'Squid Game' Winner Who Received 6 Billion Won Prize Money: "I'm Happy to Overcome Everything"

55-Year-Old Female Immigration Officer of Vietnamese Refugee Origin
Winner of Netflix's 'Squid Game: The Challenge'

"As a woman and a minority, I am truly happy to have overcome everything at this age."

Mai Wellan (55), the winner of the reality survival show Squid Game: The Challenge, based on Netflix's Squid Game, who took home the prize money of $4.56 million (about 6 billion KRW), shared her thoughts on winning in an interview.

On the 7th (local time), an interview with Wellan, contestant number 287 and the "last one standing," was posted on "Toodoom," a Netflix community that shares news related to Netflix content.

My Wellan (55), the winner of 'Squid Game: The Challenge,' took home a prize of 4.56 million dollars (approximately 6 billion won) [Image source=Netflix 'Toodoom' capture]

Wellan, a Vietnamese refugee, left Vietnam when Saigon fell in 1975 and settled in the United States. She became a single mother at 19 after giving birth to a child. Having served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, Wellan has been working as an immigration officer since 2013. She once confessed about her life, saying she had "hit rock bottom."

The 456 participants of Squid Game: The Challenge were selected from over 81,000 applicants worldwide, based on their unique stories. The participants played the game for 16 days in a studio in London, UK, in January. Netflix produced the footage into 10 episodes, which were released sequentially from the 22nd of last month until the 7th of this month.

After finishing filming the series, Wellan is resting at home with her husband, 12-year-old granddaughter, and two dogs. She said, "I’m glad I was able to return to everyday life without being eliminated," adding, "After 16 days of intense movement and emotional ups and downs, I needed to recover." She further stated, "I am still Mai and I haven’t changed?except that I have become stronger."

Based on her experience of winning despite many disadvantages, Wellan offered words of encouragement: "Don’t be afraid. Just be yourself and get through it."

When asked how she plans to use the prize money, she expressed concern, saying, "I care deeply about people, animals, and climate change," and warned, "If we continue what we are doing now, there will be no future for all the children growing up."

Meanwhile, some recent participants of Squid Game: The Challenge have sent compensation claims and threatened to sue the production company.

They claimed, "Due to poor health and safety standards on set, participants suffered injuries such as hypothermia and nerve damage," while other participants alleged, "We were not allowed to use the restroom during filming, and we were not properly provided with water and food." In response, a spokesperson for the program told a media outlet, "No participant has filed a lawsuit," and added, "We have taken the welfare of participants very seriously."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.