Player 301 Has an Unofficial Partner Unlike Other 'Squid Game: The Challenge' Contestants

Spoiler warning: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 1-5 of Squid Game: The Challenge.

The Gist:

• Player 301 has an interesting career outside of Squid Game: The Challenge.
• Players 302 and 301 are a mother/son duo who are playing a solid game together.
• Player 302 has other kids who did not appear on the reality show with her.

While other players in the Squid Game reality show Squid Game: The Challenge are gunning for high-profile competitors, it takes a little while for some to set their sights on the mother/son duo that is Players 302 and 301. They essentially play as a team throughout the first five episodes of the Netflix reality competition show and they both have viewers curious.

Many want to know what Player 301's job is outside of Squid Game: The Challenge. And, of course what his mom, 302, does for a living. She speaks briefly about her profession and how she can relate to other players. She even tries to get closer to Player 432 by using the "mom" card and honestly, it's not a bad strategy. It's no wonder why there is so much focus on Player 302 and her son in the first handful of episodes that dropped on the streaming platform.

Player, 301, otherwise known as Trey Plutnicki, has experience in theater and film. His IMDb feature two roles in minor productions and his online resume features even more roles, including one as extra in Max's The Gilded Age. So there's a chance you may have seen him in something before Squid Game: The Challenge.

Player 302, whose real name is LeAnn Wilcox, once worked for The New York Times. But don't worry, because she isn't here as a journalist to bust the lid wide open on how the game works. LeAnn is actually retired. She worked as the editor for the weddings section up until May 2021. According to LinkedIn, LeAnn worked for The Times for more than 32 years.

Before that, she was a copy editor and page designer with The Miami Herald. She also worked for five years as a sports reporter and editor for The Kansas City Star. But it's safe to say that LeAnn's greatest role in her journalistic career was her time spent as the senior editor of the weddings section. And her past as a journalist and inquisitive nature probably didn't hurt when she filmed Squid Game: The Challenge.

Although Players 301 and 302 are here together, and likely plan to split the prize money, should one of them win, they are going to be split up sooner or later. And as of Episode 5, they're still in the game. However, they are about to truly test their relationship as they gear up to play the Marbles game, wherein one player in a team of two is guaranteed to be eliminated by the end.

Judging by Instagram, it looks like LeAnn and her husband have at least two other kids, daughters. And they all seem to be extremely close, along with Trey, a.k.a. Player 301. In November 2023, LeAnn shared an Instagram selfie with Trey and added the caption, "When you are with your light-filled son, you need a good view and nearly as amazing sunset." Talk about mother/son goals.

Watch Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix.