Netflix’s horror drama, Squid Game, has got everyone talking. Not only was the South Korean hit a sinister watch, it was also frightening to film, according to the cast.
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During an interview with The Tab, Jung Ho-yeon, who plays a defector who joins the competition to reunite her family, revealed that the stepping stones style game was genuinely scary to film.
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In the stepping stones game, the contestants pick a number between one and 16 and have to walk across a bridge of faulty glass panel steps. Some panels can take human weight while others can’t. Those who step on weak panels will plunge to their deaths after falling from a great height.
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The stepping stones game was terrifying to film in real life
Despite the drop being just over a metre in real life, Jung Ho-yeon said that filming the game was "actually terrifying." Writer and producer, Hwang Dong-Hyuk, added: “A mere 1.5 meters can make you frightened. The glass made them [the actors] nervous. I think we could express the unnoticed rigidity and fear of the body. It felt like really jumping off a high bridge. The game was real and they felt real fear.”
The game is inspired by the real life children’s games stepping stones where cardboard or pieces of paper are set out, making a path for players to walk on. If the players divert their footing from the steps or are still on the steps when the time runs out, they lose.
What is Squid Game about?
For those who are yet to watch the gory South Korean series, Squid Game follows a group of contestants who have been invited to compete in a game for a large sum of money. The 456 competitors partake in a series of games inspired by traditional Korean children’s games and soon learn that the consequence of losing is death.
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The show has captivated viewers around the world and is officially the streaming site’s biggest hit. Having been watched by 111 million users in its first 28 days, the series has surpassed Bridgerton as Netflix’s biggest ever series launch.
The show has surpassed Bridgerton as Netflix's biggest ever series launch
Netflix's vice president for content in Korea, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand expressed his delight at the success of Squid Game.
Minyoung Kim told CNN: "When we first started investing in Korean series and films in 2015, we knew we wanted to make world-class stories for the core K-content fans across Asia and the world.
"Today, Squid Game has broken through beyond our wildest dreams."
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