'Squid Game: The Challenge' Followed a Pretty Fast-Paced Filming Schedule

The Gist:

• Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality competition series based on the South Korean show Squid Game.
• The 10-episode show was filmed in early 2023 in the United Kingdom.
• It took 16 days to film Squid Game: The Challenge.

The nail-biting conclusion of Squid Game: The Challenge is upon us! Brace yourself as the second batch of episodes hits Netflix, plunging us deeper into the heart-pounding action. With each passing moment, the once massive roster of players is dwindling, intensifying the thrill of the competition.

As the anticipation builds for the revelation of the lucky winner set to claim the $4.56 million grand prize, let's dive into the behind-the-scenes details of the show. To kick things off, have you ever wondered how long it took to bring Squid Game: The Challenge to life? If so, keep scrolling because we have the answer!

Forget any notions of a lengthy production for Squid Game: The Challenge because this gripping reality competition series followed a rigorous and high-speed filming schedule across two studios in England. Believe it or not, a mere 16 days were all it took to capture the intensity and drama that unfolded on screen.

Executive producers John Hay and Tim Harcourt revealed that the players were under around-the-clock surveillance, with the 100 plus cameras capturing their every move. The extreme filming schedule spanned a staggering 16 hours daily, kicking off at the crack of dawn at 8:00 a.m. and rolling on until lights out at 11:00 p.m.

However, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, fellow executive producers Toni Ireland and Stephen Yemoh explained that they didn't necessarily film a game every single day.

"Each day was slightly different because we didn't shoot a game every single day, and then some days they have tests and things like that, so it just sort of depended on that," Toni disclosed. "They woke up around eight o'clock each day, exactly as you see on the show. The lights come on, the music plays, they get in line to brush their teeth, the guards came and delivered them their food."

Stephen further explained, "The earlier games would have a bigger cast, so they would spend much more time in the games arena and stuff like that. As we progressed through the series, we could get through games a bit quicker, but there were sometimes quite long days depending on what was happening. Nothing too crazy, there weren't like two days without sleep or anything like that."

"They weren't really sleep-deprived. They got a good night's sleep and they slept pretty well in the bunk beds," Toni added. Well, that's good to know, right?

Watch Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix.