After the huge success of the series “Squid Game” – the production from South Korea released in 2021 is still the most successful series in the history of Netflix – the streaming service wants to follow suit: Netflix is currently shooting a reality show in Great Britain, in which 456 participants: inside from all over the world compete to win $4.56 million (about 4.2 million euros).
Of course, it’s not about life or death like in the series, but adverse conditions prevail on the set of “Squid Game: The Challenge”, if the reports of some candidates are to be believed. Some players made serious allegations against Netflix to “Rolling Stone”. “It was the cruelest, meanest thing I’ve ever experienced,” claimed one contestant. He described the games as a “human horse race”, in which the participants were also treated like horses.
In order to win the cash prize, the contestants must prove themselves in the same children’s games as in the series. Whoever loses in a game is eliminated. However, that was not the problem at all, explained one participant. Rather, he attested to the organizers’ “incompetence”, which led to “torment and trauma”.
The core allegation of the eliminated participants, who all wanted to remain anonymous with reference to their contracts with Netflix: Netflix and the production companies involved are said to have manipulated the games. Some players – especially some well-known influencers – are said to have been preferred so that they can make it to the next round.
In the case of others who would have made it to the finish line in time in the “Red Light, Green Light” game, the artificial blood containers under their clothing are said to have burst. These are intended to give the impression that the losers would be shot as in the series. The players call this process the “38-second massacre”. It should also have been noticeable that the return flights of some players had already been booked for the day after their elimination before the start of the competitions. According to Rolling Stone, Netflix declined to comment on the allegations.
Participants had previously complained about the conditions after having to endure nine hours in an airplane hangar in freezing temperatures. Three people required medical treatment. “It was like being in a war zone,” one participant told the English tabloid The Sun. “People broke down in tears.” (Read more here.)
The participants who spoke to “Rolling Stone” also confirmed these abuses. “I was shaking like I was standing on top of Mount Everest with nothing on,” said one player. Paramedics should not have helped the collapsed candidates in order not to ruin the filming. One contestant called the reality show “inhuman”: “It plays with your morals. It’s sick, just sick.”
The 456 participants all came with the big dream of winning the jackpot of four and a half million dollars – with this prospect, as many as possible would have lasted as long as possible. The frustration is great for the sources cited by “Rolling Stone”. “Instead of ‘Squid Game’ we’re calling it ‘Rigged Game’ now. And instead of Netflix we’re saying ‘Net Fix’ because it was so obvious,” says annoyed Player. One even suggested that he would have preferred to take part in the real, deadly “Squid Game” where the conditions were “fair and equal”.
Quellen: “Rolling Stone” / “The Sun” / BBC
