The ever-popular “Squid Game” TV series is now playing out on some playgrounds around the globe.
A Belgian school has issued a warning following reports of students playing a dangerous punching game inspired by Netflix’s hyperviolent Korean series.
“We [must remain] vigilant so that this unhealthy and dangerous game is stopped!” read the Facebook public service announcement, which was posted Tuesday by the Municipal School of Erquelinnes Béguinage Hainaut. They released the statement after discovering that several children were re-creating the “Red Light, Green Light” pastime featured on “Squid Game,” in which cash-strapped players compete in deadly playground contests for prizes — the equivalent of a Japanese game show meeting the “Saw” horrror film franchise.
The contest on the 17+-rated “Squid Game” series, which is incidentally beloved by New Yorkers, sees participants walk towards a murderous puppet after it calls out “green light.” When the doll shouts, “red light,” the contestant must freeze before the dummy turns around or they’ll be shot dead.
In the Belgian kiddie schoolyard version, the loser gets punched instead of executed.
Nonetheless, the school is imploring parents to make their children “aware of the consequences” of the punitive pursuit.
They also promised to punish any students found participating in the “Jackass”-esque pastime — although they clarified that the G-rated version of “Red Light, Green Light” — which doesn’t involve striking classmates — is still OK to play.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that “Squid Game,” which is projected to become Netflix’s most-watched show ever, has had a negative impact on people in the real world. Last month, a South Korean man was barraged by thousands of phone calls after his number appeared on the dystopian series.
