In Abu Dhabi, a non-murderous, real-life adaptation of the immensely famous Netflix series Squid Game is taking place.
A replication of the games depicted in the series is being organized by the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the UAE for two teams of 15 people.
Squid Games is a Korean-language thriller set in a dystopian future in which a secret organization recruits debtors to compete in a series of seemingly childish games for the chance to earn a life-changing sum of money.
The games are based on traditional children’s games, some of which are unique to Korea and others, such as “Red Light, Green Light” or tug-of-war, are well-known globally.
However, unlike most children’s games, those in Squid Game have grave implications if you fail.
Nonetheless, the games in Abu Dhabi, which will take place on Tuesday (12 October), will be perfectly safe.
Red Light Green Light, the Dalgona sweets challenge, paper-flipping games, marbles, and Ddakji will be among the games played by the teams.
The game staff will also dress up in pink costumes to duplicate the guards in the series. The event’s registration page states that only Non-Korean UAE residents are eligible to participate in the show.
Squid Game is being re-enacted throughout the world.
This week, John Bramston Primary School in Ilford issued a letter to parents outlining its concerns that children who have watched the program are pretending to shoot one another in the playground as a way of re-enacting the show.
“We have noticed an increased number of children starting to play their own versions of this game in the playground – which in turn is causing conflict within friendship groups,” the letter said.
