May Whelan, Phillip Kane in The Squid Game: The Challenge Photo: Pete Dadds/Netflix
“We traded our souls for money? Nooo! laughs Philip Kane, known as Phil, one of the final three contestants on Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge. Long hair gleaming, palms raised, he tells me he's a “real chili pepper” after going through rounds that started with more than 450 competitors, during which he played high-tech versions of “Grandma's Steps” and was forced to carve certain shapes out of honeycombs. cookies softened with saliva.
The theme of capitalism and communism ran throughout the show. Bearded artist Sam lost his chance to win the jackpot by clicking on the red square, which then knocked him out of the game. He tells me that he regrets his poor choices every day. “Oh my God, yesss…”
Sitting beside Phill is Vietnamese refugee Mae Whelan, who just won $4.56 million on the show. She seems unperturbed when she tells me that she will use her winnings for “a variety of causes, supporting local wildlife and habitat charities in Guatemala, Bolivia and Uganda.” I also want to help children get out of poverty…”
Sitting together, arms draped over each other's shoulders, on the Netflix sofa, Mai tells me that the drama of competing with friends, “focusing on my resistance,” made her realize she “had to win.” But as the game progressed, this idea became increasingly uncomfortable. “So, even when they put a huge clear plastic piggy bank full of money in the dorm, and it was just me and Phil?” I didn't feel comfortable…”
Mae worked for the Department of Homeland Security most of her life, so she tells me, “I've always wanted to help the disadvantaged. I'm from a community that isn't represented on the TV show, so…”
Mau laughs at how she—an older Asian woman whom no one on the show saw as a threat—sneaked off with the money. “Oh, this all goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover,” laughs the bushy-bearded Sam. He appeared on the show after his very religious family cut him off because he was gay.
Sam told me that despite the harsh rules, being on the Squid Game was empowering. “In every trio, I saw people doing pull-ups and doing jumps. Even Ashley…”
He is referring to a competitor who seemed to be holding back during the Glass Bridge stage of the course. Because of her hesitation here, she lost Mai's faith. But that trust was carefully restored before the series' final test.
“The more difficult things got,” Sam says, “the more faith I gained in humanity. Everyone seemed to improve their skills and became very strong as the game progressed.”
Phil agrees. Although he admits it wasn't what he expected. “I was ready for the usual reality shows where good people are pitted against bad people, and it’s all obvious. So working on this in such a collaborative way was really cool…”
'Accurate portrayal of late-stage capitalism: Phil , Sam and May in the game “Squid: Challenge” Photo: Netflix
Mai says that when her eldest daughter, Katherine, was born, she had no support from her biological family or Katherine's father. “It was hard,” she tells me, “very hard. It brought my attention to how I lifted myself out of poverty and built a life for my daughter. My family disowned me and that's what I leaned on when watching some of the younger kids in the game because I know how that feels… Mai smiles and hugs Sam and Phil. “Sometimes you don't need a family by blood, sometimes you need a family that you have built through your own experience.”
Phill tells me that by moving around as a child, he “learned to make friends quickly, and being able to form strong bonds quickly can really help in games like this. People feel comfortable in their niches, but that's not always the best way… you know?”
Sam agrees. “I've become very good at making friends while maintaining a safe boundary around myself, and I need to work on breaking down that boundary… The show has helped with that…” When I tell the story of a local teenager struggling to open up, Sam gets emotional . “Oh, I’m going to cry,” he shudders. “Just show your people that you love them. Show it, don't tell it. Because it's hard for us to trust that in a society where TV shows cause a lot of pain…” On the show, Sam described the pain he felt at being rejected by his religious community and the unkind letters he received from his mother after coming out. Did he hear about it after the broadcast?
“No Malice Here”: Phil, May and Sam in Squid Challenge Posted by Pete Dadds/Netflix
“No,” he sighs, “I haven’t heard anything from my mother. I have reconnected with half of my siblings and they are amazing; they are so supportive. Many people came to my husband’s wedding last year. It made me feel like I had a love that allowed me to be on this show.” Sam tells me, “Even though we were competitors, you sense the kindness in both Phil and May. So now that Mai has won, there is no animosity.” Mai, however, claims that 10 months after finishing the game she still hasn't “seen a penny” of her winnings. She told The Times: “Netflix, show me the money!”
Sam leans back relaxed. He tells me: “Every day in the hostel I told people that we had proven ourselves to be worthy opponents. We were often people that our society told us less about than major successes. It was 100% confirmed…” Sam now decided to show others that they could “show their true authentic selves despite their detractors.” Phill believes the series is an “accurate portrayal of late-stage capitalism” but also hopes we can pull back before economic collapse hits.
Today they all want to sign a contract telling me what terrible toilets. were. “I mean, these people are all adults, so why?” – May complains. “It’s a shame people aren’t respectful,” she says. “We all have one bathroom!”
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