Jesse Jeffers of Cabot competed in Netflix’s spinoff of “Squid Game” in a new reality show that brings the original to life, KARK reported. The first episode of “Squid Game: The Challenge” aired late last month, with Jeffers featured as player 183.
“I was the only person from Arkansas, so I think it’s a pretty big thing to come from Cabot, central Arkansas area,” Jeffers told KARK. “I have a lot of connections, a lot of people I know down there, and a lot of people are rooting for me.”
Jeffers signed up for the game on a whim, and in January was flown to London to compete for $4.56 million with no phone, computer or other access to the outside world. Like in the original Korean show, he and other contestants lived in a dormitory with 456 bunk beds between challenges, which mimics Korean playground games. In a notable difference from the original, contestants are not killed should they fail the challenge, but are eliminated from the game.
“I’ve served in the U.S. Air Force, I’ve been to boot camp, but this was the hardest thing that I have ever done,” Jeffers told KARK. “One of the heavy things I had to consider was teammates, alliances,” he said. “Am I going to make friends in there? How am I going to interact with these people so I still end up on top hopefully?”
While Jeffers certainly believed he was the only contestant from Arkansas, KAIT recently reported another. Brittany Oneal, who was born and raised in Pocahontas and later moved to Dallas, also competed on the Netflix show as player 397.
While Oneal described the competition as a rewarding experience, she admitted she was an emotional rollercoaster throughout filming. Having zero contact with the outside world, she had to rely on her fellow contestants for companionship.
“I think the most rewarding part was my cast mates,” Oneal told KAIT. “We became really close, really quickly. We didn’t have any social media or phones. We just had to talk and confide in each other.”
As for Jeffers, he says that he would play again if given the chance, and wants people to know that they can always achieve their dreams, no matter where they come from.
Jessica Ranck/KARK and Macy Davis/KAIT contributed to this article
READ ALSO: Petit & Keet Welcomes Napier as Executive Chef
