What does the bread & lottery scene mean? Influencers spark outrage by recreating Squid Game 2 ticket with homeless 

Squid Game 2, released on December 26, 2024, on Netflix, featured a memorable scene with the Salesman, played by Gong Yoo, who offered homeless individuals a choice between a loaf of bread and a lottery ticket. This moment sparked discussions about its deeper meaning and led to real-world imitations, including by influencer Shin Taeil.

In this pivotal scene from Squid Game 2, the Salesman approached several homeless individuals, offering them a choice between a loaf of bread and a lottery ticket. Despite their evident hunger, each person selected the lottery ticket, lured by the prospect of a better future but none got a winning lottery ticket.

The Salesman (Gong Yoo) then crushed the bread underfoot in front of the homeless people, admonishing them for choosing uncertain wealth over immediate sustenance, symbolizing how the allure of potential riches can lead individuals to overlook their immediate needs.

Influencer Shin Taeil (@shintaeil12) recently recreated this scene in a viral video on January 5, 2025, offering homeless individuals the same choice between bread and a lottery ticket.

The video sparked backlash on Instagram, with some Korean netizens accusing Taeil of exploiting vulnerable individuals for entertainment. Many viewers condemned the reenactment as insensitive and dehumanizing.

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The bread and lottery Scene from Squid Game 2: A detailed examination

Series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk shed light on the significance of this scene from Squid Game 2, explaining that it serves as a critique of societal tendencies to prioritize elusive opportunities over addressing pressing needs.

By highlighting the choices of the homeless individuals, the scene underscored the desperation and hope that drove people to take irrational risks, mirroring the overarching themes of the series.

In an interview with Radio Times from December 26, 2024, creator & director Hwang Dong-hyuk said:

"I believe that Gong Yoo's character [the Salesman] is someone who lived a difficult, tough, rock-bottom life, just as much as those that are depicted as the homeless people in the series. And he is someone who is so filled with self-hatred, it is expressed in the hatred he harbours for other humans. And by hating these people, he believes that he is different from them."

Hwang added:

"[He is] showing and expressing his hatred for the people who choose lottery tickets instead of bread, almost as if he's trying to escape his own self-loathing nature."

The bread and lottery scene in Squid Game 2 served as a powerful commentary on human nature and societal values, prompting viewers to reflect on the choices individuals make when faced with desperation.

The real-world reenactment by Shin Taeil further amplified the ethical implications of such portrayals, highlighting the fine line between art imitating life and the potential for exploitation.

Squid Game 2 continued the mortifying journey of protagonist Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae, as he sought to dismantle the deadly games from within. Despite winning the game and its 45.6 billion won (around $31.3 million) in the last season, Gi-hun re-enters the game in season 2 to usurp the organization and terminate the game.

The new season introduced complex characters like Thanos (played by Bigbang's T.O.P), Myeong-gi (Yim Si-wan), Jae Won-roh (Nam-gyu), etc., with moral dilemmas, further exploring themes of desperation, greed, and societal inequality.

Meanwhile, Squid Game 3 is reported to be released on June 27, 2025, as per India Hood.

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In other news, Squid Game 2 received a nomination for Best Television Series – Drama at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards but did not secure a win, losing to Shōgun.

However, the inaugural season made history at the 28th Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards in 2022, with Lee Jung-jae winning Best Actor in a Drama Series and Jung Ho-yeon winning Best Actress in a Drama Series, marking the first time a non-English-language series achieved such honors.