Cho Sang-woo

👤 Who He Is

Cho Sang-woo is Gi-hun’s childhood friend. He was once seen as the “successful” one — he went to a top university and became an investment banker. However, he secretly committed financial crimes and lost huge amounts of money, which is why he joins the games.

🧠 Personality

• Highly intelligent – He thinks strategically and plans ahead.

• Calm under pressure – He rarely panics.

• Pragmatic – He believes survival is more important than emotions.

• Morally conflicted – As the games progress, he makes increasingly harsh choices.

⚖️ Contrast With Gi-hun

• Gi-hun acts from the heart.

• Sang-woo acts from logic and survival instinct.

Their friendship makes the competition more emotional, especially as they’re forced into situations where only one can win.