Following the massive global success of Netflix’s show Squid Game, the platform has since released a reality TV show called Squid Game: The Challenge, which follows the same concept and involves contestants worldwide.
One of the said contestants happens to be a Singaporean retiree who managed to land a spot on the 10-episode show that premiered its first half on Nov 22.
The show features 456 contestants who play games similar to the ones in Squid Game, hoping to be the last person standing to take home a cash prize of US$4.56 million (RM21.36 million).
Danny Yeo, who does freelance acting, told The Straits Times, “I saw the casting calls in one of those Facebook groups where actors look for jobs around June 2022. It said Squid Game: The Challenge, but it had no criteria, no age or race or gender specifications, so I thought I’d try.”
He went on to send a one-minute video of himself, but given the global scale of the production and a cash prize Netflix says is the largest in reality television history, he had no expectations of getting a callback.
However, he surprisingly received a phone call from an unknown number with the UK’s country code, which he rejected as he initially thought it was a scam.
He eventually picked up the call after the production house had sent him a text message. After rounds of interviews on the phone and calls over video, a health check-up in Singapore and a psychiatric evaluation conducted virtually, he was confirmed as a player in December 2022, beating around 81,000 applicants and flew to London to film the show in January, becoming player No. 164.
According to Yeo, he was under strict confidentiality clauses and wasn’t even supposed to tell his wife and three children why he was going to London alone. His phone was confiscated for over a week while participating in the production to prevent photo-taking.
Unfortunately, his journey was brief as he was among the 259 contestants eliminated in the first game of Red Light, Green Light, which sparked real-life controversy.
Earlier this year, it was reported that players had anonymously complained about the “inhumane” conditions and treatment of players while alleging that it was rigged, unfairly favouring players who were influencers.
In a joint media statement, Netflix, Studio Lambert and The Garden said, “Any suggestion that the competition is rigged or claims of serious harm to players are untrue.”
Although he does not know if the game was rigged, Yeo recalled, “The conditions were definitely unfavourable, especially for the elderly. The game was supposed to last only a few hours after lunch, but it dragged on until around 10 pm.”
“At first, we were asked to hold our poses for only five or 10 minutes, which was already challenging enough because it was around 0 degress. But as the game continued, we were asked to hold our poses for 20 or 30 minutes, a big disadvantage for the elderly. I never reached the finish line. I was eliminated around the fourth red light.”
While Yeo wishes he could have stayed in the running a bit longer, he still thoroughly enjoyed himself. “Some contestants are still sore about losing, but I’m proud that I was selected out of so many applicants. I never expected to win. I’m just happy I lived to tell a story.”
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Also read: Squid Game Actor is Allegedly Asking for RM4.6 Mil Per Episode in Season 2, M’sian Actor Responds
