Kumari Shreya
Combining everything we love about the genre of reality shows with the thrill of competition that Netflix’s ‘Squid Game‘ is known for, ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ has quickly found its way into the hearts of the viewers. With so many things working just right for the Netflix series, it is hardly a wonder that viewers are trying to learn what they can about the show. One of the most burning questions in the minds of the public is just where the reality series is filmed, given its high-quality sets and true to the original backdrops. After all, the production backdrops are a big reason why we have come to love the show so much.
Squid Game: The Challenge Filming Locations
We are excited to share that ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ is filmed in the United Kingdom, specifically in the city of London. The shooting for the first season began in January 2023 and took just over 16 days. Impressing viewers with its accurate replication of the original series, the Netflix show has left viewers curious about the production’s details.
London, United Kingdom
Primarily, ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ is filmed in two places in London, United Kingdom. First is the Cardington Studios located at Hangar 2, Cardington Airfield, Bedford. The location houses set for the game Red Light Green Light, which is the very first challenge faced by the various 456 contestants that enterthe competition. The similarity between the backdrop for the reality show and the one used in ‘Squid Game’ season 1 is quite uncanny.
That said, season 1’s production of the real-life show did see some controversy after the contestants had taken part in it on January 23, 2023. Some of the contestants claimed that the producers had not taken enough precautions to safeguard players from the cold weather prevalent in the area at the time. Netflix itself responded that it cares “deeply about the health of our cast and crew,” indicating its disagreement with the accusations. Another player stated that while conditions might not have been as dire as some of the others have claimed, the streamer’s assertion of minimal risk was also not true.
“It’s not like we signed up for ‘Survivor’ or ‘Naked and Afraid,’” a player named Marlene revealed to Variety. “The conditions were absolutely inhumane and had nothing to do with the game.” She shared how an alleged two-minute wait period was close to 26 minutes and that one of the other contestants had fainted in front of her. Apparently, the medical team had to help out no less than eleven times. Claims were also made that the game went on for closer to six to seven hours, forcing many to miss their meals.
Another location where ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ is filmed is across six sound stages in Barking, London. Specifically, the production for season 1 took place at The Wharf Studios, 8 River Road, Barking, and the shoot went on for 16 days. This is likely where events following the first task take place since it is apparent, even in season 1, that the contestants do not visit the dormitories prior to their participation in Red Light Green Light. So, the areas in and near the dormitory, the staircases that connect various sections of the game, the Dalgona room, the team selection room, and the chambers for Warships were likely built in Barking.
Additionally, unique sets were made to accommodate games like Glass Hopscotch and Marbles. One thing you cannot help but notice is the resemblance that the settings for the competition show bear to its inspiration, ‘Squid Game.’ Apart from Warships, almost every room we see is reminiscent of scenes in the Korean series. The movement of the players indicates that all of the chambers are linked in one way or another, given that they mostly walk from one to the other. Many of the contestants have claimed within the show that they have lost their sense of time, indicating that they spend their time in an enclosed location.
Read More: Why is it Called Squid Game?
