The mysterious men in hot pink full-body hooded jumpsuits making the hostages play elementary school games have abducted our screens.

No wonder Squid Game is slated to be Netflix’s biggest show of all time. We are obsessed and have dug deep into the show, unearthing some facts you probably have no idea about. Keep reading to find out.

1. The number 1 show on Netflix was rejected by studios for 10 years. 

As per WSJ, the pitch for the fictionalised show was rebuffed by local studios for a decade because it was ‘too grotesque’ and ‘unrealistic’.

Den of Geek

2. Initially, the show was called something else.

The series was previously titled ‘Round Six’ when Netflix announced it in September 2019. 

NDTV

3. Dong-hyuk intended to make Squid Game a movie, not a show. 

The project was originally conceived as a feature film in 2008, recalled the creator of the show in an interview

NME

4. Only the first two episodes of the show took six months of writing. 

The first two episodes took Dong-hyuk six months to write and rewrite. He also consulted his friends and used their feedback to make changes and improve the script. 

WallpaperAccess

5. Doodles on the walls of the players’ room had the preview of the upcoming games that no one noticed.

The graphics on the dorm walls, which were originally covered by beds, served as hints for the players to see which games would be played. 

6. The creepy doll from the Red Light, Green Light episode is a real creation you can visit.

Jincheon County, a rural area around three hours north of Seoul, is home to this overgrown doll.

7. The phone number in the first episode of the show is again, real.

The eight-digit number on the strange business cards unfortunately belongs to a man who claims to get over 4,000 calls every day. 

allkpop

8. Jung Ho-yeon (Kang Sae-byeok) is the highest followed Korean actress on Instagram.

This 27-year-old actress, who made her acting debut in Squid Game, has become the most followed Korean actress on Instagram since the TV series premiered on Netflix, with a total of 13 million followers at the time of writing.

9. Park Hae-soo (Cho Sang-woo) is starring in a Korean remake of ‘Money Heist’. 

In the near future, the actor will feature in a Korean remake of Netflix’s Money Heist. Previously, he’s been in TV series including Prison Playbook and Legend of the Blue Sea.

10. There’s a hidden meaning behind the staff and players’ uniform in the show.

The staff uniforms were inspired by photos of factory workers Dong-hyuk had come across while designing the appearance with his costume director. The players’ tracksuits also resemble the green gym uniform he wore in elementary school.

CNET

Which of the above facts you really didn’t see coming?