What is the $45.6 billion won in Squid Game’s prize money?

Some people would never risk their lives for money, but that’s exactly what happens in the hit Netflix series Squid Game, which returns for its second season on December 26. In fact, 456 individuals decided to participate in a series of games that turned out to be extremely deadly. Every time someone dies in the games, Both from the games themselves Or because they fail and are summarily executed, another 100,000,000 won is added to the prize pot, and stored in a giant piggy bank suspended from the ceiling. Whoever wins has 100,000,000 won on their heads as well, meaning the total prize for the Squid Games survivors is 45.6 billion won. This seems like a very ridiculous amount of money, but exactly how much is it?

We know that the prize money will be enough for a person to start their life over and do pretty much whatever they want, join the wealthy elite and escape whatever circumstances forced them to participate in the Games in the first place. But how much does it cost in US currency, and is it really worth the horror of surviving the games and knowing that 455 other desperate people died so you could get it?

As of December 2024, 45.6 billion won is equivalent to about 31.8 million US dollars, which is definitely a life-changing amount. Becoming a millionaire means leaving the struggles of professional life behind you forever, and for many contenders it means escaping serious issues. Competitors like Season 1’s Kang Sae-byuk (Jung Ho-hyun), who defected from North Korea with her little brother, wanted to win the prize not only for a better life but to get her mother out of the totalitarian northern state. The stakes are impossibly high for everyone involved – it’s literally life or death – for everything Budget for one episode of Stranger Things. Capitalism, my dear!

For those of you who aren’t in the US, the prize money is £25 million, €30.4 million, $45.2 million CAD, and $50 million AUD, for some context. No matter where you live, it’s a pretty huge prize. It raises a question about the value of an individual’s life, as 100 million won is worth about 70,000 US dollars, which seems incredibly low. Then again, life should be considered priceless, and that’s part of the point of the dang show. If only Netflix understood that and wouldn’t be here Multiple seasons of the actual “Squid Game” game show And collect money during The creator of the South Korean drama made almost nothing. I believe life imitates art.

Squid Game Season 2 premieres on December 26, 2024, exclusively on Netflix.