By Abb Jones
The Reelness

In 2021, the South Korean fantasy series Squid Game, about a Hunger Games-styled reality show in which eliminated contestants were killed, became the most watched series in Netflix history. So, no surprise, Netflix has turned the games of that series into an actual reality competition – Squid Game: The Challenge, the world’s largest reality competition.

U.S. contestant Tom Crooks of Belmar, New Jersey is one of the 456 individuals who competed in Squid Game: The Challenge, which was filmed over a two-week period earlier this year just outside of London. The prize for the sole winner is a whopping $4.56 million. Tom (contestant #446) can’t tell us how he did, but from getting minimal amounts of food, and enduring a LOT of waiting during filming, he can tell us what the experience was like.

The Reelness: How did you find out about the show?

TC: It popped up on Facebook. I’ve tried out for Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race – all of them – and I love reality television so it sort of found me. I had just sold my company and was deciding what I wanted to do next and the next week this popped up. I applied and they called me the very next day. 

The Reelness: Had you watched the Squid Game series? What did you think about it?

TC: I watched it just prior to being selected for the competition. I found it to be intriguing but it got so dark!

The Reelness: Tell us about the audition process for Squid Game: The Challenge.

TC: After a phone call with a local casting agent, you are set up for a Zoom video call with one of the producers. They ask you about your life and why you think you would do well. It was more about personality and having an interesting story if you win. 

The Reelness: Were some contestants villains in the competition?

TC: There definitely were villains that came out during the competition, some based on things they said, not realizing they are mic’d up 24/7.

The Reelness: What were the sleeping arrangements?

TC: Once in the U.K., I was sequestered for three days in my hotel room and not allowed to talk with other contestants or even producers. On the third day they took my cell phone and gave me my track suit with my number, 446. We then were taken straight to the first game, “Red Light, Green Light,” and had to earn our spots in the dorms, where we slept in bunks for the rest of the competition. It was cold in Red Light, Green Light!

The Reelness: How was the food?

TC: The only liquid we got was water. The only food we got was wet oatmeal for breakfast, boiled chicken with no spices for lunch and dinner. One night of the week – we got pasta with meatballs. I was so excited. 

The Reelness: What was the biggest surprise that you took away from the competition?

TC: I really enjoyed every moment in the dorms between games. My two number buddies, 444 and 445, Brooklyn and Chapman, became my best friends in the game. You are sitting there like cattle where you just wait, wait, wait. Sometimes you are up against a wall for hours and I think that’s intentional because I got VERY emotional after completing a game. 

The Reelness: What was your strategy for the game?

TC: In my hotel room I practiced “Red Light, Green Light,” but as soon as the game started, all strategy went out the window.

The Reelness: Was it daunting competing against SO MANY people?

TC: I was shocked after Red Light, Green Light at how many people were eliminated. While doing it, I would hear the pop, pop, pop of contestants being “shot” and their vests blowing up, but most were out of my eyeshot. I did see one massacre of 60 people being taken out. 

The Reelness: If given the opportunity, would you do the show again?

TC: Absolutely! I think going in not knowing was a big challenge – everything was a shock. I now know about the long waits during production and the mental game that is involved. 

Squid Game: The Challenge premiers on Netflix today, with the finale on December 6.