The goal of this game was for players to successfully reach the other end of an enclosed field, where Young-hee, a large robotic doll, was positioned, within the five-minute time limit. Players were permitted to move when the doll called "green light", but if the doll shouted "red light", players were to remain stationary while the doll scanned their movements. Any player caught moving was eliminated and shot dead.
Out of the 456 players who entered this game, 255 players who moved were eliminated, and the remaining 201 players progressed to the next round.
Contents
Game exterior
The game takes place in an open-roofed rectangular room with wallpapers resembling a blue sky and houses in a sandy terrain. Young-hee, a tall, mechanical doll resembling a little girl stands at one end with a dead tree behind her and two circle-masked guards standing beside her. On the walls, there are rectangular holes with gun turrets that will fire at and eliminate players who fail the game. The other end has multiple doors, with the wallpaper being houses and the doors as the entrance to them. This is where players are released into the game. There is also a retractable roof made of an unknown material with foliage covering it that seals the top of the room after the game ends.
Mechanics
Young-hee with her back to the players at the start of the game.
Within five minutes, players must cross the red finish line without getting caught making even the slightest movements by Young-hee. The player can move if she says "Green Light" and stop when she says "Red Light". If a player moves when Young-hee turns around or does not cross the finish line within the given time limit, they will automatically get shot and eliminated from the game.
Original game
The game involves a player standing at the end of the field as the "Curator". The others will stand at the back of the field and move front while they are not caught by the curator. A player caught moving will be sent back to the beginning or eliminated from the round.
One of the most memorable games from Netflix‘s Squid Game is the deadly version of “Red Light, Green Light.” During the first game, a giant robotic doll yells in Korean, “Red light, Green Light,” to the contestants. If the players move after she yells “red light,” then they get shot. In the end, the players must cross the finish line before the timer runs out. The doll has become an iconic staple in the series. But, what are the true origins behind the terrifying doll?
‘Squid Game’ star Jung Ho-yeon says the doll originated from Korean school textbooks
During a special appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Squid Game cast Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-jun, and Jung Ho-yeon talked about the hit Netflix series. Also, they revealed some behind-the-scenes facts about the survival drama.
When Jimmy Fallon commented on the doll in “Red Light, Green Light,” actor and model Jung Ho-yeon revealed the character originated from the Korean school textbooks. “When we were at the school, there were characters – one is a boy, and one is the girl,” she explained. “The boy’s name was Cheolsoo, and the girl’s name was Younghee, and she’s the one.”
In a Youtube video posted by The Swoon, Squid Game art director Chae Kyung-sun said the game was “mostly played in alleys back in the 70s and 80s,” so she used the character to reference that moment in time. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk went on to say the game “Red Light, Green Light” was the first game because it showed the “most shocking plot twist” at the end. In turn, the sinister survival game comes to fruition for the contestants.
One cast member says they could win ‘Red Light, Green Light’
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Although the games featured in Squid Game are pretty challenging, one cast member believes they could win the first game. In an exclusive interview with Deadline, actor Wi Ha-jun revealed that he could win “Red Light, Green Light.” He is best known for playing Jun-ho, an undercover cop that infiltrates the games to find his missing brother. “I used to be a runner in my younger days, and I’m good at controlling my body movements,” he said. “So, I’d excel in Red Light, Green Light.”
Also, the actor said he might be good at Squid Game. The final contestants, Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) and Cho Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo), played the game in the last round. “The actual Squid Game is, in fact, not the kind of game that I played as a child because it’s from an older generation,” he added. “But if I had to partake, I’d probably be good at that too.”
Will there be a ‘Squid Game’ Season 2?
Although the Squid Game cast is on board for a second season, director Hwang Dong-hyuk doesn’t have anything planned. In an interview with Variety, Hwang said the writing process for the first season was challenging.
“Writing (Squid Game) was harder than normal for me as it was a series, not a film. It took me six months to write and rewrite the first two episodes,” he said. “Then I consulted verbally with friends and picked up clues for improvements through my own pitching and from their responses.”
However, Hwang is open to making another installment – if he could collaborate with other writers. “I don’t have well-developed plans for Squid Game 2. It is quite tiring just thinking about it. But if I were to do it, I would certainly not do it alone. I’d consider using a writers’ room and would want multiple experienced directors.”