Abu Dhabi to organize real-life 'Squid Game,' sans murder and bloodshed

Fans of the popular Netflix Korean series, Squid Game in Abu Dhabi will be given a chance to experience a real-life 'Squid Game,' sans the murder and bloodshed. Recently, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the United Arab Emirates is organizing a re-enactment of the games seen in the smash-hit South Korean drama for two teams of 15 participants. The gaming event is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, October 12, in two sessions at the Center's Abu Dhabi office.

KCC holds 'real-life' Squid Game in Abu Dhabi

According to Korean Cultural Center's event page, four out of six games that are shown in the Korean series will be played during the event. The games include the Red Light Green Light, Dalgona Candy challenges, both of which are spawned trends on TikTok. The players will also be able to try their hands at the Marbles and Ddakji (paper-flipping) games, which are also seen in the K-drama.  

However, at the real-life gaming event, instead of $38 million, each winner will be given a customized green tracksuit. Sadly, there is no prize money. The KCC games will be held in two-hour, tournament-style sessions, and the eliminated players will get to watch the rest of the games from the sidelines. 

To apply for the UAE version of Squid Game, applicants must fill a form that contains three questions testing them on their basic knowledge of the Netflix show. Gratefully, applicants did not have to run the gauntlet of being slapped by a game recruiter several times just to get invited to the games.  

Squid Game has taken the online streaming giant, Netflix by storm. The South Korean survival drama is receiving rave reviews and terrific responses on the streamer and has transcended cultures and language barriers to reach No. 1 in 90 countries in 10 days, from Qatar and Oman to Ecuador and Bolivia. The K drama originally premiered on September 17 on the OTT platform. It follows the story of four hundred and fifty-six people, who have all struggled financially in life and are invited to play a mysterious survival competition. Competing in a series of traditional children's games but with deadly twists, they risk their lives to compete for huge prize money.

Image: Instagram/@squidgamesyd2022/@netflixkr