No one could've predicted Squid Game's impact on the culture- not even Netflix. Prior to Squid Game, Netflix built a small catalog of Korean dramas under their ever-ballooning content umbrella. Squid Game was far from the streaming service's first foray into bankrolling Korean entertainment, but the global reception of the series altered the paradigm for media around the planet. The success and attention caused the show to garner copious awards and positive reviews for its salient metaphor about the harrowing realities of being behind the economic eight ball.
One of the major memes that emerged from show fans is how they would fare in a real-life version of the Squid Game. With the chasm between classes widening every year, the concept of a real Squid Game is more appealing than it has a right to be. Consequently, Netflix has decided to green-light a reality show that will bring the morbid game of death to life
Enter "Squid Game: The Challenge," a new reality competition series apparently based on the original series, which became Netflix's most popular show of all time upon its release in late 2021. The platform announced casting for the new series on Tuesday in a vague promo with appearances from the aforementioned "Red Light, Green Light" doll and a slew of masked guards who carry out killings.
"Squid Game: The Challenge" is set to offer the largest cash prize in reality TV history — $4.56 million — to one of its 456 competitors (the largest cast in reality TV history), the streamer said in a statement.
Netflix hasn't announced how they plan to adapt the game in which a giant doll fatally zaps people or masked guards fatally shoot competitors in the head if they fail to carve a honeycomb candy correctly, but it's safe to assume there will be no murder.
The series is casting now for brave, self-punishing souls interested in competing in harrowing games. And though the original show was created by South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk and primarily starred Korean actors who spoke Korean throughout, Netflix's new "Squid Game" is seeking "English-language speakers from any part of the world."
