By Lee Dasom and Park Chaerin
Photos = Lee Jeongwoo

Korea.net staff and 23 creators of Korean cultural content -- 10 Korea.net Honorary Reporters and 13 K-influencers -- on May 29 tried their hand at "Squid Game: The Experience" at S Factory D-dong in Seoul's Seongdong-gu District.

This interactive venue allows participants to play the games featured in the eponymous Netflix series, the biggest hit in the streaming site's history, that premiered in 2021.

The contestants play six games over 90 minutes like marbles, treasure hunt, glass stepping stones, Red Light, Green Light, tug-of-war and the mingle round to the song "Round and Round," with each event packed with thrills and tension.

Each room is carefully designed and customized to match the theme, and an agent wearing a pink jumpsuit walks around to manage the game. The Front Man appears on the screen before each game to explain how to play, adding to the immersive effect.

Twenty-three Korean culture content creators in Seoul's Seongdong-gu District on May 29 try their hand in "Squid Game: The Experience," playing the games featured in the eponymous hit Netflix series.

Participants who succeed in a game tag their bracelets on the near-field communication tag device to record their scores. At the end of each game, the winners on this day show big smiles while the losers move on to the next game room with renewed determination.

Once the final game, the mingle round with the song "Round and Round," ends, the final rankings are shown. The top six qualify for the game "Last Supper" to crown the last person standing.

They sit around a roundtable with a banquet set, ready for the final showdown with all of their concentration, reflexes and strategy.

Twenty-three creators of Korean cultural content -- 10 Korea.net Honorary Reporters and 13 K-influencers -- on May 29 take a group photo at "Squid Game: The Experience" in Seoul's Seongdong-gu District.

The grand prize winner that day was Honorary Reporter Princess Medina from the Philippines. "I really enjoyed playing the main games from the 'Squid Game' series, including 'Red Light, Green Light' with the gigantic doll of Young-hee in the setting," she said.

Her secret to her victory? "You need more than physical ability to win," she said. "You need strategic thinking, not just flexibility and good reflexes."

Mexican K-influencer Jose Ivan Rodrigeuz Gonzalez wore a T-shirt inscribed with the number 456, or that of the series protagonist Seong Gi-hoon. As a self-proclaimed "Squid Game" fanatic, he lauded the atmosphere and set designs of the facility.

"The 'Squid Game' play, progression and rules were the same as in the TV series, with the only difference being that you do not die," he said with a big smile. "The atmosphere, space design and staff attitude were all really great."

After the final survivor is announced, the Front Man appears and gives the winner a golden mask, but asks, "Will you stop here? Or will you take a risk and play another game for a bigger win?"

The choice is yours.

"Do you accept the challenge?"