Key Points:
- Squid Game season 2, episode 1 delves into the Salesman’s backstory, shedding light on Gong Yoo’s mysterious character.
- The Salesman began as a low-level masked guard before becoming the recruiter for the games.
- His backstory reveals a dark history, including having to kill his own father during the games.
- The Salesman’s worldview and motivations are explored, showcasing his belief that desperate people are “miserable trash” deserving of their fate.
The Salesman’s Rise In Squid Game Season 2
In Squid Game season 2, episode 1, Gi-hun’s relentless two-year search for the Salesman culminates in a confrontation that uncovers the recruiter’s chilling backstory. The episode reveals that the Salesman began his journey within the organization as a low-ranking masked guard, tasked with burning the bodies of deceased contestants. Gong Yoo’s character recounts how he “spent years burning bodies,” which marked the beginning of his indoctrination into the games’ ruthless system.
Over time, his dedication did not go unnoticed. After being handed a gun, a pivotal moment he describes as “finally being seen,” the Salesman climbed the ranks, transitioning from a mere enforcer to the face of recruitment. By 2020, a year before Gi-hun entered the competition, the Salesman had assumed the role of recruiter, seeking out vulnerable individuals and convincing them to join the deadly games. This progression highlights the recruiter’s unwavering commitment to the operation and his ability to thrive within its morally bankrupt framework.
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The Salesman’s Darkest Moment
One of the most haunting revelations about the Salesman’s past involves a game where he was forced to kill his own father. As a guard, he was responsible for executing players who lost. During one of these executions, he realized that the man he was about to kill was his father. Despite this shocking discovery, the Salesman did not hesitate. He coldly executed his father, an act that cemented his loyalty to the organization and his belief in its ideology.
This traumatic event not only solidified his place within the hierarchy but also revealed his detachment from familial bonds and basic humanity. For the Salesman, this moment was less a tragedy and more a test of his dedication—one he passed without remorse. It exemplifies how the games strip their participants and enforcers of their humanity, reducing them to tools for the organization’s survival.
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The Salesman’s Philosophy
Unlike many masked guards who join the games out of financial desperation, the Salesman’s motivations go beyond money. His worldview is revealed through a chilling monologue in episode 1, where he declares his disdain for “miserable people” and labels them as “trash.” According to the recruiter, those who are desperate or downtrodden lack the will to live and therefore deserve their fate in the games.
This twisted ideology drives his actions and justifies his role as the recruiter. He demonstrates his beliefs through cruel experiments, such as offering homeless individuals the choice between bread and a lottery ticket. For the Salesman, their preference for the ticket symbolizes their willingness to gamble with fate, reinforcing his belief that they are unworthy of empathy. These manipulative tactics illustrate the depth of his moral corruption and his complete alignment with the games’ exploitative ethos.
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Gi-hun’s Encounter with the Salesman
Gi-hun’s quest to dismantle the games brings him face-to-face with the Salesman in a tense showdown. Despite being ambushed by Gi-hun’s men, the Salesman effortlessly outmaneuvers them, forcing them into a deadly game of Russian Roulette combined with Jokenpo. This encounter underscores the recruiter’s confidence and mastery over psychological manipulation, as he toys with his captors even when outnumbered.
When Gi-hun demands answers, the Salesman responds with scorn, challenging the protagonist’s resolve and questioning his understanding of the games’ purpose. This confrontation sets the stage for a larger conflict between Gi-hun and the organization, with the Salesman serving as both a formidable adversary and a tragic embodiment of the system’s dehumanizing effects.
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The Salesman’s backstory also adds complexity to his character, elevating him from a mere antagonist to a symbol of the games’ corrupting influence.
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