Squid Game: The Challenge, a real-life reality show that utilizes the premise of the hit Korean drama series Squid Game has become extremely popular, and now that the series has come to an end, many are asking … please, sir, can I have some more?
Like the quoted Dickensian character, that is exactly what contestants were looking for when they entered the gameーmore. Many feel that a reality TV version of a show that served as a brutal and scathing indictment of capitalism is the pinnacle of irony and a shameless ploy on Netflix’s behalf. (Are we that surprised though?)
The trauma-inducing story created by director Hwang Dong-hyuk bowled the world over when it came to Netflix in 2021. Featuring desperate contestants willing to risk their lives for the chance to win a life-altering amount of money, the show highlights the brutality that is brought to the surface in a capitalist society where the suffering of the poor is literally the entertainment of the super-wealthy.
Squid Game: The Challenge, then, serves to further this view. We, the viewers, could be considered the wealthy who are being entertained by the misfortune of those less so (granted, having a laptop and a Netflix account hardly makes you one of the elite). At the end of the day, it is the giant corporation, Netflix, who is raking the money in off of these people’s suffering whilst dangling a whopping $4.5 million in front of them, bringing to life the very nightmare Hwang tore apart so deftly.
The reality show may not have had the same high stakes as the original show—Netflix doesn’t yet have the power to kill people for entertainment—but some contestants did require reportedly medical assistance, leading to several contestants taking steps to file a lawsuit claiming unsafe working conditions. Death might have been off the cards, but participants were so desperate for money that they pushed themselves to extremes.
Regardless, Squid Game: The Challenge was a success for the streaming platform, ranking at No. 1 on their Top 10 English TV list for the first two weeks of release. This has led to Netflix giving the second season the “green light” (I apologize, but I had to) for a second season.
In a press release reported by Vulture, Netflix vice-president Brandon Riegg stated, “We’re so excited to continue the franchise of Squid Game with our team in Korea, and producers at Studio Lambert and The Garden for this epic competition series.”
Casting is now open for season two over at squidgamecasting.com.
(featured image: Netflix)
