Was Squid Game: The Challenge Rigged? Inside The Controversy Of The Netflix Reality Show
Somehow, the year's most controversial reality series managed to find itself in even more hot water.
By now, not a single soul on Earth with access to the internet could've missed the hoopla surrounding "Squid Game," the South Korean Netflix sensation that took the world by storm in 2021. Of course, the show's breakout success was due in large part to its unapologetically anti-capitalist messages and its central dilemma about wealth inequality — potent themes represented by the eponymous game that pit 456 players against one another in a fight to the death. So, naturally, many raised an eyebrow or two when it was announced that Netflix would be subjecting actual people to a scaled-down version of that very same game for a grand prize of $4.56 million, courtesy of a new reality series titled "Squid Game: The Challenge." Upon its premiere last month, the overall reception went more or less as expected based on the Rotten Tomatoes percentage (be sure to check out /Film's review by Danielle Ryan here), but since then, things have gone from bad to worse.
As if reports of "inhumane" treatment and appallingly lax safety precautions weren't bad enough, the embattled production also opened itself up to yet another spicy controversy. Rolling Stone reported earlier this year that a number of participants alleged that the reality series was actually rigged by Netflix producers from the start — allegations that Netflix denies. It goes without saying that reality shows have a long history of decision-makers placing a thumb on the scale. But "Squid Game: The Challenge" allegedly took things beyond the nudges a typical reality show might make to shape its narrative. Now that the series is streaming, let's look back on the controversy.
The '38-second massacre'
"The stakes are high, but in this game the worst fate is going home empty-handed," the Netflix press release for "Squid Game: The Challenge" read. As it turns out, however, the specific way the vast majority of contestants went home empty-handed warrants a bit of a closer look. On the surface, at least, the implications are rather damning.
Although every member of the game show was required to sign non-disclosure agreements, many spoke off the record and under the cover of anonymity in order to expose the Netflix production as a breeding ground for, as one explained, "the cruelest, meanest thing I've ever been through." But as poorly-managed as the work environment could allegedly be at points, many contestants were outright dismayed by the appearance of favoritism and partiality shown towards some over others. In separate reports by both Rolling Stone and The Wrap, sources alleged that the popular "Red Light, Green Light" challenge was plagued by supremely suspicious antics. As a group of contestants made their way to the finish line, roughly 20 were wrongfully eliminated despite finishing the challenge with 38 seconds to spare. This, combined with witnesses describing other eliminated contestants being added back to the game while others were unfairly given extra time to finish, resulted in many of the eliminated demanding to see the camera footage that supposedly confirmed their fates. These requests were denied by Netflix.
Adding insult to injury, many that spoke to reporters also accused the production of giving preferential treatment to more high-profile contestants, such as TikTok and Instagram influencers with large followings. According to one, "It really wasn't a game show. It was a TV show, and we were basically extras in a TV show."
Netflix's response
"Instead of 'Squid Game,' [they] are calling it 'Rigged Game.' Instead of Netflix, they're calling it 'Net Fix,' because it was clearly obvious," said one former contestant on the reality show. With outrage reaching a fever pitch in the aftermath of such reports — which documented various injuries, illnesses, emotional trauma, and other symptoms of collective mistreatment on top of claims that the game was rigged in the first place — Netflix waded into the fray to deny these allegations as mischaracterizations of the filming of "Squid Game: The Challenge." In a joint statement, Netflix and show production companies Studio Lambert and The Garden had this to say:
"We care deeply about the health of our cast and crew, and the quality of this show. Any suggestion that the competition is rigged or claims of serious harm to players are simply untrue. We've taken all the appropriate safety precautions, including after care for contestants — and an independent adjudicator is overseeing each game to ensure it's fair to everyone."
Incredibly enough, that statement is directly at odds with the feelings of one contestant, who told The Wrap, "We just all wanted a fair shot at the $4.56 million purse, right? We felt like none of us were given a fair shot at it." With the recent release of the series, those involved undoubtedly hope that the bad press will fade away with time. At least one group of former contestants have no such plans, however. According to Rolling Stone, some were seeking legal advice to investigate whether there could be grounds for a lawsuit for "workplace safety violations, negligence and false pretenses."
It remains to be seen if this has been the last anyone hears about the misguided, tone-deaf, and disastrous production of "Squid Game: The Challenge," but stay tuned — we'll bring you any significant updates as they arrive.