Some people would never risk their lives for money, but that’s exactly what happens in the hit Netflix series “Squid Game,” which premieres its second season on December 26th. In fact, 456 people decide to sign up for a series of games that prove extremely deadly. Every time someone dies in the games, either from the games themselves or because they fail and are summarily executed, an additional 100,000,000 won is added to the prize pot, which is kept in a giant, transparent piggy bank hanging from the ceiling. Whoever wins will also have 100,000,000 won on their head, meaning the total prize for the Squid Games survivor is 45.6 billion won. That seems like an absolutely ridiculous amount, but how much is it exactly?

We know that the prize money would be enough for a person to completely restart their life and do pretty much anything they want, join the wealthy elite and escape the conditions that forced them into 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 knowing that 455 other desperate people died so you can get it?

As of December 2024, 45.6 billion won is worth about $31.8 million, which is definitely life-changing money. Entering the millionaire class means leaving the struggles of working life behind forever, and for many competitors it means escaping serious problems. Competitors like Season 1’s Kang Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-Hyeon), who fled North Korea with her little brother, wanted to win the prize not only for a better life, but also for getting her mother out of the totalitarian northern state. The stakes are incredibly high for everyone involved – it’s literally a matter of life or death – and all for the budget of an episode of Stranger Things. Capitalism, baby!

For those of you not in the US, the prize is worth 25 million British pounds, 30.4 million euros, 45.2 million Canadian dollars and 50 million Australian dollars. No matter where you live, it’s an absolutely huge price. It actually begs the question of how much a single life is worth, since 100 million won is equivalent to about $70,000, which just seems incredibly low. On the other hand, a life should be viewed as priceless, and that’s part of the point of this damn show. If only Netflix would understand this and not be out here making multiple seasons of a real Squid Game game show and raking in money while the creator of the South Korean drama made almost nothing. Life imitates art, I guess.

“Squid Game” Season 2 premieres on December 26, 2024 and will stream exclusively on Netflix.