'I starred in Squid Game – one aspect of filming was chilling for everyone'
Squid Game: The Challenge landed on Netflix in November 2023, with millions tuning in to watch 456 contestants battle it out for the mind-blowing grand prize of $4.56 million. The Netflix series was inspired by the smash-hit dystopian Korean series, Squid Game, which was released in 2021. A second series of Squid Game is due to land on Netflix on Friday, 27 December.
Squid Game: The Challenge featured the same nail-biting challenges as the original series, but without the deadly outcomes. One contestant, Mikie Bowe, previously opened up about his experience on the game show, revealing that it was the "hardest" thing he's ever taken part in, but he wouldn't think twice about signing up again. Mikie is a full-time caregiver for his young daughter, who has special needs, and signed up for the show in a bid to take home the prize money to help his family.
Mikie, who was allocated Player 254 in Squid Game: The Challenge, admitted he had "no idea" how tough the show would be and applied after seeing an advert on Twitter, now known as X. He told the Daily Mail: "I didn't know what I'd signed up for. I assumed it was just going to be child's play - but none of it was a game. It was so serious and intense."
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Mikie explained that one specific aspect of the show was particularly chilling. He revealed that contestants didn't know the time and couldn't "see the outside", so had no idea whether it was day or night. He also told how everything, including eating and sleeping, was dictated by the guards, and he estimates that contestants had around "eight hours of rest" in between days.
He praised the Netflix show for its duty of care towards contestants and overall had a positive experience, adding that he'd made good friends with fellow competitors and had fun with them. He said: "When we made it into the dorms for the first time, it was like a party, and we all went crazy. Everyone had the best time," adding that he "wished" the fun moments had made it into the final edit of the show.
Mikie hit out at viewers who accused Squid Game: The Challenge of being fixed or rigged, saying the game show was completely fair for every competitor. He added: "Squid Game: The Challenge was not a picnic. It was the hardest thing I've ever done - but we were treated fairly, and the games were fair. People have claimed that it's rigged, but I think they're just salty that they didn't win. I would do it again in a heartbeat."
