Squid Game Season 2 reveals the Salesman’s unhinged backstory in “crazy” scene

Before Gi-hun returns to the games in Squid Game Season 2, he tracks down the Salesman (Gong Yoo), the ddakji recruiter from the first season – and he is crazy.

That shouldn’t be a surprise. He had an unsettling aura in Squid Game Season 1 and a penchant for casual cruelty; he knew Gi-hun would lose ddakji, but he encouraged Gi-hun to play anyway, and took great joy in slapping him in the face over and over again.

However, he’s a pivotal figure in the operation of the games every year. While the Front Man and the guards are tucked away on a private island, the Salesman wanders the real world, honing in on the destitute and recruiting them as players. That’s why Gi-hun needs to find him first; he could lead him straight to the boss.

However, he doesn’t give him any answers. Instead, he kills one of his men in a twisted game of Russian Roulette and dares Gi-hun to play against him, and we find out how he got his job. Warning: spoilers ahead!

The Salesman is Squid Game Season 2’s most unhinged character

Netflix

Season 2 gives us a disturbing insight into the Salesman’s life beyond Squid Game. When he isn’t recruiting players, he preys on homeless people with an immoral game of choice called Bread or Lottery.

He offers them two options: a scratch card or something to eat. They can only pick one, and rather depressingly, the vast majority pick the scratchcard (and none of them win anything). Soon after, the Salesman empties out all of the food onto the ground and stomps on it.

“I gave you a choice, and you made your choice,” he explains to them. “I’m not the one who threw these away. It was you, ladies and gentlemen.”

Later, he realizes he’s being followed by two of Gi-hun’s men – so he knocks them out, ties them up, and forces them to play a combination of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Minus One, and Russian Roulette with a big smile on his face.

The Salesman killed his father in a Squid Game competition

Netflix

Gi-hun finds the Salesman in his building at the end of the first episode, where they play Russian Roulette. Gi-hun says he’s nothing but a dog who follows his master’s orders, but it becomes quickly evident that the Salesman loves his job.

“How do you think I got to where I am now? I used to work in the games when I was younger,” he explains.

“I removed and burned the bodies of countless people like you. ‘These things aren’t human. They’re just trash, utterly useless in this world.’ I kept telling myself that and worked hard for a few years. Then they gave me a gun. It felt pretty good, like my existence was acknowledged for the first time in my life.

Netflix

“I don’t know which year it was, but one day, I was about to shoot a man who had lost a game. The guy seemed familiar. Guess who it was… my dad. My dad was suddenly standing right in front of me. He was in tears, desperately begging me to spare his life.

“I shot him in the middle of his forehead and realized, ‘Ah, I am cut out for this job.'”

By the end of the scene, Gi-hun survives, and the Salesman shoots himself in the head after losing Russian Roulette.

“This entire scene had me so transfixed even though the outcome was obvious,” one viewer wrote. “That scene was intense, man. He was one twisted dude but he stuck to his principles,” another commented.

“I forgot this was Gong Yoo bro… that was crazy acting holy sh*t,” a third wrote. “That Russian Roulette scene was absolute gold… holy f**king sh*t,” a fourth added.

If you’ve already watched it, check out our Squid Game Season 2 ending explained and find out what we know about Squid Game Season 3. You can also read more about Season 2’s most upsetting game and the show’s prize money.