“Hairs in pillows”: Player 383 reveals “gross” behind-the-scenes of Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2

Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 (Image via Netflix)

Emily Boe Lee, known to viewers as Player 383 on Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2, is opening up about the “gross” realities contestants faced behind the camera.

Just before the finale, the former player shared details about bedding that was never washed, pillows containing strangers’ hair, and multi-day stretches where contestants were not allowed to shower for continuity purposes.

Emily, who finished in 12th place after being eliminated during the Slides and Ladders game, explained the conditions exactly as she experienced them. She said, 

“Probably the grossest fun fact: they do not wash or change the sheets between games. As players get eliminated, they take some beds out and they rearrange them so you are not sleeping in the same bed every night.”

She added that the unchanged bedding led the contestants to discover things they didn’t expect. She explained, 

“People were finding like hairs and stuff in their pillows that did not belong to them.”

The shower restrictions, according to Player 383, were another ongoing issue while filming Squid Game: The Challenge.

She revealed that the cast went several days without showering, not because of time constraints, but because production needed to maintain consistent appearances between scenes.

“Also, for continuity reasons, there were times in the game where we could not shower for three or four days at a time,” she said.

The longest stretch came at the beginning of the competition. 

“The most notable being when we first got to the dorms, they wanted to make it seem like the counting game and the pentathlon all took place in one day. But actually that whole thing was filmed over the course of three whole days, so during that time we were not allowed to shower because our hair and stuff would change and get messed up.”

Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2

Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 follows the familiar structure of the series: 456 contestants competing in a string of games for a record-breaking $4.56 million prize.

Emily’s exit in 12th place meant she spent a significant portion of the season inside the show’s dormitory, designed to mirror the iconic stacked-bed setup from the original Squid Game drama.

Her comments describe a living environment that was visually identical to the fictional version but far less sanitized.

Beds were routinely moved as contestants were eliminated, but according to Player 383, bedding itself stayed exactly as it was from the start.

She maintained that the lack of sheet changes, combined with contestants going days without showering, created hygienic conditions that were difficult to ignore as filming continued.

Emily’s inside look fits with what past players from both seasons have said – competing on Squid Game: The Challenge pushes your body and tests how well you handle tough conditions.

Viewers have long speculated about how closely the competition’s actual conditions mirror those in the series’ dramatic reenactments, and Player 383’s account adds new clarity to that ongoing conversation.

Though the intense challenges grab attention on screen, Emily said behind-the-scenes moments were just as draining.

Being restricted from showering and sleeping on unwashed bedding compounded the pressure of the competition.

For her, the discomfort extended beyond the strategy and alliances viewers saw.

Her comments also come at a time when fan discussions surrounding the show’s production have increased.

Last season, other contestants described the emotional and physical wear of the competition, and Emily’s remarks further illustrate what she and others endured throughout filming Squid Game: The Challenge.

Player 383’s revelations give viewers a clearer understanding of how much endurance — physical, mental, and environmental — is required behind the scenes.

Squid Game: The Challenge may be the primary challenge, but Emily’s account suggests the living conditions were just as demanding.

Stay tuned for more updates.