"I got vicarious satisfaction" — Squid Game 2's Gong Yoo comments on his cathartic experience of playing the character, Ddakji Man

On February 25, Squid Game 2's Gong Yoo sat down for an interview with W Korea alongside his photoshoot for the magazine's latest edition. During the conversation, the actor discussed various topics, including his thoughts as a Louis Vuitton ambassador, his recent acting projects, and more.

One of the key topics of the interview was his role in the K-drama series Squid Game and its much-anticipated second season. Gong Yoo played the role of the recruiter of the game played in the series. Given that the character had unique personality traits and functionality in the Squid Game, in comparison to the players of the series, the interviewer was naturally curious about how he tackled playing the character.

One of the questions posed was whether he felt any thrill while playing the character. The actor replied:

"With Ddakji Man as my character, I could express myself more boldly. I did feel ecstatic, and it was exan citing and thrilling experience. I wondered if I had a lot of pent-up anger inside me (laughs). I used the character to let out the anger, but something might have been bottled up deep inside me."

The interviewer followed up by asking whether he was able to unleash a side of himself that he never imagined to exist. To this, he replied:

"I actually knew about the dark side within me (laughs). I’m sure I knew it. I have cynicism and residue toward the world deep inside me. I got vicarious satisfaction from venting my anger through the character."

---

Squid Game 2's Gong Yoo opens up on his character, Ddakji Man, in a recent interview with W Korea

Squid Game is a South Korean survival series that premiered on Netflix in 2021. Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the show primarily follows Seong Gi-hun, played by South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae.

The show revolves around a group of financially struggling individuals who participate in a deadly competition based on children's games. While the recruiter, played by Gong Yoo, lures them in with the promise of a massive cash prize, they soon realize that the stakes of these games are deadly high.

Following the success of its first season, the second season was rolled out in December 2024, with new characters, plot twists, and more. The third and final season is set to premiere on June 27 on Netflix. Amid the show's ongoing popularity, Gong Yoo's interview with W Korea gave fans deeper insight into his experience playing the character.

He talked about how he was happy to see many compliments on his portrayal of the character pop up on the internet and also credited the other crew members, like editors and directors, who added more dimension to the character. When asked about his role, the actor stated that he mostly felt like an outsider in the series.

Since Gong Yoo's character was only a cameo in the first season, he stated that he couldn't relate much to the success and praise Squid Game 1 received. However, in the second season, he had more control over his performance, as his character, Ddakji Man, remained separate from the main cast.

He stated:

"First, Ddakji Man is simple and straightforward character. That’s a comfortable condition for an actor. Since the director had already made a clear character, my only job was to follow the script. Since my character was a supporting role featured in only one episode, I didn’t have to think about the entire series."

Gong Yoo continued:

"Usually, I have to consider the entire scene from beginning to end. I always have to keep in mind how my character is intertwined with others and what tone and attitude I should maintain for each scene. It’s a matter of consistency and balance. For Squid Game Season 2, all I had to do was to think of my character and acting. It was straightforward, and I was free from unnecessary thoughts."

When asked if he took any references for his performance, given the uniqueness of the character, Gong Yoo revealed that he mostly freestyled his acting for this character and greatly enjoyed the same. He also referred to a talk he had with author Noh Hee-kyung about how it was only natural for actors to show 120% of their acting while playing characters like Ddakji Man.

Gong Yoo stated that he added his own twist to this theory. He said:

"Since viewers are already aware that the character is abnormal, they simply accept the character and think, ‘that character is completely crazy,’ no matter how the actor expresses the character. I usually express 70% to 80% rather than 100% of the character, hoping the viewers will fill in the rest with their own emotions. This time, I was free from that kind of restriction or concern, and it was a refreshing experience. It felt like doing freestyle rap or choreography."

---

Following the interview, many fans and netizens continued to praise Gong Yoo for his performance in Squid Game seasons 1 and 2.