Netflix’s popular series, Squid Game, has returned with a bang in its second season. The show continues to feature hundreds of characters competing for a substantial cash prize, leaving viewers intrigued about the exact value of the winnings.
The show reveals that the grand prize for the ultimate winner is an astonishing 45.6 billion Won. This currency, issued by the Bank of Korea in Seoul, is the official currency of South Korea and is abbreviated as KRW, standing for Korean Republic Won.
The game’s organisers specifically target individuals who are heavily in debt or in dire need of large sums of money. These desperate circumstances make them willing to go to extreme lengths for a chance at a life-changing cash prize, reports the Express.
But what does this amount translate to in British Pounds? And what about other sums mentioned in the show, such as the amount the main character promises to those he recruits to help uncover the people behind the games? As season 2 is watched by fans around the world, here’s everything you need to know.
In the deadly contest, players must survive five rounds of childhood games with a twist to claim the cash prize. This includes a version of Red Light Green Light and tug of war.
The total prize amount is a staggering 45.6 billion Won. Each time a player is eliminated, usually through a gruesome death, 100 million Won, equivalent to just under £54,000, is added to the pot. The series features a total of 456 contestants vying for the grand prize, which equates to just over £24 million at the current exchange rate.
This is the sum that main character Seong Gi-hun walks away with at the end of the first season, sadly too late to cover his mother’s medical bills. However, he does manage to pay off his friend’s debt, telling Cho Sang-woo’s mum that it was money her son owed him. This amounted to around 6 billion won, or just over £3.2 million.
In the initial episodes of Squid Game’s second season, he continues to use his winnings, this time in an attempt to track down those responsible for the games and put an end to them. Gi-hun proposes a deal to his former loan shark and associates, offering them 500 million won to find The Salesman, the character he met in the subway and played the traditional game of Ddakji with.
This sum equates to approximately £270,000, while the bonus of 1 billion Won offered to whoever finds the Salesman translates to just under £540,000. To find out whether another contestant claims the money or if Gi-hun manages to stop the deadly tournament, viewers will need to tune into season two.
Squid Game is streaming on Netflix.