Unsurprisingly, shooting Squid Game: The Challenge has already resulted in (reportedly minor) on-set injuries
Netflix denies claims of serious injuries after some Squid Game: The Challenge contestants required medical care on the first day of filming
Young-hee, the psychopathic doll from Squid Game, is out to claim more victims in a game of “Red Light Green Light.” On the first day of production for Netflix’s reality competition version of the popular K-drama, below-freezing temperatures had some contestants calling for medics on set.
The first day of Squid Game: The Challenge kicked off with 456 contestants playing a game of “Red Light Green Light,” as seen in the original series. Shot inside a former airplane hangar outside of London, temperatures dipped below freezing, and contestants were armored with hand warmers and thermal underwear. However, for a few participants, the freezing weather understandably took its toll, and they required medical attention. Netflix has firmly stated that none of the injuries were severe.
“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,” Netflix and Studio Lambert tell The Hollywood Reporter.
The Sun was the first publication to report on the on-set injuries, speaking with eliminated contestants after filming.
“Some people couldn’t move their feet because it was so cold,” the source told the tabloid. “You could hear someone yell ‘medic’ and the crew would rush on. We ended up standing there for 30 minutes between takes.”
The Sun’s original reporting alleged a few contestants were carried out on stretchers, which Netflix denies.
Nonetheless, the incident certainly shines a light on how grim this overall production has been from conception. There’s Netflix, recreating a big-prize competition from a show whose whole message is about the killing, body-grinding nature of capitalism, and the extreme lengths people will go to for some financial stability in this life. Then there are the contestants, who all willingly signed up for the contest after watching the show kill off hundreds of people, seemingly learning nothing.
Life truly does imitate art sometimes, and when it comes to potentially winning $4.56 million, it already seems some people are willing to go through a bit of torture.