Netflix has revealed they will be removing the phone number that repeatedly appears in its streaming phenomenon Squid Game.
As depicted in the new hit show, struggling South Korean residents are offered the opportunity to participate in “the game”. To enter, an individual must call the numbers presented to them on a business-like card.
A south-east Korean businesswoman has spoken out saying the number presented on the card actually links directly to her phone. She has since received prank calls and texts from over 4,000 different numbers.
Since the release and adoration of the 9-part series, the woman has reportedly been overwhelmed with calls requesting to participate in “the game”.
The businesswoman has said that the number of incoming texts and calls have affected her “to the point that it’s hard…to go on with daily life.”
The Seongju (south-east Korea) resident told Money Today that she has held the number for “more than ten years” and has been constantly deleting incoming phone numbers.
“I’m quite taken aback. There are more than 4,000 numbers that I’ve had to delete from my phone.”
Dear “Squid Game” fans, please stop calling the phone number shown in the series https://t.co/S4WxD8DUuv
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 7, 2021
In response to the inconvenience, she has been offered compensation of up to five million won ($5,733), which she has chosen to reject.
Netflix is yet to comment on the compensation information but has urged viewers not to dial the number.
“Together with the production company, we are working to resolve this matter, including editing scenes with phone numbers where necessary.”
Netflix has since edited the Squid Game phone number to prevent any further calls.
The gory new Netflix addition was first aired on September 17 and is well and truly on the way to becoming one of the streaming platform’s most-watched shows.
Squid Game is a bingeworthy new series about a mysterious series of very deadly games that people who are down on their luck play as a last resort to get back to debt-free.
It’s dark, it’s funny, and it just looks so damn cool. pic.twitter.com/9DvC6xavJR
— Netflix (@netflix) September 23, 2021
In just 10 days, Squid Game has reached number one in 90 countries, speaking to audiences with it’s gruelling take on human instinct and behaviour.