How ‘Squid Game’ Became a Business Empire for Netflix, and Why Its Creator Says ‘I’m So Sick’ of ‘Squid Game’

variety.com:

“Squid Game: The Experience,” an immersive entertainment installation that opened in October in a shuttered shopping mall near Madison Square Garden, brings its participants slowly into the dark, dystopian world of the South Korean drama series that exploded into a massive hit for Netflix in 2021.

Players begin the journey in a room styled as a night market stocked with icons from the series and South Korean pop culture, including a ramen vending machine and a bar setup featuring the “Squid Game”-branded Johnnie Walker whisky tie-in.

Participants who have shelled out $29 to $45 for the visit are given a green-gel wrist band; then they have their picture snapped and are assigned a player number, just like in the series.

Once their time slot is called, groupings of 24 players move into the next room. And that’s when things get freaky. “You watch the show, and you can’t help but start to wonder — how would I react if I were put in one of these situations,” says Josh Simon, Netflix’s VP of consumer products and live experiences. “The games in the series and the unscripted show are based on simple, well-known games that people play growing up, so the rules aren’t super complicated.