Gong Yoo’s Squid Game Season 2 Return Makes 1 Forgotten Storyline Much More Exciting

Summary

• Squid Game season 2 will premiere in 2024 and will pick up from where season 1 left off.
• Gong Yoo’s character, the Salesman, will be in season 2.
• The Salesman’s origins and role in the operation now that Ill-nam died are still mysteries, but the show’s creator has given him some backstory.

Squid Game’s Salesman, played by Gong Yoo, was one of season 1’s most intriguing characters and will now be revisited in season 2. Netflix has announced that Squid Game 2 will premiere in 2024, although a specific release date has yet to be revealed. The announcement was followed by the release of the first official Squid Game season 2 clip, which all but confirmed that there will not be a time jump, and that the story will pick up from where season 1’s finale left things off.

The Squid Game season 2 cast included a lot of new faces, which makes sense considering all of the players but Gi-hun died in season 1. Whether Squid Game will focus on a new game or on Gi-hun’s quest to bring down the operation is difficult to say, but the promotional material has so far focused on the latter. As such, Squid Game season 2 will likely reveal more about the inner workings of the show’s titular game, including the backstories of characters like the Front Man and the Salesman.

Gong Yoo’s Salesman Will Return In Squid Game Season 2

The Salesman first appeared in Squid Game episode 1

As confirmed by the Squid Game season 2 cast announcement video, Gong Yoo will reprise his role as the Salesman in the next chapter of the hit Netflix series. Not only is the Salesman officially returning in Squid Game 2, but he also seems to have a significant role in the second season based on the early promotional material. The Salesman is featured in one of the official Squid Game season 2 images shared by Netflix, not to mention how the first teaser trailer starts right after Gi-hun runs into the recruiter at the airport.

Gong Yoo’s Salesman only had two scenes in Squid Game, appearing in the first and final episodes of the first season as the recruiter who would invite people to the games. It is unclear whether Gong Yoo’s character is the only recruiter, but he is the one who brought Gi-hun into the games. During Squid Game season 1’s ending, Gi-hun sees the Salesman approaching someone at the airport and realizes this cycle of pain and misery will continue even after the death of Oh Il-nam, the creator of the games.

Gong Yoo’s most recent TV role was in Netflix’s The Silent Sea.

The Salesman Is Still One Of Squid Game’s Biggest Mysteries

Gong Yoo’s character only had a couple of scenes

There are a lot of theories about the Salesman’s origins and role in Squid Game, although the show’s creator has already given an overview of the character’s backstory. During an interview with The Chosun Ilbo, director Hwang Dong-hyuk explained that the Salesman was originally part of the games’ staff but became so trustworthy that he was given a position in the real world. Even when considering this piece of backstory, there is still a lot about the Salesman and his role in the Squid Game that could be explored in season 2, especially after Il-nam’s death.

For example, whereas the Front Man seems to have lost his faith in the world and believes the cruelty of the Squid Game is actually fair, the Salesman appears to be happy about doing what he does. Regardless if he was a previous Squid Game winner like the Front Man or just someone who worked for Il-nam’s operation, the Salesman may be far more sinister than the Front Man if Gong Yoo’s character does enjoy recruiting people for deadly games. Lastly, now that the game’s creator is dead, the Salesman might be even more important to the operation.

How Much Will Gong Yoo’s Salesman Be In Squid Game Season 2?

The Salesman could once again have a limited role

The fact that Gong Yoo is one of four Squid Game actors confirmed to return in season 2 – Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, and Lee Byung-hun being the other three – suggests that he will have a larger role in the sequel series compared to the first season. Additionally, the Salesman appearing in all of the promotional material for Squid Game season 2 so far also indicates that there will be more of him now compared to season 1. The Netflix show will have to start a new story mostly from scratch, and having returning characters can always help.

That said, the Salesman is a character who arguably works better if there is not too much information available on him. Season 2 is already expected to explore the Front Man’s backstory now that his identity has been confirmed, meaning that it may be better to keep Gong Yoo’s character a mystery box for now. Having more scenes between the Salesman and Gi-hun would be great, especially because Player 456’s journey begins the moment he meets the recruiter. Squid Game season 2 can go in many directions, but the Salesman’s return couldn’t be more exciting.

Sources: The Chosun Ilbo

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