Netflix has been hit by a fresh wave of claims that the conditions during filming for its real-life Squid Game has been ‘inhumane.’
The global streaming platform has denied any allegations of ‘of serious injury’ when following reports that contestants required medical attention due to filming in very cold temperatures.
The programme, announced last year, is a spin-off of the blockbuster Korean drama and, similarly, puts 456 contestants through their paces with a variety of challenges.
While the participants of Squid Game: The Challenge will obviously not die when they get knocked out, like the OG series, they do have the chance of winning a colossal cash prize of $4.56million (£3.7million).
However, several anonymous contestants have come forward and blasted the reality show, with one branding the conditions ‘absolutely inhumane’ over cold temperatures.
They were referring to the game Red Light, Green Light, which, in the drama, sees players try to race across a finish line within five minutes but stand completely still if the red light is activated – any movement then results in instant elimination.
The contestants claim to Variety that they had to stay stationary for much longer than the two minutes advised, with one wait going on for 26 minutes in a game that lasted seven hours rather than the two promised.
This was all filmed in cold temperatures which resulted in players ‘buckling’ and medics repeatedly called, a contestant claimed, adding: ‘People were dropping like flies.’
It is understood that medics were called at least eight times during the filming of Red Light, Green Light.
They explained that while some of what has been reported is not as ‘extreme’ as what actually transpired ‘it’s definitely not as minimal as is being conveyed by Netflix.’
‘It’s not like we signed up for Survivor or Naked and Afraid. The conditions were absolutely inhumane and had nothing to do with the game,’ they added.
Meanwhile, a second player told the outlet: ‘This is not a Bear Grylls survival show if they had told us it was going to be that cold, no one would have gone through with it.’
The contestants did, however, praise Netflix for their pre-production care and checks.
One commented: ‘The application process was unlike anything I’ve ever done. The background checks and psychological checks…they were emailing, calling or texting me every day from October to January.
‘The people I communicated with at Studio Lambert were so kind and supportive. I was thinking, ‘This is gonna be a great experience; these are great folks!’
‘But once the game started, I said, “What happened to these people? What happened to them caring about us?”‘
In a statement shared with Metro.co.uk, Netflix said: ‘We care deeply about the health and safety of our cast and crew, and invested in all the appropriate safety procedures.
‘While it was very cold on set – and participants were prepared for that – any claims of serious injury are untrue.’
Squid Game is available to stream on Netflix.
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