Was the filming set like a battlefield? ... 3 injured while shooting the 6 billion won real-life 'Ojingeo Game'

Participant: "The filming site was like a battlefield"
Netflix clarifies: "There was no serious situation"

Overseas media reported that several participants were injured during the production of a reality show inspired by the globally popular 2021 drama 'Ojingeo Game' (Squid Game).

The British tabloid The Sun cited anonymous participants on the 25th (local time), reporting that the reality show 'Ojingeo Game: The Challenge,' modeled after Squid Game, is being filmed in East Bedfordshire, and that several people suffered from hypothermia and endured pain after filming outdoors in cold weather.

Netflix Original Series 'Squid Game' Still Cut
[Photo by Netflix]

The problematic filming scene they mentioned is said to be the first game in the drama, 'Mugunghwa Kkotchi Pieot Seumnida' (literally "The Rose of Sharon Has Bloomed").

They said that several participants were taken away by on-site medical staff after filming outdoors in temperatures as low as minus 3 degrees Celsius.

They claimed to The Sun, "The filming site was like a battlefield."

One participant said, "People participated with the thought of winning the huge prize money and barely made it to the finish line, but after being eliminated, they burst into tears."

On the other hand, Netflix explained that no serious injuries occurred and that filming is currently proceeding according to safety regulations. Other media outlets in the UK also seem to give more weight to Netflix's claims.

BBC and The Guardian reported, citing Netflix's statement that three participants received minor treatment for injuries at the filming site, but there were no serious injuries.

Netflix told BBC and others that they are closely monitoring the health and safety of participants at the filming site.

BBC also reported that the nearby fire department had not been dispatched to the site recently.

Meanwhile, it is reported that this reality show is filming with 456 participants, just like the drama. Participants have gathered not only from the UK but also from countries such as the United States and Australia.

The prize money was set at $4.56 million (about 5.612 billion KRW), calculated by valuing each participant at $10,000, just like in the drama.

Squid Game is considered the highest-grossing work in Netflix history. In the first month after its release, 111 million users watched it.