Player 183 hits back at Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 critics

Published: Nov 20, 2025, 10:58

Netflix

Player 183 became the villain of Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2, and now the real-life millionaire is responding to his critics.

Squid Game needs an antagonist, and Player 183 – real name Steven – fulfilled that role during Season 2 of The Challenge.

Player 183 talked smack during the Netflix reality show, while he also manipulated those around him, and grinned as took fellow contestants out.

Steven also revealed that he’d previously won over $6 million in a poker tournament, which had fans claiming he was undeserving of the $4.56 million jackpot. But now he’s clapping back at those critics.

Player 183 says he was just “having fun” on Squid Game: The Challenge

Player 183, Steven, and Player 398, Trinity in Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2

During a screening of the Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 finale, the audience cheered when Steven fell at the final hurdle, handing the game to Player 072 (Perla).

When asked how that reaction made him feel in a post-screening Q&A, Steven says: “I’m cool with it. It makes sense.

“I already have been blessed in a similar situation like this, where I basically won the lottery. Now it’s someone else’s turn… so I’m very happy for Perla.”

The host then asked if Steven took issue with people criticising the way he played the game.

“Everybody is putting themselves in a position in life for winning,” says Steven. “Just because someone does it twice doesn’t mean they’re undeserving.”

He ends his response by saying: “Since I’ve already been blessed with a big chunk of money, it made me be able to play careless. Because I’m already in a good position regardless, so I didn’t have any weight on my shoulders, and I was just having fun with it.”