Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge Lawsuit, Explained

Netflix has launched the reality competition series Squid Game: The Challenge, a real-world spin-off of its original thriller series Squid Game. However, while the consequences for contestants may not be lethal, they are floating the possibility of a lawsuit.

Alleging poor working conditions that led to a variety of injuries and other painful side effects, a number of contestants are threatening to sue Netflix over how they felt they were treated on Squid Game: The Challenge. If the contestants moved forward with their proposed legal action, the case could become one of the bigger, uglier lawsuits involving Netflix this year. Here’s everything you need to know about what this potential civil lawsuit would entail in more understandable terms.

Is Squid Game: The Challenge Being Sued?

To be clear, at the time of this writing, no formal legal proceedings have been brought against Netflix by the Squid Game: The Challenge contestants. For its part, Netflix has steadfastly claimed that the cast and crew’s welfare was a priority and safety concerns were taken seriously. These concerns surfaced publicly in January 2023, shortly after filming began at Cardington Studios in the English market town of Bedford.

According to reports, three contestants were treated in the midst of filming the opening challenge, Red Light, Green Light, which involved all initial 456 participants. Due to the cold temperatures and prolonged shooting schedule, the affected contestants were treated for mild conditions on the scene. Local paramedics in East England confirmed they had not been contacted during the incident, while the British Health and Safety Executive found no actionable issues after conducting its own investigation.

What Is the Status of a Formal Lawsuit?

The law firm Express Solicitors has claimed it has sent letters of claim on behalf of two anonymous contestants for monetary compensation for alleged injuries endured during filming on Squid Game: The Challenge. Express Solicitors CEO David Slade elaborated that their clients had not anticipated receiving any injuries as part of their agreement to participate in the show. The potential plaintiffs claim that the production pushed the limits of health and safety standards all for the name of entertainment.

Slade revealed that participants in the Red Light, Green Light challenge were required to maintain static and allegedly painful positions for prolonged periods of time in cold temperatures as part of the competition. The two anonymous individuals claim that they witnessed a fellow participant faint during the challenge, prompting medical assistance, while they also claim to have suffered from hypothermia and nerve damage from the experience. At the time of this writing, there has been no reported progress on a potential lawsuit beyond the letters of claim, a step before a formal lawsuit is filed.