Photo via Netflix
Contestants from Squid Game: The Challenge are threatening to sue Netflix and production company Studio Lambert over alleged injuries sustained during filming.
According to the BBC, British personal injury firm Express Solicitors reportedly sent producers Studio Lambert a complaint on behalf of two unnamed competitors, who said they suffered from injuries as "a result of poor health and safety standards on set." The letter of claim notified the company of potential legal action and that their clients were seeking compensation for injuries including "hypothermia and nerve damage."
The potential lawsuit appears to stem from Squid Game: The Challenge's take on the "Green Light, Red Light" race, which was featured in the original South Korean drama. In the game, players run toward the finish line while a singing doll faces the wall but must remain completely still when her head turns around, with any sign of movement leading to instant elimination. "Green Light, Red Light" was just one of a series of challenges recreated for the reality show, where 456 participants competed for a $4.56 million prize.
In the letter, Express Solicitors said that contestants were forced "to stay motionless for hours in cold temperatures while filming" at Cardington Studios in Bedford, England. The outlet previously reported that a contestant named Lorenzo Nobilio said it took him seven hours to finish the game, with other participants also making similar claims in a January report from Variety about the show's "inhumane" conditions.
At the time, Netflix responded to the allegations by saying three people did receive medical treatment during the game. However, the streaming giant went on to state that "claims of serious injury are untrue."
That said, the letter of claim sent by Express Solicitors said both of their clients have been "left with injuries after spending time being stuck in painful stress positions in cold temperatures." The letter also mentions an alleged case of hypothermia and one client seeing "his hands turn purple from the cold."
Prior to this, BBC reported that the U.K.'s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirmed it contacted the show producers, but only told them that there should be extensive "planning properly for any risks in future filming."
The outlet was also told by Studio Lambert's CEO, Stephen Lambert, that "everybody was warned that it was going to be cold, we took all the necessary steps to prepare them for that" before adding that "a few anonymous people were unhappy about the fact they had been eliminated and it had been a cold, quite long experience."
"But it was no worse than many unscripted shows," he said, "When you're giving away a huge prize it is always going to be to clear to us it was going to be a tough show to take part in."
In response to the allegations, a representative for Netflix responded to request for comment by saying that “no lawsuit has been filed by any of the Squid Game contestants."
They continued, "We take the welfare of our contestants extremely seriously.”
The FADER has also reached out to Studio Lambert for comment.