LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Getting selected as a game show contestant is not something a lot of us can say we've done, but one Arkansas native did just that and represented our state in a new Netflix show.
There's no doubt that living with hundreds of strangers in a different country competing for the same cash prize could get stressful, but it's an experience that contestant Jesse Jeffers (Player 183) said he's thankful for.
"This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be on a show like this," Jeffers described.
Jeffers is from Cabot and he had the chance to compete in the reality show, Squid Game: The Challenge in hopes of winning the grand prize of $4.56 million.
If you have watched you know how it ends, but we won't spoil it for you, and say at the very least, he walked away with some new friends and memories.
"I met plenty of friends. I keep in contact with a lot of them. we're in some group chats," Jeffers explained.
During his two weeks of filming, he had to overcome a lot of challenges.
"It was a fully immersive experience. I had no phone, no contact with the outside world. I never knew what time of day it was either. We didn't have any outside contact. We did get fresh air breaks and got to leave the studio. but that was here and there for a very few minutes," Jeffers said.
In fact, he also said that this was the hardest thing he's ever done.
"It was the most mentally challenging thing I've ever done. And that red light, green light game was honestly one of the most physically challenging things I've ever done," he added.
He described his experience as an emotional rollercoaster but said he'd love to do it again if he had the chance.
"There's a lot of mental stressors there and I think that was the most important factor of who made it through the show is how you mentally approach the game," he explained.
For now, Jeffers will continue to work as a realtor in Cabot and in his new home of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
"Sadly, I did not win the $4.56 million. but a lot of people thought I did, but I still got to work," he said.
All episodes except for the finale are streaming now on Netflix, and you can expect to see the last episode released next week.