LOS ANGELES — Netflix had a huge hit with 2021’s action drama series Squid Game and now they’ve spun it into a reality competition series, Squid Game: The Challenge.
Unlike the original series, it’s not a “to the death” competition but it is grueling. Many of the contestants have taken to social media after being eliminated to discuss filming conditions.
I was able to catch up with the top 12 and — without spoiling the finish — spoke with them about the overall themes.
Bee, one of the 456 competitors, says she was pleasantly surprised at the end of each day.
"I think it was amazing to see, even outside of the games when people had made decisions that may have been a little cutthroat or backstabby, the grudges were not carried to the dorms," she said.
Her opponent T.J. agrees.
"You know they could have been cutthroat, they could have been asinine, but they came together," he said.
Mai, a fan favorite who many believe will win, is a 55-year-old Vietnamese refugee.
"In real life you have choices. If you don't like something, you just leave. In the game, in the challenge, you don't have that choice. You have to make it or leave it," she said.
3 things to know about the series:
- The original was set in Korea with mostly locals participating. This series has 20 different countries represented in the 456 players.
- The games are not without controversy. Many stories of unbearable conditions on set were released by some of the earliest eliminated contestants.
- People are lining up to experience the Squid Game trials in real life. If you dare, next time you're in LA, check out SquidGameTrials.com to go on set and put your own trial skills to the test.
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