![A second season of Squid Game is in the works](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JHEQXJKUVI3NDPLQZ55EPXPL4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=0897b8059f24c1794aef9a66c17cc6f31eff3210a7547265c1a5fa3b14d58e2a&width=400&height=225)
![Dubai resident Christiaan Kamstra is one of the contestants on Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality show based on the hit Netflix drama Squid Game. All photos: Netflix](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YM42JLKVGRD6BNWTP326Q5OOLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=8efb105818fee60459ab1b0029d06c86bf84e5e254c4c9c19e3ad4b13337cddf&width=400&height=225)
![Like the show, the reality competition pits contestants against each other as they battle for a cash prize](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HDNJZOX5XNHJHACSMOQ54GUGUY.jpg?smart=true&auth=8e55038974155288bf029f67e0936ca512fb30492b51c41a2415ef013462b97d&width=400&height=225)
![The show features a number of children's games, which contestants play to advance to the next round](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BKPOV633DVEQHOZPC2WJAL6GQE.png?smart=true&auth=356b6267c18ab16fd5f429f23eb24f288f28420c2da5e033c03d1446d8b90599&width=400&height=225)
![With 456 contestants and a prize pool of $4.5 million, Squid Game: The Challenge is pegged as one of the world's biggest reality shows](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZGY2I3QXA5DR3II7U5AEDMWOIM.jpg?smart=true&auth=7516521cbec2d9973e28b6ae963ea93a32f4fbde1afb0d89c78a18d1980ebf74&width=400&height=225)
![The sets from the show have been recreated for the reality competition](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HZZQMQZVDBCHVDYATGGYSRJB3M.jpg?smart=true&auth=e9a90a7a6e328dc71035f136176c1098bef62084b0721c5479ddb533dc86a7c3&width=400&height=225)
![Contestants are eliminated after each challenge, with the prize pool increasing as more people are let go](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OUAZXGLIMZCHDHIZ6T3IXTEOGY.jpg?smart=true&auth=4166df240a476c679056d5881d82a0c7728fad371907efa85ff6dbcd6dff36a9&width=400&height=225)
![Squid Game was a global hit and is still one of Netflix's most-watched shows](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JNVFRGTZWVEQBCW446X7NWOP5Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=03e42f97290f9ffa025f1e99a9dd7c6114e0730c3eae4b5006302a4c16c760b6&width=400&height=225)
![A second season of Squid Game is in the works](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JHEQXJKUVI3NDPLQZ55EPXPL4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=0897b8059f24c1794aef9a66c17cc6f31eff3210a7547265c1a5fa3b14d58e2a&width=400&height=225)
![Dubai resident Christiaan Kamstra is one of the contestants on Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality show based on the hit Netflix drama Squid Game. All photos: Netflix](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YM42JLKVGRD6BNWTP326Q5OOLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=8efb105818fee60459ab1b0029d06c86bf84e5e254c4c9c19e3ad4b13337cddf&width=400&height=225)
![Like the show, the reality competition pits contestants against each other as they battle for a cash prize](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HDNJZOX5XNHJHACSMOQ54GUGUY.jpg?smart=true&auth=8e55038974155288bf029f67e0936ca512fb30492b51c41a2415ef013462b97d&width=400&height=225)
![The show features a number of children's games, which contestants play to advance to the next round](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BKPOV633DVEQHOZPC2WJAL6GQE.png?smart=true&auth=356b6267c18ab16fd5f429f23eb24f288f28420c2da5e033c03d1446d8b90599&width=400&height=225)
![With 456 contestants and a prize pool of $4.5 million, Squid Game: The Challenge is pegged as one of the world's biggest reality shows](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZGY2I3QXA5DR3II7U5AEDMWOIM.jpg?smart=true&auth=7516521cbec2d9973e28b6ae963ea93a32f4fbde1afb0d89c78a18d1980ebf74&width=400&height=225)
![The sets from the show have been recreated for the reality competition](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HZZQMQZVDBCHVDYATGGYSRJB3M.jpg?smart=true&auth=e9a90a7a6e328dc71035f136176c1098bef62084b0721c5479ddb533dc86a7c3&width=400&height=225)
![Contestants are eliminated after each challenge, with the prize pool increasing as more people are let go](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OUAZXGLIMZCHDHIZ6T3IXTEOGY.jpg?smart=true&auth=4166df240a476c679056d5881d82a0c7728fad371907efa85ff6dbcd6dff36a9&width=400&height=225)
![Squid Game was a global hit and is still one of Netflix's most-watched shows](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JNVFRGTZWVEQBCW446X7NWOP5Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=03e42f97290f9ffa025f1e99a9dd7c6114e0730c3eae4b5006302a4c16c760b6&width=400&height=225)
![A second season of Squid Game is in the works](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JHEQXJKUVI3NDPLQZ55EPXPL4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=0897b8059f24c1794aef9a66c17cc6f31eff3210a7547265c1a5fa3b14d58e2a&width=400&height=225)
Dubai resident plays Squid Game: The Challenge and lives to tell the tale
Reality show based on South Korean drama has the biggest prize pool in history at $4.56 million
David Tusing
November 23, 2023
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November 23, 2023