The origins of the real-life Squid Game doll.

Squid Game is currently topping Netflix's trending charts this week and has garnered significant social media shares. It's also one of the most successful films ever released by the Netflix streaming service.

The terrifying doll character that appears in the early episodes of the series Squid Game is the centerpiece of the game "Green Light, Red Light" (known in Vietnam as "One, Two, Three") - a childhood game for many generations, but which the series portrays as a bloody and haunting game for viewers. In the film, the doll turns its back to the player and begins singing a children's song in a haunting way. When the melody ends, the doll turns around, and if anyone is still moving, they lose and are shot on the spot.

The more the movie Squid Game captivated audiences, the more haunting the image of this doll became. However, few people know that this character is actually real and is still "living" in Jincheon, a rural area about a 3-hour drive north of Seoul.

The doll stands outside, serving as a "guardian" of the entrance to the Macha Land Horse Carriage Museum. The doll's height matches that of traditional Korean house doorways. The Macha Land Museum placed the doll there to deter vandalism and harassment from outsiders.

According to Koreaboo, the doll was borrowed by the production team of Squid Game for the film and has now been returned to the village after the film was completed. Unfortunately, however, the doll is currently missing one arm, even though it was intact in the film. While no explanation has been given, many speculate that the damage occurred during filming.

At Macha Land, visitors can learn more about traditional Korean carriages set amidst natural scenery. Additionally, horse-drawn carriages and weapons used in Korean historical dramas are produced here. These carriages and weapons are then displayed at the museum.

But that still doesn't answer the question: Why would this museum design a giant (and horrifying) doll to place in the middle of... nowhere?

"Nightmare" comes true.

South Korea isn't the only place where the Squid Game master doll is present. There's still another one currently "watching over" pedestrians in the Philippines.

On September 22nd, a video of a doll resembling a character from Squid Game went viral online. This doll was installed by Netflix Philippines to promote the series, and also as a "creative" way for authorities to ensure pedestrian safety.

Specifically, this doll is located in Manila, standing prominently in front of the Robinsons Galleria Ortigas shopping mall. Like the doll character in Squid Game, this real-life replica can observe pedestrians with its laser eyes. Whenever the doll detects someone walking by, its eyes turn a menacing red.

This installation idea has attracted a lot of attention. Some netizens even commented that this Filipino doll is "more effective than a traffic officer."

Khanh Ha, Lam Oanh