Real life Squid Game contestant claims they were woken up in the night and subjected to ‘distressing’ conditions

The ‘real life’ version of Squid Game currently being filmed has been accused of trying to distress the contestants participating in the show.

Netflix is working on Squid Game: The Challenge, a show which aims to follow the format of the hit Korean drama, albeit without the lethal punishments for losing any of the games.

Just like the original Squid Game, there are 456 contestants aiming to play their way through a series of games to win a huge amount of money.

A prize pot of $4.56 million (almost £3.7 million) is on offer for the winner, making it the most lucrative reward ever offered by a reality show.

Of course in Squid Game when someone lost they were killed off, and obviously that’s not going to happen in a real life recreation of the games from the show so participants are wearing a special ‘blood vest’ which simulates their deaths.

However, it sounds like some of the people who have competed in the show very much did not enjoy their experience, following reports of contestants being 'left in tears' and some having to be carried out by medics after playing the 'Red Light, Green Light' game in freezing temperatures.

Siren Pictures / Album / Alamy Stock Photo

Contestants who participated in the first round of the real life Squid Game have told LADbible they did not feel as though they had been properly prepared for the cold weather, and claimed the show was 'trying to distress us as much as possible'.

They said that contestants were 'not allowed to talk to each other' while in the hotel and were served ‘weird’ food before setting off for the studio, with a supposed final meal involving Brussels sprouts, baked beans and kidney beans on the menu.

Some participants thought they were being served food that would upset their stomach and suspected someone was 'trying to make us s**t ourselves'.

Contestants also disputed Netflix's statement saying they had been 'prepared' for the cold temperatures, claiming the preparation hadn't gone beyond being supplied with thermals and said 'the only reference to cold was to bring a warm jacket for in-between filming'.

One participant said the statement from the streaming service was 'absolutely lying about preparing for the cold' as 'everybody was shaking their arse off'.

The first challenge in Squid Game: The Challenge was filmed at Cardington Studios, Bedfordshire, a former RAF base which did little to prevent contestants from feeling the freezing cold temperatures.

Describing what it was like to be on the reality show, participants said they entered an area to play 'Red Light, Green Light' which was the 'spitting image of the one on the show' complete with painted walls and a giant statue of a girl whose head turns and sings.

Rather than the commands of 'red light' and 'green light' she sang the song viewers who saw Squid Game in the original Korean will be familiar with, and contestants say they soon figured out they’d only get a few seconds each time to move.

Andrew Fox / Alamy Stock Photo

Between each period of movement contestants said they had to pause and stay as still as possible so closeups could be filmed, and they were told this would mean they’d couldn't move in the freezing cold for 10-15 minutes each time.

However, they said the first two times they paused in between the few seconds of movement they actually had to wait around 20 minutes, and the third time they stopped it was closer to 40 minutes.

They said between the few seconds they were able to move contestants were shouting for medics to come and help them in the freezing cold as they were 'shaking like a leaf' and 'freezing our balls off'.

One person said it was so cold that 'the crew were wearing triple clothing and hugging each other for warmth'.

The BBC reported that three people received treatment for what Netflix called 'mild medical conditions', and the streaming giant released a statement concerning filming for Squid Game: The Challenge.

They said: "While it was very cold on set – and participants were prepared for that – any claims of serious injury are untrue.

"We care deeply about the health and safety of our cast and crew, and invested in all the appropriate safety procedures."

The BBC also noted that the East of England Ambulance Service had not been called to the studios where the reality show is being filmed.

LADbible has contacted Netflix for further comment.

Topics: Netflix, TV and Film, UK News

Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

@MrJoeHarker