Following the news that a number of Squid Game: The Challenge players mysteriously disappeared from the lineup, Dexerto has learned what actually happened after speaking to one of the “missing” contestants.
Squid Game: The Challenge is one of the biggest reality shows of the year – quite literally, having started out with a whopping 456 players to match the Netflix series upon which it’s based. And let’s not forget the eye-watering $4.56 million prize, which just one player will go home with in the upcoming finale.
But the series hasn’t been without its controversies. Even though eliminated contestants aren’t killed like their fictional counterparts, there’s been talks of “torturous” conditions on set, threats of a lawsuit, and plenty of backlash to the so-called “villains” of Squid Game: The Challenge.
A rather unusual mystery also arose last week, when a Redditor noticed that players 277 (Sabrina) and 317 (Jordan) were listed on Netflix’s official lineup for Episode 3 but not Episode 4 – despite the fact that their eliminations weren’t shown on screen. So, what actually happened?
“Missing” Squid Game: The Challenge player speaks out amid mystery
Dexerto caught up with Player 277, aka Sabrina Sabir, to find out why she was no longer listed as an official player on Netflix’s site, despite having made it through the Red Light, Green Light and Dalgona games.
Although some speculated whether the “missing” contestants were sent home by a dorm test that wasn’t shown on screen, the truth is that Squid Game: The Challenge producers gave all contestants the option to self-eliminate – and Sabrina decided to drop out of the competition.
“It is interesting the way that Netflix painted that in the show,” she tells us. “So I started with Red Light, Green Light, was able to pass that, and we stayed one more day at the hotel we were at.”
Following this, Sabrina explains that the remaining players were sent to the dorm for another couple of days before being able to play the Dalgona game, which comprised a full day of filming too.
“What was really challenging, which they don’t show on the actual series – granted, they have to edit everything that’s going on – is that we were in the dorms for what felt like two days of just not doing anything other than sitting around and socializing and just being a part of the camaraderie,” she says.
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“It was fun and I met so many great people, but just staying there for two days doing nothing but waiting and eating, not knowing what’s going on, not seeing sunlight, not having a sense of time – it was just a lot at the time.”
Sabrina explains that she understands why the time had to be taken to get good content for the series and prepare for the next game, but by the time Dalgona was finished – which she passed as part of the triangle team – she felt she’d achieved what she set out to do.
“I was already content at that point, and being able to talk about the experience, I think at that moment, I was like, ‘It’s basically been a week here doing the Squid Game stuff. I think I’m good.’”
When the time came, Squid Game: The Challenge offered up a “great welfare team,” with Sabrina adding: “They gave us so many resources, and were asking us all if we’re okay. I think they did a great job.” The welfare team gave Sabrina a night to think about her decision, and then the following day she was taken out of the competition.
“I wasn’t the only one that did,” says Sabrina, although she’s not sure whether Jordan (Player 317) opted to self-eliminate too. “I’m going to guess that is also something he decided. Another girl also did after Red Light, Green Light, which they also hid.”
Although she wishes she had been given more time to say goodbye to her peers, Sabrina has no regrets about her time on the show. “For me personally, I was just happy to have the experience.”
Squid Game: The Challenge Episodes 1-9 are available to stream on Netflix now. You can check out our other coverage below:
- Squid Game: The Challenge all eliminations so far
- When is the last episode of Squid Game: The Challenge out?
- Squid Game: The Challenge release schedule
- Squid Game: The Challenge filming locations
- Squid Game: The Challenge reviews
- Is Squid Game: The Challenge real?
- Squid Game: The Challenge soundtrack
- How are players eliminated?
- Why Player 299 joined the show
- Did the players actually fall in Glass Bridge?
- Squid Game fans slam “coward” Player 278
- Players allegedly asked to “pretend” to compete
- Squid Game: The Challenge player details set conditions
- Squid Game: The Challenge producers hit back
- Squid Game: The Challenge contestants threaten lawsuit
- Squid Game: The Challenge receives audience backlash
