Filipino Squid Game


After watching South Korea’s Netflix show Squid Game, most of us have fancied reimagining the popular show as a localized version. After all, we’ve grown up playing many Filipino street games, so it’s easy to visualize how a Filipino Squid Game would turn out. (Check out our take on it here!)

Influencer Donnalyn Bartolome, for instance, just released a YouTube video on 2nd November where she played Han Mi-nyeo or player 212 alongside other influencers in her rendition of a Filipino Squid Game.


The cast resembles their South Korean characters


Filipino Squid Game - Donnalyn Bartolome
Image credit: @donna, @donna 

The cast easily resembles the South Korean characters they portrayed. With her curly locks and dreamy eyes, Bartolome gave off the vibe of player 212, and Marvin Fojas looked like Anupam Tripathi‘s role, Pakistani character Ali Abdul or player 199.

Given his fair complexion, Baron Geisler took the role of the main character, Seong Gi-hun or player 456.


They played 3 games


Filipino Squid Game - Donnalyn Bartolome
Image credit: Donnalyn

The vlog’s version of Red Light, Green Light maintained the rule of the game it’s based on: players who are caught moving will be eliminated. But the local game had each player jump inside sacks as they made their way to the finish line.

And fortunately, those caught moving weren’t shot to death, but were instead shot with a water gun.

Filipino Squid Game - Red Light Green Light
Image credit: Donnalyn 

Baby Boobsie Wonderland supervised the game as the Squid Game Doll, guarded by men in red hoodies and black masks.

Filipino Squid Game - Polvoron Challenge
Image credit: Donnalyn

For the Filipino version’s Ppongi or honeycomb candy (dalgona) challenge, each player had to carve out their assigned shapes, made up of local candy called polvoron, from small tin cans.

Filipino Squid Game - Tug of War
Image credit: Donnalyn

Near the end of the video, you’ll get a glimpse of the Tug of War, but the game’s outcome will be known in the second part of the Filipino Squid Game vlog series.

One thing’s for sure, though, the losing team will have to fall on a patch of soil with live worms. Yikes. 


Filipino Squid Game featuring Donnalyn Bartolome


With its star-studded cast and exciting twists, Bartolome’s Squid Game is a solid reimagination of Netflix’s number one show.

We’re looking forward to seeing how the succeeding games will turn out in future videos!

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Cover image adapted from: Donnalyn

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