Squid Game: The Challenge contestant’s brutal on-camera breakdown

Nobody dies, but Netflix’s new reality TV version of Squid Game is still incredibly dramatic viewing – particularly with this contestant.

The new Netflix reality show Squid Game: The Challenge is practically an anti-bullying PSA, especially the second episode, which will leave you feeling sick to your stomach in more ways than one.

The series features 456 players competing for a whopping $4.56 million, which is said to be the largest cash prize in game and reality show history.

Episode 2, The Man with the Umbrella, centres on a challenge that fans of the namesake fictional series will easily recognise.

That’s right! It’s the Dalgona Cookie Challenge which involves players using multiple techniques to carve an assigned shape — circle, triangle, star, or umbrella — out of a toffee cookie without breaking the whole thing.

But the shapes aren’t dolled out by the instructor. Instead, contestants have to fight for their teams.

The players are instructed to form four lines, and the first player in the front of each line progresses into a room. Inside of the room are the four iconic shapes on a wall. The players are told that they must come to an agreement and each choose a shape in an allotted amount of time.

The first group of players are unable to unanimously decide and end up getting eliminated. Then, it’s Spencer’s turn and he advances into the room with Bryton and two others.

Contestant 299, Spencer, is an emotional wreck.

From the beginning, Spencer is emotional and the others in the line offer him their support. “Don’t take the umbrella,” they tell him. “It’s all about who has the biggest bottle at this point.”

Spencer grows overwhelmed and hunches over to cry. At this point, Bryton rudely cuts in and tells him, “Please stop crying, bro. Jesus Christ.” A teammate touches Spencer’s shoulder and says, “Just stand there and endure it. He’s going to give you a hard time, but you have to stand there and endure it. He will give in … You got this.”

Before entering the room, Spencer admits to being a “mama’s boy” and wetting the bed “for a long time” during an interview segment. “I am extremely gullible — it is a problem. If someone says something to me, I’m going to believe it immediately.”

Well, now, Spencer has all of my sympathies. Some people are sensitive! Leave them alone!

As expected, when the standoff begins, Spencer has a hard time dealing with the conflicting personalities. The players enter the room and stare at the shapes as the time begins ticking. “Are you ready to go home?” Bryton asks the players before telling them to select the shapes in the order of their lines, which places Spencer at the umbrella.

Spencer doesn’t move to his shape. “I’m here to help people. If I finish my cookie, I’m willing to help someone else if they allow me,” he says to the others. “I’ll pick this umbrella, if you guys promise me …” He goes on to ask the other players to help his team, if they finish their challenge first. Bryton shakes Spencer’s hand and reassures him, “I’ll come help you if I finish.”

With $4.56m up for grabs, the stakes are high on Squid Game: The Challenge. Picture: Netflix

Outside, in the large room, the players in Spencer’s line are furious as they watch the events play out on a screen. “Are you trusting the villain right now,” yells one.

Spencer selects the umbrella, to everybody’s joy except for his group. He becomes visibly emotional as the others cheer for their shapes. “He shook hands with a villain! You never shake hands with the villain,” continues to yell the outside contestant.

“Attention players, Dalgona will begin shortly. You and your entire line will play for the shape you have chosen. Each shape will play independently. Players will not be permitted to assist other players,” says the instructor while Bryton nods knowingly.

Hearing that, Spencer begins to experience stomach issues that are narrated in the subtitles. The player heaves and gags while clutching his stomach. His sickness continues for the remainder of the episode, but thankfully, he never tosses his cookies.

Spencer collapses after his elimination.

In addition to the coercion, Spencer is bullied by his teammates as they enter the room when it’s their turn to complete the challenge. One contestant walks by and calls him an “idiot,” while others angrily gawk at him.

What the eff? His only other option was to get eliminated, and while some of the others may have not attempted the negotiation, I doubt they’d stand still and allow themselves to get eliminated as the time ticked down.

As expected, the ugly side of people gets revealed when there’s money on the line. But this seemed personal, as more money is added as contestants are eliminated, and this was only the second challenge in the game — yet it’s the meanest a collective group of people have been in the eight episodes that Netflix has provided media for viewing.

In this case, I am Team Spencer! Even though he doesn’t make it very far.

This story originally appeared on Decider and is republished here with permission.