Disclaimer: This article includes mention of violence.
On December 26, 2024, Netflix’s popular Korean thriller series Squid Game made a comeback with its much awaited second season. Numerous renowned characters, such as the Recruiter, played by Gong Yoo, made a comeback in it.
With Seong Gi Hun (Lee Jung Jae) and members of the loan shark business Sunshine Capital looking for him, Gong Yoo received a lot more screen time in Season 2.
All that is visible to viewers is the Recruiter placing the gun to his chin and hearing a gunshot before everything goes dark. As the policeman tries to arrest Gi Hun for the supposed murder of the Recruiter, who is seen looking bloodied and dead, Choi Woo Seok (Jun Suk Ho) of Sunshine Capital knocks Hwang Jun Ho (Wi Ha Joon) unconscious at the start of Episode 2, “Halloween Party.”
Despite the fact that Gong Yoo’s character died and would not be seen again for the remainder of the series, viewers complimented his performance in these initial episodes.
However, a few astute viewers noticed a feature that led some to speculate that the Recruiter would make a comeback. After being thrown down a cliff in Season 1, Jun Ho made a comeback in Season 2.
The Recruiter’s eyes seem to open in this moment at the start of Episode 2 when Gi Hun and Woo Seok converse.
Given Gong Yoo’s history, some people thought this was a planned move, while others questioned whether it was an error on the actor’s behalf. It was interpreted by many fans as a sign that the character would make a comeback.
The Recruiter’s eyes remained open even when Woo Seok approached him to scold him for killing his boss, suggesting that neither the editor nor the actor made a mistake. He didn’t flinch at all.
But it also doesn’t imply the recruiter is coming back. The Recruiter’s eyes most likely opened spontaneously as he passed away because this is a typical occurrence.
“As a person nears death, their eyes may open – even if only slightly. This happens because of a decrease in muscle tone. The relaxation of facial muscles (as well as medications) can also impact whether or not a person opens their eyes (and starts to move other parts of their body).
This may also explain why some people’s eyes remain open after death. Researchers have also noted that eyes that remain open at the time of death could be due to certain illnesses (like ones that impact the central nervous system, for example).” quoted Willed.
