversial act was his betrayal of Abdul. After Ali was injured during the marbles game, Cho tricked him into giving up his marbles by pretending to befriend him. This moment — cold and calculated — revealed a darker side. Ali, who had trusted him, was left vulnerable and eventually died in the next round.

Cho’s justification? He believed he had no choice. In his mind, survival justified betrayal. But does that make him a tragic figure or a morally compromised one? Many would argue that true heroes don’t abandon those who trust them — no matter the stakes.

## Was Cho Sang-woo redeemable?

In the final moments of his life, Cho showed a flicker of redemption. Knowing he would die, he chose to sacrifice himself to give Gi-hun a fighting chance in the final round. He even confessed his guilt over Ali’s betrayal, expressing remorse in his final words.

This moment — fleeting as it was — adds emotional weight to his character. It suggests that Cho wasn’t entirely lost. He understood the gravity of his actions and, in the end, tried to make amends in the only way he could.

## Could he have acted differently?

There’s a compelling argument that Cho made choices that were avoidable. He could have chosen not to deceive Ali. He could have tried to build trust rather than manipulate it. In a game where morality is stripped away, Cho often chose self-preservation over integrity.

That said, the pressure he faced was immense. His mother’s life, his own desperation, and the brutal reality of the game all shaped his decisions. Was he a villain? Not quite. But was he a hero? That’s a harder question to answer.

## What does Cho Sang-woo’s story teach us?

Cho’s arc is a reflection of how desperation can warp morality. His actions force us to ask: What would we do in a situation where the only options are to kill or be killed? His story isn’t about heroism in the traditional sense — it’s about the fragility of human ethics under extreme pressure.