Netflix
During their TUDUM event on Sunday — basically their in-house version of Comic-Con — Netflix unveiled the first trailer for their Squid Game reality TV show, titled Squid Game: The Challenge.
Based on the South Korea thriller that became one of the biggest shows in the world when it first debuted back in 2021, Squid Game: The Challenge sees 456 players competing for a cash prize of $4.56 million, which Netflix claims is the biggest prize in the history of competition reality TV.
“The world’s most notorious game becomes reality,” the clip teases as the contestants are seen being sent out to play “Red Light Green Light”, one of the most infamous games from the dystopian South Korean series.
This November, the game you love becomes reality. #TUDUM has your first sneak peek at how the brand new competition series, Squid Game: The Challenge is coming to life. pic.twitter.com/UZWBnOIwoF
— Netflix (@netflix) June 17, 2023
During the production of the series, reports indicated that “a number of contestants collapsed” on set and had to be treated by medics, according to Variety. In a statement, Netflix said they took “all the appropriate precautions” when making the show.
“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 after care for contestants – and an independent adjudicator is overseeing each game to ensure it’s fair to everyone.”
In addition to the first look at Squid Game: The Challenge, Netflix also released the first teaser for the highly-anticipated second season of the main Squid Game series, which confirmed that season one stars Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, Gong Yoo will be returning for this latest batch of episodes.
Following its initial release back in September 2021, Squid Game became Netflix’s most-watched series of all time, beating out the likes of Stranger Things 4, the first season of Wednesday, and various seasons of hit series such as Money Heist and Bridgerton.
According to Netflix, Squid Game: The Challenge will release in November. Season two of Squid Game, however, does not have an official release date.