Netflix is continuing to come under fire for how conditions were handled aboard the set of Squid Game: The Challenge, the streamer's new reality competition based on the megahit Korean survival drama. After reports came out recently that multiple contestants required medical attention due to brutally cold temperatures while filming the first game "Red Light, Green Light," Netflix was quick to react and assure serious injuries had not been sustained while filming the show. However, Variety recently spoke to three contestants under the assurance of anonymity who all said that conditions were much worse than what the streamer made them out to be.

According to the contestants, they were woken up as early as 3:30 a.m. to take a two-hour ride to the filming location — a massive former Royal Air Force hangar — with strict instructions to avoid conversing with each other. Once there, they donned their Squid Game uniforms along with two pairs of thermal underwear, socks, hand and foot warmers, and coats to keep warm and had lunch before filming began. They were quickly asked to discard their coats and leave jackets open when the game started, however, so their number was clearly visible and so the audience could see the fake blood they were strapped with. Although all contestants provided sign-off from their doctors, shooting, which they were reportedly told would last around two hours with players asked to hold poses for around two minutes, quickly stretched past seven hours with poses held for an average of 10 to 15 minutes and as long as 26 in one instance.

"It’s not like we signed up for Survivor or Naked and Afraid," one contestant going under the name Marlene said. "The conditions were absolutely inhumane and had nothing to do with the game." The fact that contestants were so unprepared runs completely counter to Netflix's message which stressed that everyone was With the long wait times taking place as assessors looked through contestants to determine who was eliminated, players started to collapse from having to stand still in the bitterly cold conditions. Marlene estimates four players fainted while filming. "The second time the song played, I saw in my left peripheral vision that this girl was swaying. Then she just buckled, and you could hear her head actually hit the ground. But then someone came on the [microphone] and said to hold our positions because the game is not paused. After that, people were dropping like flies."

squid-game red light green light the players take off running as the doll has its back turned

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Everyone Was Required to Keep Playing While Medics Kept Being Called

Marlene estimated that medics were called eleven times before contestants were allowed "relaxation breaks" where they were permitted to stretch and move other parts of their body as long as their feet don't move. Another contestant, going under John, who was excited to be a part of the show, described experiencing dizziness and a "banging headache" during play. "Imagine you’re playing ‘Red Light Green Light’ for six hours. What game is that? This isn’t a game. The fun is now gone. You can’t tell people they have to stand in below freezing temperatures in just a tracksuit and two pairs of socks. Come on." According to a third contestant, Jenny, bathroom and water breaks were also not allowed during the entire shoot.

The lack of care seemed to extend beyond the studio too. All three contestants reported that, after arriving back to their hotels anywhere from 7 p.m. to midnight, they hadn't eaten. Since production ran much later than expected, the planned dinner was scrapped in favor of delivering pizza for the contestants at the hotel, though there wasn't enough to go around. In the morning, they were given a meager McDonald's meal according to Marlene. Studio Lambert and The Garden, the production companies behind Squid Game: The Challenge, told contestants to reach out with concerns after the incident, and correspondence from Jenny indicated the crew may have been understaffed.

Contestants Are Frustrated With Netflix's Lack of Accountability

Squid Game: The Challenge is a massive undertaking for Studio Lambert and The Garden considering the massive 456 contestant pool, all of whom would've required care and transport throughout the experience. Still, executives lambasted them for not taking extra measures like delaying the shoot, a move that would've been costly but easily absorbed by a massive company like Netflix. Considering as well that the series is a massive commission for Netflix based on one of their largest properties, the blame was easily laid at their doorstep for not providing the resources necessary to handle so many contestants. With a cash prize of $4.56 million up for grabs, it seemed clear when the Head of Global TV at Netflix, Bela Bajaria, announced the series that considerable care was going into making it work. Moreover, Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk has previously come out in support of the reality series after speaking with Netflix and the series creators, adding even more weight to the production.

Contestants were especially frustrated with the lack of accountability of Netflix and the change in tune from Studio Lambert. "I’m infuriated by the narrative that Netflix is putting out there, that only [a few] people were injured…we were all injured just by going through that experience," Jenny said, calling for responsibility from both Netflix and Studio Lambert for their lack of preparation and flexibility. She was particularly stunned by how Studio Lambert completely flipped from recruitment to production, originally believing them to be exceptionally caring thanks to their extensive communication and background checks. "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?’"

Squid Game is setting up a return for Season 2. For now, The Challenge is moving forward as planned in spite of the controversy.