Netflix to Edit Squid Game's Phone Numbers After Prank Calls

The Korean drama about a sadistic "game", in which players have no choice but to participate in a series of twisted challenges, contains visible phone numbers in various scenes (a phone number is also clearly visible in the game trailer Squid).

Reuters, which earlier reported the news, quoted Netflix and production company Siren Pictures as saying that they intentionally did not include a full number and did not know that the number displayed would reach a real line. Netflix confirmed to The Verge that the numbers that appear in Squid Game will be edited, adding that it hopes the change will end the jokes.

A man claiming to be the owner of the number told a local media outlet that he had been "bombarded" with messages and calls, adding that they had made it difficult for him to live his life normally. However, it appears that multiple people may have received calls from enthusiastic Squid Game viewers. Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on whether the series had affected one or more local numbers.

Squid Game has been a huge success for Netflix, becoming the top streaming service title in the US As of last week (it also remained a top title as of this week), the first Korean series on the claim that top spot, according to Netflix. That's great for the show's creators and certainly a win for Netflix. However, it's probably safe to assume that poor people who get prank calls from random Squid Game devotees feel differently.