Netflix
It’s been a decade since Netflix first reaped the benefits of entering the Original Content Game after House of Cards landed with a splash on the platform that had previously relied on DVD rentals and licensing deals to attract customers.
That marked the start of a fairly impressive stretch where the “Netflix Original” label was practically synonymous with “compelling television.” That may no longer be the case, but the company has still been able to produce a number of fairly unexpected hits—including Squid Game, the South Korean series that took the world by storm after it dropped on September 17, 2021.
For the uninitiated, Squid Game revolves around a dystopian tournament where 456 contestants are tasked with competing in a variety of simple childhood competitions in a quest to win ₩45.6 billion (around $35 million). While that jackpot gives them plenty of incentive to win, the biggest motivator for the participants is knowing they’ll die a violent death if they lose.
It came as no surprise that Netflix scrambled to figure out how to capitalize on one of the most popular shows it’s ever released. The company quickly gave a second season the…green light (get it?), and it also opted to basically ignore the show’s message about the lengths people will go to in order to make money in a capitalistic society by announcing its plans to film a reality show inspired by the series.
While Netflix obviously opted to remove the whole “you die if you fail” aspect from the competition, it’s already caught a bit of heat for what’s transpired on the set where 456 people are competing for a grand prize of $4.56 million.
According to Deadline, things went a bit awry when the “Red Light, Green Light” segment was filmed in the United Kingdom this week, as some participants who spend hours enduring unexpectedly frigid temperatures were reportedly treated for frostbite and other ailments over the course of what sounded like a fairly tumultuous shoot.
Netflix attempted to downplay those accusations in a statement, saying:
“We care deeply about the health and safety of our cast and crew and invested in all the appropriate safety procedures.
While it was very cold on set—and participants were prepared for that—any claims of serious injury are untrue.”
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if this becomes a recurring issue.