Following in the footsteps of the massively successful Squid Game series, there were always going to be spin-offs that would take the premise and recreate it as a reality game show. Netflix has done just that with Squid Game: The Challenge. However, the show has somehow managed to find itself in hot water, with controversy surrounding the production
It almost writes itself, and it is easy to see why Squid Game would lend itself to a real-life counterpart — just ask Mr. Beast on YouTube, who pre-empted the series with his own version of the game too. However, the “official” version seems mired in worrying reports ahead of its November release.
Squid Game: The Challenge Format Explained
The original Squid Game show was pretty much a phenomenon, capturing the imagination of people worldwide, and leading to Netflix subscriptions going through the roof.
The show followed contestants taking part in a bizarre survival game show, focussing on Seong Gi-hun, player number 456, on his journey through the game and the events that led him there in the first place.
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Squid Game: The Challenge mimics the games played in the TV show, but we are pretty sure that the contestants in this version of the show are not disposed of quite so permanently when they fail in the challenges.
However, that does not mean that the show has not had its own controversies surrounding it. The reality series was announced shortly after the success of the original version, in June 2022, and was quickly put into production, filming in two studios in the UK and produced by Netflix, Studio Lambert, and The Garden.
The unscripted show will also mimic the TV series with 456 contestants competing to win an incredible cash prize of 4.56 million dollars.
Games such as Red Light Green Light and Dalgona Cookie will all be part of the show.
What’s the Controversy Behind Squid Game: The Challenge?
Ironically, it seems that some of the contestants on the show have complained about their treatment while appearing on it.
The show was filmed in large studios in the UK, and The Sun would report that many people complained that they were left freezing in a large airplane hanger that was located in Bedfordshire in the UK while recording one of the games.
After the initial complaints, it did not take long for other outlets to report the news, and manage to find eliminated players from the game that complained about the conditions.
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Filming in the UK was always going to be problematic with the country being notorious for its bad weather, and typically it seems that filming for the series took place during a particularly nasty cold snap that hit the country, leaving those involved freezing while taking part.
Emergency services were allegedly called to remove players from the set, some on stretchers, and it was reported that Britain’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) contacted producers after receiving concerns about conditions during the filming of the show.
What did the players say on the show?
It did seem that the extreme cold was the main complaint on the show.
An article in Variety states that players were upset with the producers when they were told that the game would take around two hours to film, but instead, the shoot lasted seven hours in freezing conditions.
One interview with a British player called John would say it was more akin to a “Bear Grylls survival show” than a game show.
Another contestant would admit she did not see anyone stretchered off, but did state, “The conditions were absolutely inhumane and had nothing to do with the game.”
What did the producers of the show say about the Squid Game controversy?
In February, Netflix, Studio Lambert, and The Garden released a statement about the show’s production, saying,
“We care deeply about the health of our cast and crew and the quality of this show. Any suggestion that the competition is rigged or claims of serious harm to players are simply untrue. We’ve taken all the appropriate safety precautions, including aftercare for contestants – and an independent adjudicator is overseeing each game to ensure it’s fair to everyone.”
They added that “while it was very cold on set – and participants were prepared for that – any claims of serious injury are untrue.” The statement continued, “We care deeply about the health and safety of our cast and crew and invested in all the appropriate safety procedures.”
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