He’s the guy who started it all with a slap. You know the one. Sharp suit, perfect hair, and a stack of red and blue ddakji cards that felt more like a death warrant than a playground game. When Gong Yoo first appeared on that subway platform in Squid Game, most of us just saw a handsome cameo. We figured he was there to lend some star power and disappear.
We were wrong. Very wrong.
Honestly, the way Gong Yoo played "The Salesman" (officially known as The Recruiter) changed how we look at the entire series. He wasn't just some guy in marketing for a murder island. He was the gateway. He was the one who looked at Gi-hun—and by extension, the audience—and asked how much our dignity was worth. Turns out, it's about 100,000 won and a red mark on the cheek.
Why Gong Yoo Still Matters in the Squid Game Universe
It’s easy to forget that Gong Yoo took this role as a favor. He’d worked with director Hwang Dong-hyuk back in 2011 on the harrowing film Silenced. That movie was so intense it actually got laws changed in South Korea. When Hwang asked him to do a "small part" in his new Netflix project, Gong Yoo basically said yes because of their history. He thought it’d be a fun, quick thing.
Then the show exploded.
Suddenly, everyone was obsessed with the man who slapped Lee Jung-jae. The "Salesman" became a meme, a Halloween costume, and the subject of a thousand Reddit theories. Was he the son of the old man, Oh Il-nam? Was he a former winner who blew all his money? The mystery was almost better than the truth, but the truth we eventually got in the later seasons was much darker.
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The Secret History of the Recruiter
If you’ve kept up with the lore through 2024 and 2025, you know the "Salesman" wasn't always a high-roller in a tailored suit. He didn't just walk into the job. He earned it. Or, more accurately, he was broken into it.
The character actually started as a low-level masked guard. Think about that for a second. The guy who looks like a CEO used to be one of the faceless "circle" or "triangle" workers burning bodies in the incinerator. Director Hwang eventually confirmed that he was a trusted staff member who rose through the ranks because of his absolute lack of empathy.
The Moment That Changed Him
There’s a specific, brutal detail about his past that most people missed or forgot. During his time as a soldier in the games, he was tasked with executing a losing player. When he leaned in, he realized the man was his own father.
He didn't hesitate. He pulled the trigger.
That "bang" wasn't just the end of a life; it was the birth of the Recruiter. He realized he was "cut out" for the games because he felt nothing. To him, the people he recruits aren't human beings with families. They’re just "trash" that needs to be cleaned up. He views his ddakji games in the subway as a way to prove that the poor are inherently greedy and deserve whatever happens to them. It’s twisted, but it makes him a much scarier villain than the Front Man in some ways.
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What Most People Get Wrong About His Role
A lot of fans thought the color of the card he offered Gi-hun decided their role in the game. Blue card for player, red card for guard. It was a great theory. It went viral.
But it wasn't true.
The director debunked this, explaining that the card colors were just based on a classic Korean folk tale. The real "choice" isn't about the color; it's about the desperation. Gong Yoo’s character isn't looking for people who pick the "right" card. He’s looking for people who are so far gone they’ll let a stranger hit them for cash.
Why was he so good at ddakji?
He wasn't cheating. He was just practiced. He’s played that game thousands of times against people who are hungry, tired, and distracted by debt. He has the luxury of being calm. His victims are playing for their lives; he’s just playing for a "dog" in the system.
Gong Yoo in 2026: Beyond the Suit
While we’re all still reeling from his final, chilling scenes in the Squid Game saga, Gong Yoo has moved on to projects that are equally ambitious. As of early 2026, he’s been filming the Netflix period drama Show Business (also known by the working title Slowly and Intense).
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This isn't a thriller. It’s a massive, big-budget look at the Korean entertainment industry between the 1950s and 1980s. He’s starring alongside Song Hye-kyo, which is basically a dream pairing for K-drama fans. It’s a total shift from the cold-blooded recruiter. He’s playing a man named Dong Gu, navigating the "savagery" of the early days of show biz.
It’s interesting to see him go from playing a literal predator in Squid Game to a character trying to survive the cutthroat world of 1960s fame. It shows his range. The guy can go from "heartthrob" in Coffee Prince to "cold-blooded killer" in Squid Game without breaking a sweat.
The Actionable Insight: How to Watch Like an Expert
If you’re going back to rewatch the series or catching up on the final chapters, don't just look at Gong Yoo’s face. Look at his hands.
The Recruiter is a character defined by control. Every movement is calculated. Notice how he never loses his cool, even when Gi-hun finally wins a round. He’s the only person in the entire show who seems to truly believe the games are moral. He thinks he’s doing the world a favor by thinning the herd.
Next steps for the ultimate Gong Yoo fan:
- Watch 'Silenced' (2011): If you want to see the "spark" that led to the Squid Game collaboration. It's heavy, but it explains why the director trusts him with such dark material.
- Look for the "Lollipop" clues: In his Season 2 appearances, pay attention to the small items he carries. They often mirror the "rewards" he offers the homeless, showing his god complex.
- Track the 2026 releases: Keep an eye out for Show Business. It’s expected to drop in the latter half of 2026 and is rumored to be one of the most expensive K-dramas ever produced.
The "Salesman" might be gone from the subway, but his impact on how we view hero-villain dynamics is going to stick around for a long time. He made us realize that the scariest monsters don't wear masks—they wear Tom Ford suits and offer you a game of cards.