

After lights out, a riot erupts and numerous players are killed. The staff foment discord among the players and Deok-su kills another player, which only results in the prize money being increased. Gi-hun realizes that Sang-woo could have helped their team in the previous game. He joins Deok-su's team by offering game info. Player 111, a doctor, is given information of each game beforehand, and is working with a handful of staff to harvest organs from the dead players. Gi-hun, though terrified, is encouraged by Sang-woo to play, and is saved from falling by Player 199. The first game is Red Light, Green Light, where those who lose are gunned down on the spot.

Gi-hun befriends Player 001, an elderly man, and recognizes among the players Cho Sang-woo, a former classmate and businessman, and Player 067, a pickpocket who stole his money. The players are all in similarly dire financial straits and will be given billions of won in prize money if they win six games over six days. The location is managed by masked staff and overseen by the Front Man, also masked. Gi-hun accepts and is taken, while unconscious, to a mysterious location with 455 other players who awaken in a dormitory and are identified by numbers on their clothes. After playing, the man gives Gi-hun a card, inviting him to play games with higher stakes.

While at a train station, he is asked by a well-dressed man to play a game of ddakji for money. Seong Gi-hun is down on his luck, having accumulated enormous debts with loan sharks.
