‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ Winner Must Play The Waiting Game To Get $4.5 Million Prize

The hourglass has nearly run its course for Mai Whelan, winner of Netflix's "Squid Game: The Challenge," with her $4.5 million prize money inching closer with time!

Days after the Vietnamese immigrant seemingly called out showrunners for failing to credit her account with the life-changing reward, sources revealed the truth behind the delayed payment. It turns out the competition's producers don't play with money and have a strict contract in play.

When Whelan emerged victorious on the "Squid Game: The Challenge" show, many expected her to be living the million-dollar life with the prize money. However, Netflix shattered that dream with its delayed payment of the $4.5 million reward, an issue the media giant's lawyers inked in a contract long before the finale aired.

The competition's winner may need to refresh her memory about the contract she signed before the reality TV series, as sources recently claimed she knew about the delayed payment. These insiders stressed Whelan and other contestants signed documents stipulating that the prize money would be disbursed 30 days after the finale aired.

Netflix broadcasted the show's final episode on December 6, meaning Whelan will have to continue playing the waiting game for thirty more days, with her prize money arriving on Friday, January 5, 2024. While many assumed she had been complaining about the delayed payment, this new information gives a different perspective to her previous remarks.

When the Vietnamese native noted she was yet to receive a dime from the promised money, it was more likely a reminder to producers about her upcoming payday rather than her lamenting about their refusal to uphold their ends of the agreement. On that note, sources did not clarify to TMZ if the $4.5 million will be paid in whole or in installments.

The contract seemed to have escaped Whelan's mind in the season finale of "Squid Game: The Challenge" as her first move after defeating scuba instructor Phill was to check her account balance at an ATM. While this moment occurred days earlier for viewers, it happened ten months ago for the Vietnamese immigrant.

"I feel like Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire. Show me the money!" she chimed when asked in a recent interview about her prize money. The 55-year-old noted she had not received the $4.5 million but had begun splurging on luxuries like a stunning Ralph Lauren dress, Jimmy Choo shoes, and a dashing hairdo for a Netflix event.

Additionally, Whelan opened up about her strict contract, revealing that contestants were forbidden from giving part of their winnings to other participants. While she could not spend her prize money on her former cast members, the contract did not stop her from donating to charity. 

The reality TV star noted she would support environmental projects and look into a retirement home away from her residence in Fairfax, Virginia, once her $4.5 million paycheck arrives. Her victory against over 400 contestants came after several complaints about the show's nightmarish conditions.

When Netflix announced its plans to make a reality TV show based on the Korean drama series "Squid Game," many never expected they would face a similar grueling experience as the fictional characters. ICYMI, the hit show, followed the struggles of people so desperate for money that they participated in deadly games.

The rules were simple: survive the challenges, defeat opponents, and emerge as the final winner or die trying. While Netflix's adaption did not involve anyone dying, its filming conditions were enough to send people crying. Some contestants claimed they were practically tortured by the "Squid Game" filming team.

The conditions they were allegedly subjected to were so bad they felt they were being treated like "animals." Some candidates declared: "We have been tortured for 8 hours," while others said: "I know the show is hard, but this was inhuman."

The complaints did not end there as more added that "good shots were more important for the filming team than the health of the participants." All these complaints came after the show's first challenge, a game called "Red Light Green Light," like in the Korean drama series.

This challenge reportedly became a "war zone" for contestants, with them struggling to stay still for more than 8 hours while it was less than 0 degrees Celsius outside. Some of them were hit by hypothermia, while others were transported on stretchers by doctors.