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Netflix's Korean drama turned reality competition, Squid Game: The Challenge aired in 2023. The show followed the original series format where players competed in children's games for a cash prize.
While the drama returned for its second season on December 26, 2024, the reality spinoff made headlines a year earlier when Mai, a 55-year-old immigration adjudicator, and 20-year Navy veteran, won the $4.56 million prize on December 6, 2023.
Squid Game: The Challenge ran for 16 days at Wharf Studios in London with 456 players from 24 countries. Through 10 episodes, contestants played games adapted from the drama, starting with Red Light Green Light where players covered 100,000 square feet of playing field.
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The competition reached its final phase with Mai (Player 287), Sam (Player 16), and Phill (Player 451). Mai won through a Rock Paper Scissors final against Phill after Sam's elimination in the button challenge.
Mai won $4.56 million in Squid Game: The Challenge after defeating 455 players
Key games and major eliminations
The Squid Game: The Challenge’s opening round featured Red Light Green Light where contestants moved across a 100-meter field spanning over 100,000 square feet at Cardington Studios. The 13.7-foot mechanical doll created by the largest UK 3D printing company monitored player movements. The game eliminated many of players who moved during the red light phases.
Players tackled the Dalgona cookie challenge next where they had to extract shapes from brittle sugar candy. The production required extensive testing through 19 different recipe variations to achieve the right texture. Many players left the competition after breaking their assigned patterns.
The Glass Bridge phase used a complex setup with 60,000 specially manufactured tiles. Players walked across glass panels without knowing which would hold their weight. This round sharply decreased the contestant pool through strategic and chance-based eliminations.
Squid Game: The Challenge’s team challenges split the remaining players into groups. The competition structure forced alliances while creating opportunities for strategic gameplay. Players faced elimination through group votes and challenge performance.
Path to final three
Sam brought his background as a Florida art studio owner into the competition. His strategy centered on building reliable connections with select players. He maintained these alliances through multiple team challenges while staying away from major conflicts. Sam showed particular skills during memory-based challenges and pattern-recognition tasks.
Meanwhile, Phill utilized his experience as a Hawaii-based scuba instructor to stay focused under pressure. He won crucial head-to-head matches during the Marbles round. His gameplay involved adapting quickly to new challenge rules while maintaining strong relationships with key allies. Phill demonstrated exceptional performance in physical challenges requiring balance and timing.
Mai, on the other hand, made both friends and allies on the show. She proved her friendship to player 286 (Chad) during the Dorm Test of allegiance by going against the other women to save her friend. Additionally, she also ended up forming a group with other players, The Snack Pack.
Squid Game: The Challenge finale started with a three-way button selection challenge. Each finalist faced three buttons marked with different outcomes. Mai pressed first and received a neutral grey outcome. Sam followed and drew the red button which led to his immediate elimination. This left Mai and Phill to compete for the grand prize.
The production team designed a multi-round final challenge using Rock Paper Scissors. Each winning round gave players a chance to select a key from a large collection. These keys determined access to the prize safe containing the $4.56 million.
Final outcome details
Squid Game: The Challenge finale aired on December 6, 2023. Mai won multiple rounds against Phill through strategic hand selections. She studied his pattern choices throughout the game. After several attempts with different keys, Mai found the correct one to unlock the prize safe.
The safe contained a golden credit card loaded with the prize money. The production used a 1,763-pound piggy bank filled with cash as a visual representation of the prize throughout the competition.
Netflix confirmed record-breaking viewership numbers for the finale. The show maintained high engagement across all episodes. The competition's success led to a quick renewal announcement for Squid Game: The Challenge season 2.
The production invested significant resources in creating authentic game environments. The dormitory setup reportedly required 20 tons of steel for bunk bed structures. The facility design matched the original show's aesthetic while ensuring player safety throughout all challenges.
Netflix opened casting calls for the Squid Game: The Challenge season 2 immediately after the finale. The streaming platform announced plans to maintain the same prize value and player count for future seasons.
