'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
St. John’s hotel in Gangwon is organizing a real-life Squid Game on October 24 with a cash prize of 5 million KRW, cashing in on the craze for the Netflix show. Instead of the six games, participants will have to play only four games, reports The Korea Times.
The event was fully booked just two days after their announcement on Instagram. Rather than the pre-game ddakji, the registration for the real-life Squid Game costs 10,000 KRW. However, the city’s government has issued a notice to the hotel to cancel the event as it violates the current social distancing rules, leaving the status of the event up in the air.
Hotel in South Korea’s Gangwon hosts real-life Squid Game with a cash prize
As per The Korea Times on October 13, a real-life Squid Game is to be held in Gangwon’s St. John’s hotel that will follow a similar route to that of the show. They will not reveal the host till the end of the show, the participants will receive a business card with a phone number, and they will be playing the four games shown in the series.
The hotel announced on its Instagram account that it would be hosting the Squid Game event on October 24. Online registration costs 10,000 KRW, while on-site tickets cost 12,000 KRW. Whoever emerges as the winner of all four games would then win a prize of 5 million KRW.
Anyone who pays the registration fee can book a spot in the games, not just hotel guests. The competitions organized for them are Red Light-Green Light, Tug of War, ddakji and the dalgona candy challenge.
This marketing tactic has raised the hotel’s popularity but the government of Gangneung soon issued them a notice as the event would violate social distancing rules. The current rules state that any accommodation facility can only host an event or gathering of up to eight people, including those who are fully vaccinated.
The team at St. John’s are now trying to figure out whether they should change the game's rules or cancel the event entirely.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time the hotel has cashed in on Squid Game. They previously held games where people (preferably guests) would have to play a round of either rock-paper-scissors or Chamchamcham with another person holding the same card at a park.
The loser has to give the winner their invitation card. The higher the number of invitations, the better the gift options, ranging from food/drinks discounts to weekday tickets.
A hotel in the land of K-dramas hosting a similar game might not be as shocking for some people. A few days ago, there were reports of The Korean Cultural Center in Dubai holding a murder-free Squid Game too.
