Here's How Much 'Squid Game's' 45 Billion Won Is in U.S. Dollars (2024)

Set to become Netflix's biggest-ever series, gripping K-drama Squid Game has taken the world by storm with its thrilling storyline, dramatic plot twists, stomach-churning death scenes and bleak portrayal of humanity.

Rounding up a group of 456 people all desperate for cash and drowning in debt, a sinister and mysterious organization preys on the vulnerable, getting them to literally fight to the death in order to win a vast sum of money—45.6 billion South Korean won, to be precise.

In order to get their hands on the cash prize, the contestants, who sign a contract at the beginning, must successfully complete all the games set out for them. They are based on traditional children's games and range from physical tasks, like tug of war, to puzzles for the strategically minded. At the very end, the final two players are forced to battle it out in a round of Squid Game.

Here's who won the money in Squid Game, and what the amount translates to in U.S. dollars.

**WARNING: Major spoilers ahead**

How Much Is 45.6 Billion Won in U.S. Dollars?

While it's still undeniably a lot of money, it's not quite as large a sum in USD.

Going by current currency rates (correct at the time of writing this article), 1 South Korean won equates to 0.00084 USD.

This means that the total prize money is roughly $38,393,239.20 and each contestant's value was $84,195.70.

Who Won the Prize Money in Netflix's Squid Game?

Bloodbath after bloodbath whittled down the original contestant count, with the final three being Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), Kang Sae-byeok (HoYeon Jung) and Cho Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo).

After an elaborate steak dinner, the three then return to their dorm for the night—only Gi-hun cannot rid himself of the anger he feels towards his old childhood friend, Sang-woo, after he killed an innocent man in the previous round.

He heads over to Sae-byeok to discuss a strategy, without realizing she's bleeding out from a wound inflicted by the shattered glass in the last game. She makes him promise to look after her brother if she doesn't make it out, before offering to do the same for his sick mother.

In a surprise turn of events, after noticing Sae-byeok's wound, Gi-hun goes to get help from the guards. However, when they do finally open up the steel doors, they are carrying with them one of the black coffins with a large pink bow on top. Confused, Gi-hun turns around, only to realize that Sang-woo has slit Sae-byeok's throat and brutally ended her life.

Enraged by Sae-byeok's death, Gi-hun swipes at Sang-woo in the very last round, during a match of Squid Game. After a bloody and very graphic fight scene, Sang-woo ends up on the floor and is about to give up.

At the last moment, Gi-hun remembers the third clause of the contract: that the players can quit the game, so long as the majority are in agreement. Offering Sang-woo a way out, Gi-hun suggests they both walk away and relinquish the prize money. Sadly, Sang-woo decides to take matters into his own hands and kills himself so that Gi-hun can leave with the money.

What Did Gi-hun Do With the Money?

After being dropped off in a limousine by the Front Man, Gi-hun made his way back to his old neighborhood, where he bumped into Cho Sang-woo's mother. Still processing the events of the last game, Gi-hun struggled to interact with her as he fought back tears.

He then returned home to find his mother had tragically passed away while he was on the island.

After getting a snazzy new haircut, and dyeing his locks bright red, he headed to the shelter where Sae-byeok's brother was. He then dropped the little boy off and left him in the care of Sang-woo's mother, along with a suitcase full of his prize money.

Presumably, as we then saw Gi-hun in a smart suit heading to the airport, he kept some of his hard-earned cash for himself.

While things were for the most part tied up, there's definitely room for another series—and given the scale of its success on the streaming platform, Netflix will likely renew the show for another run. Plus, it would be good to learn more about the mysterious workers on the island, and why the Front Man decided to kill his brother.

Squid Game is available to stream on Netflix now.