Yang Dong-geun tries sepak takraw. Photo: YouTube screengrab
In K-drama Squid Game (2021 to present), players take on children’s games for a hefty cash prize in the hit Netflix series. But how would the cast fare playing children’s games known to Singaporean and regional audiences?
In a Dec 31 video posted by Netflix, the series’ stars like Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-jun, Yim Si-wan, Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ha-neul and Yang Dong-geun attempted different children’s games from around the world, including South-East Asia. Meanwhile, a masked guard in a pink jumpsuit, resembling the ones from the show who gun down eliminated players, stood and watched.
Series lead Lee, who reprises his role as player Seong Gi-hun, kicked off the video with a game of tumbang preso. This is a traditional game from the Philippines which challenges players to knock down an empty can from a distance using a slipper.
The 52-year-old actor tried multiple times but did not succeed. He blamed the slipper.
“Given the slipper’s light weight, there’s something scientific about its curve that makes it air resistant,” he said.
The cast also played two games that Netflix said came from Malaysia and Singapore: goli panjang, also known as marbles, and batu seremban, or five stones.
Kang, who plays a former South Korean Marine in the series, tried the former, which called for him to hit a row of marbles using another small ball. At one point, the 34-year-old actor thought closing his eyes would do the trick. But he did not hit a single marble.
After his many failed attempts, Kang said with a laugh to the guard: “I’m sorry, please don’t shoot me.”
Kang Ha-neul, who plays a former South Korean Marine in Squid Game 2, played goli panjang, which called for him to hit a row of marbles using another small ball. Photo: YouTube screengrab
In contrast, Park, 39, who plays the breakout fan favourite character of a transgender woman in the show, managed to ace batu seremban on his first try. It involved throwing and catching five fabric balls (or “stones”) in various configurations. South Korea has a similar version of the game called gonggi.
Yang, 45, plays a gambler who takes part in the game due to his crushing debt in Squid Game. He tried sepak takraw, a game of kick volleyball which is popular in South-East Asia, including Malaysia and Singapore.
He needed to bounce the ball three times in a row, and took off his shoes to better his chances. But he did not succeed, even accidentally landing in a split after he failed to kick the ball once.
“That was a genuine sound of despair,” he said, after he exclaimed in frustration.
Other South-East Asian games played include gasing – the Malay spinning top – which both Lee and Park succeeded in spinning for a full five seconds. There was also Mak Kep, a Thai version of five stones, which K-pop idol and actor Yim managed to conquer.
The video also showed the cast, including actresses Jo Yu-ri and Park Gyu-young, playing games like musical chairs and the Vietnamese game of choi chuyen, which involves catching sticks in one hand while throwing a ball with the other.
Meanwhile, heartthrob Wi, who reprises his role as a detective, tried the Swedish game of kubb – a lawn game that typically involves knocking over wooden blocks – as well as the Indian game of marbles, kanche.
Since its premiere on Dec 26, Squid Game 2 has attracted more than 68 million views, topping Netflix’s streaming charts globally and marking the biggest debut ever for an original series by the platform. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
