More Than Just A Game: Experiencing Squid Game The Challenge

Bethany Sigmon, Player 074 poses for her official player portrait, putting on a brave look before the games begin. She is currently studying athletic training at Appalachian State here in Boone. Photo Cred: Squid Game The Challenge on Netflix

Brayden Howard, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn

Netflix TV show Squid Games has been wildly successful over the last few years. Its interesting games, in-depth plot, and meta commentary on TV and entertainment have left many fans with a simple question: what if it were real? Bethany Sigmon, an App State student was one of these fans who was fortunate enough to compete in the second season of “Squid Game: The Challenge”.

Squid Game is a thriller-drama about a series of high-stakes children's games where 456 players compete against each other for the ultimate prize of 4.56 million dollars. In the original series, losing a game meant being executed. The reality adaptation, fortunately, replaces this with simple elimination from the show. Ultimately, the original show was incredibly successful, and many people were clamoring to compete in its real-world counterpart, making the application process quite complex.

“We each individually applied just through the website posting for an application, and I believe it was various questions, kind of just asking what your game strategy would be, what you would use the money for, a bunch of different questions,” said Sigmon. “Then it asked for a one-minute video. It consisted of giving a little background for yourself, more strategy info, so it was very hard to fit in a one-minute video.”

After applications were filled, Sigmon went through an extensive interview process, starting with a 15-minute interview over the phone and later a 40-minute Zoom interview. The process aimed to deep dive into each contestant with the goal of finding interesting characters to make good television. Once accepted onto the show, they needed to actually make their way to shooting in London.

“Having to take time off of my master’s program and athletic training, a healthcare field, it really kind of stressed me out, had me worried. And then also not being able to have my phone. They take it away right when you get there,” said Sigmon. “Just being across the ocean, in a different continent, it was kind of scary. It didn’t feel very real.”

Once landed, the players stayed at a hotel in London for a few days before traveling to the filming location. The set was accurately recreated directly from the original show. The players immediately moved to claim bunk beds and attempted to form teams and strategies.

“My strategy was just to talk to as many people as possible. Making sure people know who I am, but not too known, and learning a little bit about everyone, just so I can use that to my advantage,” said Sigmon. “I will say, I’m proud of myself because although there was no sneaky work done, I did meet a lot people and strayed out from the people I went into the game with”

Once they had settled in briefly, they were divided into two groups: X’s and O’s. After the next game, the entire O team would be eliminated. Luckily, Sigmon decided to move on to the X team. This differed from the first season, where Red Light, Green Light, was the first game.

“Everyone was prepared for red light, green light. Everyone was practicing in their hotel room.  But when we walk into the dorm, we were so shocked and surprised. And I remember I was just like ‘what’s happening? This is not red light, green light.’ literally everyone thought it was going to be red light, green light,” said Sigmon. “I didn’t think anything about choosing X, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m already on this side of the room, I’ll stay on X side.’ and the people that came in with me, 90% of them chose O, and that sucked.”

After that first sweeping challenge, the contestants were left in the dorms for an hour as players 431 and 432 were tasked with eliminating three others. They never approached or threatened Sigmon and her group in any way, but they heard rumors of something going on. This sequence has drawn criticisms online for being favoritism or producer intervention in favor of 431 and 432, but according to Sigmon, she never felt the game was overly interfered with.

“After the rules were announced in that first challenge, I was convinced we were screwed, because the circles had people from other reality TV shows, and they were already in the dorms,” said Sigmon. “But every decision you make is recorded by somebody called an adjudicator, unaffiliated with Netflix, who is there to keep the game fair.”

Once that challenge was completed, the remaining players were ushered to a six-legged pentathlon. A game in which teams of 5 were tied together and had to play Korean children's games one by one successfully. Sigmon’s group did not get much screen time but had a rocky go through nonetheless.

“There’s a white line, and your foot has to be behind the white line. So on our team, the guy he threw the stone and knocked over the target. And then you see the guard holding up an X, and his foot was over the line,” said Sigmon. “And then also when we played my game, Gonggi, I started off with my left hand because I’m left-handed, but it just wasn’t working. Then I remembered that I practiced with my right hand, so I just started doing it right-handed, and like it instantly flew through. It was epic.”

Ultimately, the pentathlon would be the end of Sigmon’s time on the show. She was eliminated during the House of Cards challenge. Despite not bringing home the grand prize, she enjoyed the experience and the challenge.

“It was the best experience ever, I enjoyed it, just getting to meet so many people from different countries too.  I was a huge fan of the show,” said Sigmon. “And just getting the experience of being on set, having all of these cameras around you, it was genuinely so crazy, and being in that environment, you start to forget you’re being filmed and recorded.”