Netflix has dropped the first trailer and the launch date of Squid Game: The Challenge, the reality TV show version of the smash hit K-drama that rocked the world in 2021.
At stake is the prize money of USD 4.56 million, for which 456 contestants from around the world will have to battle it out in a series of games inspired by Squid Game — the most watched Netflix series of all time.
In its announcement on 22 September, Netflix said that the cash prize is the largest in reality television history.
All about ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’
Tough challenges but not a ‘matter of life and death’
The competitors hear the words “Mugunghwa kkochi piotsseumnida” (“the Hibiscus flower has bloomed”) in that distinctively eerie voice of the animatronic doll in the reality-show version of ‘Red Light, Green Light’ from the series. But, of course, there will not be any ‘deaths’ involved.
The reality TV series “isn’t a matter of life or death,” Netflix reminded. But the competition will be tough.
“Through a series of games, each player will be pushed to their limits and forced to ask themselves just how far they’ll go to win, with opportunistic alliances, cutthroat strategies and timely betrayals to follow,” added the streaming giant.
Trailer shows guards and contestants in a huge maze-like setting
The first trailer, released on 22 September, shows a large group of contestants wearing the distinctive green uniform of the helpless characters from the K-drama.
The pink-uniformed ‘guards’ can also be seen in the trailer as contestants navigate a maze-like path to the arenas. The USD 4.56 million is seen in a large globe-shaped glass piggy bank.
Some contestants can be seen with expressions of amazement. A contestant is heard saying, “4.56 million dollars? People do a whole lot worse for a whole lot less.”
Exactly which games the contestants will be part of is not clear. But Netflix has said there will be some new games alongside the familiar ones.
In a poetic final shot of the trailer, the contestants are seen charging towards the doll.
When will Squid Game: The Challenge premiere?
Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge reality show will be a 10-episode competition show. It will premiere on 22 November 2023.
The series was filmed in the UK. It is produced by Studio Lambert and The Garden.
The reality show is set to further increase the anticipation around Squid Game Season 2. Netflix had in its Tudum event in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on 17 June 2023, revealed a slew of new actors who would be joining some of the Season 1’s cast in the next instalment.
(Hero and Featured images: Netflix)
Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.
