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Netflix's new 2025 South Korean thriller Trigger begins in a serious mood of warning, showing us a fictional South Korea where illegal guns are pouring into a gun-ban society. The name itself, Trigger, promises confrontation and conflict. But Episode 1 sets the story on a more sedate, psychological track. Despite the tension and mounting threat, Yoo Jung-tae does not pull the trigger.
Yoo Jung-tae isn’t even the protagonist. While the episode leans into the emotional, political, and social weight of the “trigger” metaphor, the main character is Detective Lee Do (acted by Kim Nam-gil), a former military sniper who is now an investigator. Yoo Jung-tae (played by Woo Ji-hyun) makes a cameo, in contrast, as a civil service exam candidate.
His presence is more atmospheric than action-oriented, and there's no suggestion he comes into close contact with a gun in Episode 1.
Who actually holds the Trigger in Episode 1?
Anything other than what the title would have one expect, Episode 1 refrains from giving an all-throttle action series. Instead of opening with bullets being fired, it shows a more subdued and somber world where violence is about to erupt at any moment. The series' main protagonist, Lee Do, is in custody as authorities race to contain the deluge of illegal weapons circulating through black markets.
Yoo Jung-tae is introduced as a regular young man preparing for civil service exams. His character reflects the societal impact of the gun problem, rather than being directly involved in investigations. So, no, he doesn't fire the gun in Episode 1. There isn't even a hint that he ever comes close to waving a gun in the first episode.
Understanding the metaphorical use of the word 'Trigger'
The term trigger here carries many connotations. Of course, it refers to guns and shootings, but it also represents psychological weights, societal breakdown, and personal breaking points. With Lee Do, it is not so much pulling the trigger, but whether or not to flip back into the psychology of a soldier in a society that hardly knows why it's fighting.
In Episode 1, Lee Do labors meticulously, applying his detective skills instead of machismo. He's infuriated by the prospect of a gun-smuggling syndicate in a nation proud of keeping guns locked away. That restraint, even when he's in increasing peril, sets the tone for the remainder of the series. The trigger, for the moment, remains untripped, literally and metaphorically.
Does anyone pull the Trigger in Episode 1?
As per what can be inferred from official Netflix sources and trustworthy reviews, there are no gruesome shootouts or out-of-the-ordinary action scenes in Episode 1. The pilot episode instead works on the construction of a city at the precipice and a crime system at the edge of whether it can deal with a new type of crime.
Initial descriptions of the series do not portray a public square mass shooting, but mention increasing tension, political upheaval, and mysterious episodes of gunplay throughout Seoul. If shooting of any kind does happen in the first episode, it is minimal and for atmosphere, rather than to propel action. No protagonist is guaranteed to shoot a gun, and not Yoo Jung-tae, whose character is minor to date.
Detective Lee Do, as an old sniper, does not appear to lapse into violence either. The approach of the show is to prioritize suspense over spectacle.
Trigger as a psychological aid, and not merely a weapon
Episode 1 of Trigger suggests that political, social, and emotional triggers are just as significant as mechanical ones. Characters react not only to the availability of guns but also to growing paranoia and fear sweeping the masses. For Lee Do, the memory of his army service never leaves him. For characters such as Yoo Jung-tae, who are the typical citizens, the trigger might symbolize a breakdown in social trust.
The notion that anyone might be "triggered" in this new, volatile world is the essence of the story. It's not a question of who's packing, but who's nervous. The metaphor builds slowly, methodically, and horrifyingly. The tension isn't about cocking the trigger, it's about knowing that someone will.
What will Yoo Jung-tae's role be going forward
Even though Yoo Jung-tae is a behind-the-scenes figure in Episode 1, his own character may take on importance down the line in the series. As someone caught between civil society and disorder, he might symbolize the way the everyday citizen is impacted, or dirtied, by violence with guns. Guessing on that, though. From what we can tell in Episode 1, he doesn't fire a gun or provide firsthand commentary on the investigation.
So any rumination that Yoo Jung-tae "pulls the trigger" is grounded on neither official figures nor clips from Episode 1. He is not the show's main character, and his role in the story appears more atmospheric than active yet.
So does Yoo Jung-tae pull the trigger on Episode 1? No. And in fact, he can't. The detective on the case, who is investigating, is Lee Do, and even he doesn't react quickly. Episode 1 is all about tension slowly building, illegal guns that are out there, the stress on the police's psyche, and the societal breakdown that ensues when guns are brought into a society not accustomed to them.
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The trigger, whether the mechanism of a gun or an emotional breakdown, lurks unfired in this pilot episode. But it cannot be denied. And as the show goes on, that cocked and unfired trigger could become deadlier than any bullet.
Also read: Trigger ending explained: How illegal arms trade can give rise to anarchy
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