He just sits there. Subway platform. Suit perfectly pressed. A briefcase full of cash and two colored tiles. Gong Yoo’s character, known simply as the Salesman, is arguably the most terrifying part of the entire show. Why? Because he isn't a monster. He's a guy who looks like he's about to sell you a high-end insurance policy, but instead, he’s selling a fast track to a shallow grave.
People keep searching for the salesman death Squid Game connection because the internet is full of theories that he died, was a former winner, or is secretly running the whole show. Let's get the facts straight first. In the first season of the Netflix global phenomenon, the Salesman doesn't die. He’s the ghost in the machine. He appears, slaps the protagonist Seong Gi-hun a few dozen times, hands over a card, and vanishes into a departing train.
But there is a reason everyone is obsessed with his potential "death" or his dark history. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk has actually dropped real breadcrumbs about who this guy is. He isn’t just a random actor. He’s a former staff member who worked his way up.
The Salesman’s Backstory and the Squid Game "Death" Theories
There is a massive misconception that every worker in a pink jumpsuit is a "dead" player or a prisoner. That’s not quite how the lore works. According to Hwang Dong-hyuk in various interviews, the Salesman was once a trusted member of the game's staff. He earned the right to work in the outside world. He’s the "face" of the recruitment process because he looks trustworthy.
Think about the psychology. You’re in debt. You’re desperate. If a guy in a mask approached you, you’d run. But a handsome man in a suit? You’ll stay. You’ll play Ddakji. You’ll let him slap you for 100,000 won.
Why the "Salesman is Dead" Rumors Started
The internet loves a good conspiracy. One of the most popular theories involves the colors of the Ddakji tiles. Fans speculated that if Gi-hun picked the red tile, he’d become a worker (the pink/red suits), and if he picked blue, he became a player. This led to the idea that the Salesman is a "dead" version of a former winner who lost his soul to the game.
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Honestly? The director shot that down. The colors were based on a Korean folktale about a ghost in a bathroom offering red or blue paper. It’s about choice, but not a career path. The Salesman remains alive and well, appearing again in the final moments of Season 1, recruiting a new victim while Gi-hun watches in horror.
The Viral "Deleted Scene" Confusion
A lot of the search volume for salesman death Squid Game comes from a misunderstanding of a deleted scene or the "Front Man" backstory. We see In-ho (the Front Man) shoot his own brother. We see players falling to their deaths. We see organ harvesting. But the Salesman? He remains untouched.
He is the only character who operates in the "normal" world with total impunity. This suggests a level of protection from the VIPs that even the guards don't have. He’s an asset. You don’t kill your best recruiter.
The Real Danger of the Recruitment Process
The Salesman's "game" is the first stage of death. It's a filter. He doesn't just look for poor people; he looks for people who are willing to trade their physical dignity for money. Every slap Gi-hun takes is a preparation for the violence of the games. By the time the Salesman leaves, the victim is already "dead" to their old life. They’ve accepted that their body has a price tag.
What Season 2 Means for the Salesman
We know Gong Yoo is returning. The teasers for the second season show him again, briefcase in hand, going through the same chilling routine. The stakes are higher now because Gi-hun is hunting the game.
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If we are ever going to see a salesman death Squid Game moment, it’ll likely be in the upcoming episodes. Gi-hun isn't looking for the VIPs yet; he's looking for the guy who gave him the card. He's looking for the entry point.
- The Salesman represents the banality of evil.
- He is the bridge between the "real" world and the island.
- His survival is a testament to how deep the organization's roots go.
In the 2024 teasers, we see him back in his apartment, preparing for his "work day." This level of detail shows he isn't a mindless drone. He has a life. He has a routine. That makes him way scarier than the guys in the masks.
Analyzing the Ddakji Scene: A Masterclass in Manipulation
The scene at the subway station is roughly seven minutes of pure psychological warfare. The Salesman knows Gi-hun’s bank balance. He knows his debt to the loan sharks. He knows he missed his daughter's birthday. This isn't a random encounter.
The Salesman isn't playing a game of chance. He’s playing a game of attrition. He knows that eventually, the human ego breaks. When Gi-hun finally wins a round and gets to slap the Salesman back, the Salesman doesn't flinch. He smiles. He’s won. He has successfully turned a desperate man into a gambler again.
Can the Salesman actually be killed?
Within the logic of the show, anyone can die. But the Salesman is a symbol. If Gi-hun kills him, another one will just take his place. There are likely dozens of "salesmen" working the Seoul subway circuits, the bus terminals, and the dark corners of the city.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Theorists
If you're trying to track the Salesman’s trajectory in the new season, stop looking for "death" scenes and start looking for "transition" scenes.
- Watch the Suit: In Season 1, his suit is gray. In the Season 2 teasers, pay attention to the color palette. Changes in attire usually signal a shift in rank within the Squid Game hierarchy.
- The Card Variation: The phone number on the card in Season 1 was real (and caused a huge headache for a private citizen in Korea). Look for the new number or the QR codes in Season 2.
- The Gong Yoo Factor: You don't cast one of South Korea's biggest stars just to have him slap people. Expect a deep dive into his specific "promotion" from worker to recruiter.
The Salesman is the most successful villain because he gives the players what they think they want: a choice. But as the show proves, when you’re that desperate, a choice isn't really a choice at all. It’s just a slower way to die.
Keep an eye on the train schedules in the new season. The Salesman always leaves just as the doors close, a perfect metaphor for the opportunities he offers—they're always just out of reach, and they always leave you standing on the platform alone.
To stay ahead of the curve, re-watch the opening of episode one and the finale back-to-back. Notice how the Salesman's demeanor never changes. He is the only constant in a world of chaos. He doesn't fear the "death" everyone searches for because, in his mind, he’s already on the winning side of the glass.
Next Steps for Deep Lore Analysis: Focus on the "Staff Recruitment" theories. Director Hwang has hinted that the workers are recruited much like the players, but they likely pick the "Red" tile or come from military backgrounds. The Salesman is the evolution of that process. Track the hand movements during the Ddakji games in Season 2; there’s a high probability that the game itself is rigged to allow the victim a "small win" just to hook them into the larger tragedy.