Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Squid Game Reality Series

Squid Game Reality Series Contestants ‘Tortured,’ Considering Suing Netflix

In news that many people probably saw coming, Netflix could be in trouble over its reality series Squid Game: The Challenge. Contestants on the show have spoken out about the conditions on set, telling The Sun that they are considering suing the streamer.

Recommended Videos

Among the claims are that contestants were subject to temperatures as low as as 26°F for hours. “We were tortured for eight hours. We were just fodder. You wouldn’t treat animals like that,” said one player. “At one point I could see they were bringing on a black coffin with a pink ribbon just like in the original show. I feel like they prioritized getting a good shot over helping us.”

Other contestants reportedly suffered from hypothermia during filming, while some collapsed under the strain.

Capping it off, a group of contestants claim that the games are unfair, saying they were eliminated during the notorious Red Light, Green Light game despite not moving.

Netflix has acknowledged that three contestants received minor medical assistance but denied that any serious injuries had occurred.

Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality series based off the Korean thriller sensation of the same name and follows a similar set-up. 456 players compete in a series of skill-based games in the hopes of winning a multi-million dollar prize. The main difference is that those eliminated are not killed, instead wearing blood packs to simulate being shot.

Alongside the reality series, a second season of the fictional series is currently in production.


The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Damien Lawardorn
Damien Lawardorn
Freelance Editor
Editor and Contributor of The Escapist: Damien Lawardorn has been writing about video games since 2010, including a 1.5 year period as Editor-in-Chief of Only Single Player. He’s also an emerging fiction writer, with a Bachelor of Arts with Media & Writing and English majors. His coverage ranges from news to feature interviews to analysis of video games, literature, and sometimes wider industry trends and other media. His particular interest lies in narrative, so it should come as little surprise that his favorite genres include adventures and RPGs, though he’ll readily dabble in anything that sounds interesting.