5 Shocking Ways ‘Is Squid Game Real?’ Has A Terrifying Answer In 2025

The question "Is Squid Game real?" has evolved dramatically since the 2021 Netflix sensation first gripped the world. As of today, December 10, 2025, the simple answer remains a firm 'no'—the original South Korean drama is a work of fiction, a chilling allegory for capitalism's brutal nature. However, the influence of creator Hwang Dong-hyuk's vision has birthed a terrifying reality show counterpart, *Squid Game: The Challenge*, that has generated real-world controversy, massive prize money, and even legal action, making the line between fiction and reality blurrier than ever.

The original series, featuring the desperate Seong Gi-hun (Player 456) and a deadly gauntlet of children's games, resonated globally because of its critique of economic inequality and debt. While the fictional games themselves—Red Light, Green Light, Dalgona, Tug-of-War, Marbles, and the titular Squid Game—are not played to the death in real life, the spirit of hyper-competition and desperation is now very much a reality within the unscripted television landscape, complete with real contestants and a history-making cash prize.

The $4.56 Million Reality: Is Squid Game: The Challenge Scripted?

The most immediate and concrete answer to whether Squid Game is real lies in the Netflix reality competition, *Squid Game: The Challenge*. This series took the core concept—456 real players competing in large-scale versions of the games—and transformed it into a genuine, high-stakes competition.

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A Real Competition with a Record-Breaking Prize

The reality show is unequivocally a real competition, featuring actual people, real drama, and the largest cash prize in reality TV history: a staggering $4.56 million. The winner of the first season, Mai Whelan (Player 278), a US-based immigration adjudicator, walked away with this monumental sum.

Despite some online speculation suggesting the show is scripted, Netflix and the producers maintain that *Squid Game: The Challenge* is an unscripted reality competition. The dramatic eliminations are real, and the alliances, betrayals, and emotional breakdowns are played out by genuine contestants under immense pressure. However, like all reality television, editing and production choices play a significant role in shaping the narrative and the final product that viewers see.

The Harsh Reality of the Prize Money Tax

While Mai Whelan is $4.56 million richer, the full amount is not what she ultimately takes home. Because the winner is a US citizen, the prize money is subject to US federal income tax, despite the show being filmed in the UK, where prize money is typically tax-exempt. If the amount is paid as a lump sum, the winner could face a federal income tax rate of up to 37 per cent, resulting in a net payout of roughly $2.87 million after the hefty tax bill.

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Controversy and Lawsuits: The Real-Life Cost of the Games

Perhaps the most chilling parallel between the fictional series and the reality show is the real-life suffering and controversy surrounding the production of *Squid Game: The Challenge*. While no one was killed, the physical and emotional toll on the 456 players was significant, leading to threats of legal action against Netflix.

Allegations of Hypothermia and Nerve Damage

During the filming of the "Red Light, Green Light" game, which took place in a massive, unheated aircraft hangar in the UK, contestants reported enduring extreme cold. Multiple contestants claimed they suffered injuries, including hypothermia and nerve damage, due to the harsh filming conditions. A UK-based law firm, Express Solicitors, began considering legal action on behalf of some of the injured players, alleging that they were left with injuries they did not expect to suffer.

Netflix, while denying that any contestants were "seriously injured," did confirm that three of the 456 participants required medical attention during the filming of the first game. This controversy highlights the intense pressure and physical risks involved in the pursuit of the massive cash prize, mirroring the desperation of the characters in the original drama series. The reality competition, designed to mimic the drama's atmosphere, inadvertently created its own real-life ethical and legal dilemmas.

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The True Story: The Real-Life Events That Inspired the Fiction

Even without the reality show, the original *Squid Game* drama is "real" in the sense that it is deeply rooted in the social and economic anxieties of South Korea. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has repeatedly stated that the series is a fictional allegory, but its core themes and even specific plot points were inspired by harrowing real-life events.

The Ssangyong Motor Strike and Economic Despair

The primary inspiration for the main character, Seong Gi-hun, and the overall atmosphere of debt and desperation, comes from the Ssangyong Motor Strike of 2009. This real-life event involved a massive protest and violent clash between workers and police after Ssangyong Motor laid off thousands of employees. The economic fallout and the resulting personal debt and despair among those affected are the exact social issues that *Squid Game* critiques, showing how extreme financial pressure can lead ordinary people to make desperate, life-altering choices.

The Brothers Home Incident and Other Dark Inspirations

Some sources also point to other dark chapters in South Korean history as potential influences, though perhaps less directly confirmed by the creator. One such incident is the "Brothers Home incident" in 1986, a notorious state-run facility in Busan where thousands of homeless and disabled people were detained, exploited, and abused under brutal conditions. Other discussions mention a hostage situation in a bunker in 1986. These real events, involving the exploitation of vulnerable populations and the dark side of societal control, contribute to the harrowing realism of the fictional games' setting.

The Future of the Franchise: Season 2 and American Spin-offs

The global success of the franchise ensures that the *Squid Game* universe will continue to expand, further blurring the line between fiction and reality. Netflix has already confirmed a second season of the original drama, with Lee Jung-jae returning as Gi-hun, and a second season of *Squid Game: The Challenge* is also underway, promising new games and new controversies.

Furthermore, there is persistent discussion about an American spin-off of the original drama series. While the creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, may not be involved, an English-language version is reportedly being considered, which would transplant the core themes of economic desperation and deadly competition into a Western context. This continued expansion confirms the enduring, terrifying relevance of the show's central question: how far would you go for money when society has already failed you?

In conclusion, while the original *Squid Game* is a fictional masterpiece, the answer to "Is Squid Game real?" is a resounding "yes" when you consider its real-world impact. It is real in the form of a controversial, high-stakes reality show with a $4.56 million prize, real in the form of contestant lawsuits over alleged injuries like frostbite and nerve damage, and most importantly, real in its foundation—the devastating, true-to-life economic despair and social critique that inspired Hwang Dong-hyuk's vision.