What is the word for friends in Squid Game? An in-depth look at gganbu bonds
Hey friend! Have you watched the hit Netflix series Squid Game? This Korean show took the world by storm with its gripping story about people competing in deadly children‘s games for money. But beyond just thrills, Squid Game resonates because of the surprisingly heartfelt relationships between the characters. In particular, the Korean word “ganbu” (깐부), or its variant “gganbu” (깐부), represents the unbreakable bonds of friendship formed in the face of unthinkable adversity.
In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into what ganbu/gganbu really means, its importance in Korean culture, and how it became a global sensation thanks to Squid Game. Grab your gganbu and let’s go!
Decoding the Meaning of Ganbu/Gganbu
Ganbu (깐부) is an old Korean slang term meaning “close friend,” “comrade,” or “partner in crime.” It refers to a best friend or ally who you trust completely and are willing to sacrifice anything for.
The double “GG” version, gganbu (깐부), is specifically used in the dialogue of Squid Game. For example, Player 456 (Gi-hun) says to Player 067 (Sae-byeok) “You can take the last slot, gganbu” – cementing their tight friendship alliance in the games.
According to 90daykorean.com, “깐부 (gganbu) can be considered an old slang that means ‘close friend,’ ‘comrade,’ or ‘partner.’” So gganbu expresses a ride-or-die, never-leave-you-behind kind of friendship.
En.wikiversity.org further defines gganbu as:
Definition of Gganbu: Gganbu means "old and close friend". It also means "partner". When playing marbles, gganbu can still mean friend or partner.
In English, we might translate gganbu as “bestie,” “BFF,” “soul friend,” or “my ride or die.” It represents an unbreakable bond, like that between Gi-hun and Sae-byeok in Squid Game.
The Vital Role of Honorifics in Korea
To fully appreciate ganbu/gganbu, you need to understand the importance of honorifics and titles in Korean language and culture. Korea relies heavily on:
- Strict hierarchical relationships
- Respect for age-based seniority
- Using proper terms to address people
As explained on TheConversation.com:
“Perhaps the most significant aspect of the untranslatable in Squid Game relates to ‘호칭’ or ‘honorifics’ which Korean people use to refer to each other in conversation. An age-based hierarchy is a key characteristic of Korean society, and people do not call each other by name unless they are friends of the same age.”
By calling someone gganbu in Squid Game, it signals they are close enough friends to drop formalities. Let’s compare some Korean words for “friend” and what they imply:
| Korean | Meaning | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| gganbu | best friend | extremely close bond beyond formalities |
| chingu | friend | casual friendship without hierarchy |
| dongsaeng | younger friend | age hierarchy observed |
| hyeong/nuna | older friend | age hierarchy observed |
As you can see, gganbu connotes the closest friendship where restraints and honorifics are unnecessary between comrades.
Gganbu Relationships Form in the Deadly Games
The gganbu bonds between players are central to Squid Game’s theme of friendship and sacrifice. As Gi-hun, Sae-byeok and others face harrowing challenges, they form unbreakable gganbu ties to survive together.
Gi-hun and Sae-byeok
Gi-hun and Sae-byeok become the most iconic gganbu pair. In Episode 6, Sae-byeok saves Gi-hun’s life in the riot by pulling him to safety. When Gi-hun wants to give up his spot to Sae-byeok in the marble game, refusing to take her last 10 marbles, she reminds him firmly “I’m not your gganbu for nothing.”
Their loyalty is proven when Gi-hun later gives his smuggled lighter to Sae-byeok so she can recover her stolen knife and have a fighting chance. And in the end, he uses his winnings to fulfill Sae-byeok’s dream of reuniting her brother with their mother in Korea, even though she died as his gganbu.
Gi-hun and Il-nam
Player 001, Oh Il-nam, acts as Gi-hun’s gganbu early on by giving him helpful advice to survive. Gi-hun returns the kindness by protecting the frail old man. Their unlikely gganbu friendship ends tragically when it is revealed that Il-nam is actually the mastermind behind Squid Game. But Gi-hun stays by Il-nam’s side as he dies, cementing their bittersweet bond.
Sang-woo and His Classmate
Sang-woo’s childhood classmate who he bumps into in the games is overjoyed to be reunited with his old friend. Despite Sang-woo’s betrayal later on, his classmate never abandons their gganbu bond, begging Sang-woo to take care of his mother if he dies. Their story shows how ganbu loyalty persists despite time and hardship.
Why Gganbu Hit Home for Global Audiences
Squid Game became Netflix’s biggest show ever, viewed by 142 million households worldwide. A huge part of its success was how audiences emotionally connected with the characters and their unbreakable gganbu bonds.
In a time of increased isolation and loneliness, everyone wants strong bonds of friendship and belonging. We all crave our own gganbu to go through life’s challenges with. Watching gi-hun, Sae-byeok and others sacrifice everything for their ggannu hit audiences right in the feels.
Fun fact: Google searches for “gganbu meaning” surged by over 5,000% after Squid Game premiered!
The show universalized the Korean idea of gganbu. Fans worldwide now use gganbu/ganbu to refer to any ride-or-die friendship or ally. On social media, you’ll see declarations like:
- “My bestie since elementary school – she’s my gganbu for life!”
- “I want a gganbu who has my back no matter what.”
- “If you need help moving, call your gganbu.”
Squid Game proved that powerful human bonds resonate across cultures. We all seek friendship and loyalty, especially in difficult times.
How Gganbu Will Impact Pop Culture Going Forward
It’s clear gganbu is here to stay in the global mainstream thanks to Squid Game. This Korean term perfectly encapsulates the ride-or-die friendships that we all aspire to have.
As Squid Game hopefully heads into future seasons, gganbu relationships will likely remain a central theme. Gi-hun and the surviving characters may form new gganbu bonds as they once again face harrowing challenges in the next deadly games.
And media creators worldwide are embracing ganbu/gganbu as the perfect way to represent loyal, meaningful friendships against all odds. Given K-pop’s growing mainstream popularity, more Korean language and values will continue influencing pop culture.
So get ready to call your besties gganbu going forward! It‘s a term that resonates across cultures, and the enduring legacy of Squid Game.
Well friend, that concludes our deep dive into gganbu and why it became a global sensation. I hope you enjoyed learning more about the fascinating Korean culture highlighted in Squid Game. Let me know if you have any other Korean language or pop culture topics you’d like explored! Stay safe out there, and cherish your real-life gganbus.