'Blood Game X' Kang Ji-hoo: "I Will Donate 100 Million Won Prize Money to My Alma Mater, KAIST" [Q&A]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kang Ji-hoo of 'Blood Game X' has secured the final victory.

The final episode of Wavve's original survival show 'Blood Game X' (produced by Most267), released on the 28th, captured the scene where four players who survived a fierce competition—Kang Ji-hoo, Yoon Bi, Heo Seong-beom, and Hyun Sung-ju—faced off in the final match.

In the final match held as a 1:1 tournament on that day, Kang Ji-hoo chose the 'Pyramid Number' game in the first round to defeat Hyun Sung-ju. In the next round, he played 'Card Chess' against Yoon Bi, who had defeated Heo Seong-beom, and won decisively with a score of 2:0. Starting as the youngest player in 'Blood Game X', Kang Ji-hoo rose to become the final champion and openly shared his reflections, behind-the-scenes stories, and future goals through an interview.

First, regarding his feelings on winning his first victory in a survival show after previously competing in 'University War', he said, "Actually, I had a very strong desire to win from the beginning, but once I actually won, my first thought was how much help I received from those around me. My gratitude outweighed my joy."

When asked which players helped him the most with his victory, he answered, "Kim Kyung-hoon and Kim Yu-hyun of Challenger (C) Team," adding, "One kept pushing me forward, while the other held me back so I wouldn't cross the line. Because of them, I was able to find a good balance in between. They were my spiritual pillars."

He experienced numerous crises during his path to victory, and he particularly recalled, "The moment when the Challenger Team was completely wiped out was the hardest." Kang Ji-hoo explained, "At that moment, I thought my 'Blood Game X' had completely ended. After returning to the mansion through the Revival Match, I approached each game with a different mindset than before."

When asked which player was most targeted throughout the survival show, he mentioned Lee Tae-gyun, the winner of 'Squid Game' Season 1 and the brain of this season's P1 Team. Kang Ji-hoo expressed his respect, saying, "He is a hexagonal player who excels not only in brainpower and physical ability but also in psychological warfare, and he has winning experience, so I was very wary of him. At the same time, watching Kwak Beom of Rookie (R) Team's 'Intuitive Play,' I was impressed with the thought that 'one can reach the correct answer even through such a method.'"

Having become the recipient of the 100th million won prize money, he announced his intention to donate it to his alma mater. Kang Ji-hoo stated, "The beginning of many opportunities I have received so far was my alma mater, KAIST. In this 'Blood Game X,' I was able to get a chance to appear because there was an older-younger student relationship between me and Heo Seong-beom from KAIST. Since I believe the victory is 100% thanks to KAIST, I decided to donate the entire prize money to give back even a little of what I received."

Finally, Kang Ji-hoo said, "I am grateful to everyone who watched 'Blood Game X' and liked me, those who felt frustrated, and those who cursed while watching. The fact that you stayed with us until the end of this long process is truly something to be thankful for. Along with the result of winning, I will remember forever the people I met during the process, my experiences, and the viewers' interest."

◆ Following is the Q&A interview with Kang Ji-hoo

Q. What are your thoughts on winning 'Blood Game X'?

: Actually, I had a very strong desire to win from the beginning. Since this was my second survival challenge, I wanted to make sure I survived until the end and won this time. However, once I actually won, my first thought wasn't that I succeeded because of my own skills, but rather how much help I received from those around me. I experienced elimination and came back again; many people believed in me and pulled me through during that process. So when the victory was confirmed, my gratitude was just as great as my joy. I believe I could get this far thanks to all the players who stayed with me and helped me until the end. Thank you very much.

Q. In your remarks released through the final episode, you mentioned the proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child," which was impressive. As if literally receiving plenty of love and encouragement from the teammates who were with you, you ended up in the champion's seat. If there is one player you want to credit the most?

: I would like to pick two people specifically. It is Hyung Kim Kyung-hoon and Hyung Kim Yu-hyun. Originally, I am someone who likes trying various things, but in the early part of the survival show, because I thought my single choice could harm the entire team, I gradually became more passive and withdrawn. At that time, Hyung Kyung-hoon kept injecting confidence into me. He told me it was okay to be a little 'troll,' not to be scared, and to confidently play what I wanted to play. Thanks to those words, I was able to regain the boldness I originally had.

Conversely, Hyung Yu-hyun said that while having confidence is good, one should not engage in 'unmanageable actions.' Whenever I got excited and tried to go too far, he drew the line I shouldn't cross. Looking back, both of them were my spiritual pillars. One kept pushing me forward, and the other held me back so I wouldn't cross the line, allowing me to find a good balance in between. If even one of them had not been there, I think I would have played very differently from now on.

Q. Are there any behind-the-scenes stories from the final match episode that were not revealed?

: Actually, throughout the final match, there was one thing I was as concerned about as the game itself. After the 'Revival Match' (a loser's resurrection tournament) ended and when we returned with Hyung Yoon Bi, he kept saying, "I have an item I obtained by surviving a long time in the wild." He even kept pulling out the back of some paper that looked significant from his pocket and showing it to me sneakily, so I believed him to some extent. Especially as we reached the finals, I kept thinking, 'Could it be that he suddenly activates that item in the final?' Even while playing the game, I was constantly bothered by the identity of that mysterious item. However, after the final match was completely over, I asked Hyung Yoon Bi, and he said such an item never existed in the first place. He called it bluffing, which he learned from Ms. Yoo Lisa in 'Squid Game' Season 2. He had already started a psychological war even before the game began. (Laughs) After learning the truth later, I really thought, "That is so like Hyung Yoon Bi."

Q. If you had to pick the most critical moment in your journey toward victory?

: It was undoubtedly the moment when the Challenger Team was completely wiped out through the team-vs-team death match. Until then, no matter how bad the situation was, I could think about the next game, but at that moment, I truly thought my 'Blood Game X' had ended. Not only did I lose the chance to win, but I lost the opportunity to play the game altogether. In that situation, getting a chance through the Revival Match allowed me to return to the mansion. Knowing that this opportunity was not something guaranteed, I began to approach each game with a slightly different mindset than before. After experiencing complete elimination, perhaps my fear disappeared significantly? The thought arose: 'Since I have already lost everything once, let's try without regret in this newly gained opportunity.' From then on, I could play much more boldly. As a result, the moment that was the biggest crisis became the turning point that changed my play, and because I got another chance, I believe I was able to go until the end.

Q. Who was the player you were most wary of throughout the survival show, and who surprised you?

: The player I was most wary of was Hyung Lee Tae-gyun. The fact that he had already won 'Squid Game' Season 1 itself felt very significant, and I got the impression that he is someone who performs above average in any type of game that comes out, not just in brainpower and physical ability. Although there were parts on the broadcast where he was portrayed as somewhat weak in psychological warfare, when playing games together in reality, he turned out to be a player very strong in psychological warfare as well, making him appear to have no weaknesses in any overall field.

Conversely, regarding the aspect of thinking style, I felt Hyung Kwak Beom was 'playing by different rules.' Especially in the Mafia game, after seeing Park Ji-min, even with little information, he intuitively judged her as the mafia, and when he actually caught her correctly, I was impressed with the thought that 'one can reach the correct answer through such a method.' It was impressive how he utilized his sense of people and intuition so sharply in actual games.

Q. You have earned the title of the fourth winner of the 'Squid Game' series. How will you use the prize money, and what are your future plans?

: I believe that KAIST was the starting point for many opportunities I have been able to receive so far. In my first survival show, 'University War,' I was able to appear because I was a KAIST student, and in this 'Blood Game X,' I was able to get an opportunity to appear because there was an older-younger student relationship from KAIST between me and Hyung Heo Seong-beom. The ability to think mathematically without wavering even in extreme situations was also something I could develop significantly through studying and training at KAIST, so I believe this victory is 100% thanks to KAIST.

I decided to donate the entire 100 million won prize money to KAIST because I wanted to give back even a little of what I received. It was a very large sum of money for me, and it was not an easy decision to make, but that is precisely why I thought it had more meaning. I hope this money will become another opportunity for someone who will study at KAIST in the future. There are many things I want to do going forward. First, I plan to officially start my personal YouTube channel to show more diverse sides through content that I directly plan and produce. If there are good opportunities on broadcasts, I would like to appear with interesting faces and gradually accumulate experiences one by one.

Q. Finally, to the viewers who enjoyed 'Blood Game X'.

: To those who liked me, those who felt frustrated, and those who cursed while watching, I am truly grateful. (Laughs) While watching the broadcast, there were quite a few moments where I thought, "Why did I do that?" Nevertheless, at the time of filming, I was sincere in every moment, and I did my best to survive and win somehow. The fact that you watched this long process until the end, laughed with me, got angry with me, and cheered for me is truly something I am grateful for. While I will remember the result of 'victory' gained from 'Blood Game X' for a lifetime, I will also remember the people I met during the process, my experiences, and the interest sent by the viewers for a long time.

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*This content was translated by AI.