He’s just standing there.
A sharp grey suit, hair perfectly slicked back, and a smile that feels just a little too practiced. He isn't holding a gun or wearing a pink jumpsuit. He doesn't have a giant doll behind him ready to mow down hundreds of people in a field. Instead, he has two colored squares of paper and a briefcase full of cash.
That’s the brilliance of the Squid Game Gong Yoo cameo. It’s arguably one of the most calculated pieces of casting in modern television history.
When Netflix dropped Squid Game back in 2021, the world obsessed over the gore and the debt. But for anyone who actually knows Korean cinema, seeing Gong Yoo—the man from Train to Busan and Guardian: The Lonely and Great God—playing a cold-blooded recruiter was a total shock to the system. He’s the "Salesman." He’s the guy who lures the desperate into a meat grinder with a game of Ddakji and a few slaps to the face.
Honestly, he might be the most terrifying character in the whole series because he represents the "polite" face of exploitation.
The Slap Heard 'Round the World
Let’s talk about that subway scene. Most people focus on Gi-hun getting slapped repeatedly. It’s funny in a dark, twisted way. But look closer at how Gong Yoo plays it. He doesn't look angry. He doesn't look like he enjoys the violence, nor does he look disgusted by it. He looks like a middle manager at a logistics firm checking boxes.
That’s the Salesman's true power.
He targets people at their absolute lowest. He knows Gi-hun is broke. He knows he’s desperate. By offering a game that seems "fair"—I hit your paper, you get money; you hit mine, you get money—he establishes a false sense of agency. When Gi-hun can't pay the 100,000 won he loses, Gong Yoo offers a "physical payment." A slap.
It’s the first step in devaluing the human body. Once you've agreed that your face is worth 100,000 won, it’s a much smaller jump to agreeing that your life is worth a share of 45.6 billion won. Gong Yoo’s character is the gatekeeper of that moral erosion.
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Why It Had to Be Gong Yoo
Director Hwang Dong-hyuk didn't pick him just because they worked together on the 2011 film Silenced. He picked him because Gong Yoo is "Korea’s Shared Husband." He is the ultimate "good guy" in the eyes of the public. He’s charming. He’s safe.
If a guy who looked like a typical movie villain approached you in a subway station, you’d run. But when Squid Game Gong Yoo shows up looking like a billionaire who just wants to kill time, you stay. You listen. You might even play.
This is a classic psychological tactic used by real-world predatory lenders. Use a friendly face. Use a professional setting. Make the victim feel like they are entering a "partnership" rather than a trap.
The Mystery of the Suit
There’s a lot of fan theories about the colors of the Ddakji. You’ve probably heard the one where picking the blue paper makes you a player and the red paper makes you a guard. Director Hwang actually addressed this, saying it’s more of a reference to an old ghost story (the red paper or blue paper toilet ghost) than a literal plot point.
But the suit? The suit is key.
In a world of tracksuits and masks, the Salesman is the only one who looks like he belongs in the "real" world of high finance and corporate success. He bridges the gap between the gritty reality of Seoul's debt crisis and the surreal nightmare of the island. He is the salesman of death, but he dresses for a board meeting.
The Salesman's Return in Season 2
We know he’s coming back. The teaser for Squid Game Season 2 literally starts with him. He’s back in the suit. He’s checking his watch. He’s loading his briefcase with the same red and blue tiles.
But things are different now. Gi-hun isn't the same desperate man who was willing to be slapped for cash.
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When we see Squid Game Gong Yoo in the new footage, there’s a coldness that feels even more pronounced. He’s no longer just a cameo; he’s the face of the organization's persistence. Even though the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) runs the show on the island, Gong Yoo is the one who keeps the machine fed. Without the recruiter, the games die.
Is He a Player Who Won?
One of the biggest questions fans have is: Who is this guy?
There’s a theory that the Salesman is a former winner who chose to work for the organization instead of taking the money and running. It makes sense. He’s calm. He knows the stakes. He has an air of someone who has seen the worst of humanity and come out the other side with a paycheck.
Think about it. Why else would someone be so desensitized to slapping a stranger in a train station?
If he is a former winner, it adds a layer of tragedy to his character. He isn't just a villain; he’s a reflection of what Gi-hun could become if he loses his humanity. He’s the "successful" version of a survivor—someone who has fully integrated into the system that once tried to kill him.
Decoding the Recruitment Process
If you look at the real-life mechanics of how cults or high-pressure organizations recruit, the Salesman follows the manual to a T.
- Isolation: He finds Gi-hun alone at night.
- Love Bombing (with Cash): He gives immediate rewards for small tasks.
- Normalization of Pain: He makes the slaps feel like a joke or a fair trade.
- The Hook: He leaves a card with no name, just a symbol.
It’s brilliant writing. It shows that the "game" starts long before the players ever step onto the boat. The recruitment is the most honest part of the show because it’s the only time the players actually have a choice—even if that choice is an illusion created by their poverty.
What You Should Watch Next
If you’re obsessed with Gong Yoo’s performance here, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you only know him from Squid Game. His range is insane.
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- Silenced (2011): If you want to see him in a devastating, real-world drama about systemic corruption. Warning: it’s a hard watch.
- The Age of Shadows (2016): He plays a resistance leader in this spy thriller. It shows off his ability to handle tension and action.
- Guardian: The Lonely and Great God: This is the show that made him a global superstar. It’s the polar opposite of his Squid Game character—warm, immortal, and deeply romantic.
Seeing him in these roles makes his turn as the Salesman even more chilling. You see the "warmth" he usually uses to make audiences fall in love, but here, it’s being used as a weapon.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
With Season 2 approaching, the role of the recruiter is going to be scrutinized more than ever. Here is how you can stay ahead of the curve and spot the clues the show is dropping:
Watch the "Watch"
In the Season 2 teasers, Gong Yoo’s character is very focused on his watch. In the first season, time was a luxury the players didn't have. For the Salesman, time is just a metric. Pay attention to whether he’s on a strict schedule or if he’s waiting for someone specific.
The Suit Variations
In the first season, his suit was a sharp, neutral grey. If his wardrobe changes in Season 2, it might indicate a change in his rank within the organization. In many hierarchical systems (including the one in the show), color coding is everything.
The Phone Number
Remember the chaos when the phone number on the card turned out to be a real person's number? Netflix had to edit that out. In the new season, expect the "contact" method to be much more high-tech or cryptic.
Gi-hun's Revenge
Gi-hun told him, "I’m going to find you." The dynamic has shifted from predator/prey to hunter/hunter. When they finally face off again, don't expect a game of Ddakji. Expect a psychological battle over who really holds the power.
The Salesman isn't just a guy with a briefcase. He’s the personification of a system that treats humans like data points. And as long as there is debt and desperation, Squid Game Gong Yoo will always have a job to do.
Keep an eye on the subway. You never know who’s carrying a briefcase.