Netflix's Squid Game Reality Show Coming to Make Your Thanksgiving Better

In 2021, the global fascination with the Korean Wave, a phenomenon of widespread interest in South Korean pop culture, was going from strength to strength. Many who were previously unfamiliar with Korean cinema were discovering that K-dramas were not just melodramatic romances but often offered profoundly deep and heart-wrenchingly touching narratives that challenged the common stereotypes about South Korea. They would often critique various cultural, social, and economic aspects of the country that adversely affect the lives of ordinary Koreans.

This newfound appreciation of all things South Korean was, in large part, brought about by Squid Game, a series in the same vein as The Hunger Games, narrating the story about the commodification of the life of the less fortunate in capitalism, with common folk's suffering and struggles serving as entertainment for the ultra-rich.

The social commentary woven into the plot may seem somewhat simplistic, but ironically, Netflix has produced exactly what the series criticizes: a reality show roughly based on the one depicted in the Korean series. The good news is that it should be lots of fun to watch and entertainment this Thanksgiving: we'll be thanking the lord we're not in the show...

Release Date Announcement

Last June, it was announced that the K-drama would be transformed into a reality competition series. The selection process took several months, as the show is set to have the largest number of contestants in television history, totaling 456.

Then, in late September 2023, the streaming service dropped a trailer for the upcoming Squid Game: The Challenge and proceeded to finally announce a release date. So, get a nice bird and tell your wife to stuff it, friends, because the show will be premiering on Netflix on November 22, meaning we're going to get to watch it this Thanksgiving.

Squid Game: The Challenge

It remains unclear at this stage if the new reality competition will feature any profound social commentary of the sort seen in Hwang Dong-hyuk's Squid Game. We do know, however, that it's going to have roughly the same rules as the scripted series it's based on: 456 contestants will be competing for a cash prize of $4.56 million, the largest in the history of reality TV competitions.

The trailer suggests the setting's going to be identical: we've got the same kind of brightly colored buildings designed to offset the trials and tribulations the contestants will be going through. The contestants will be wearing the same kind of green tracksuits and will be competing in the same kinds of challenges. The only difference is that nobody will die (even though it's been reported that at one point during filming, an ambulance was called to the set) and the fact that it was produced and filmed in the UK rather than in South Korea.