Squid Game: The Challenge Finalists All Have One Thing In Common

6 December 2023, 11:54 | Updated: 6 December 2023, 12:35

Squid Game: The Challenge's finalists all have one thing in common
Squid Game: The Challenge's finalists all have one thing in common. Picture: Netflix

By Kathryn Knight

Squid Game: The Challenge fans are loving the fact this competition series sets its finalists apart – here’s how.

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*Spoilers about Squid Game: The Challenge finalists ahead.*

Netflix viewers are ready to get stuck into the final of Squid Game: The Challenge and to get to know the last three players, Phil, Mai and Sam as they compete for the $4.56 million (£3.6m).

Fans of the original series have loved the new reality format, especially due to one major change in the competition format in that the main highlights of the show aren’t focused around the finalists, who have all stayed consistent in remaining low-key throughout the show.

Unlike most competition series, the finalists of Squid Game: The Challenge were contestants who’d mostly remained in the background and not the focus of each episode. Therefore, players who became fans’ favourites were soon eliminated.

Squid Game: The Challenge finalists
Squid Game: The Challenge finalists. Picture: Netflix

“The ironic part about Squid Game: The Challenge is that the main highlights are not the finalists! The quiet, low-key people are the ones who made it to the final,” one person wrote on X.

“Squid Game: The Challenge is so intense. My favourites are gone. I want Phil to win now,” commented another.

Fans are even more impressed with Sam Lantz, player 016, with just how much of a low profile he kept to reach the end of the competition.

“Squid Game: The Challenge contestant Sam, who purposefully kept a low profile to make it to the end of the competition, finally getting out of those sweatsuit [sic]! He’s the one who really surprised me,” said another on X, alongside a photo of Sam back in the real world.

Squid Game: The Challenge finalists were all players who'd remained mostly in the background
Squid Game: The Challenge finalists were all players who'd remained mostly in the background. Picture: Netflix

Phil Cain, Mai Whelan and Sam Lantz are the players who reached the final of Squid Game: The Challenge and on Thursday 7th December fans will find out who went home with the multi-million pound prize.

Squid Game: The Challenge has well and truly gripped fans of the original drama series and reality TV lovers, after the Korean thriller was turned into a real life competition for over 400 players.

Squid Game: The Challenge contestants spill on "gritty" conditions 😳

The players took on games like 'Red Light, Green Light', the 'Dalgona cookie challenge', the marble game and the glass bridge test, all of which play out in the original series only with actual death the consequence of those who fail.

In the reality competition series, instead of being killed for failing a game the players had an ink pouch which exploded when producers pressed a button.

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