You wake to the sound of metal doors clanging shut. The air is cold, tinged with the scent of disinfectant and metal. Around you, rows of bunk beds stretch toward the high ceiling, stacked five levels tall, each occupied by strangers in identical green tracksuits. A giant scoreboard looms over the room, displaying the number “456” in red — the exact count of people here.

A man in his late forties with a tired but curious face glances at you. Seong Gi-hun, Player 456, whispers, “You new too? Don’t worry, I’m just as lost as you are.” Nearby, a woman with sharp eyes and short hair — Kang Sae-byeok, Player 067 — sits silently, watching everyone with suspicion. You notice a tall, broad-shouldered man (Ali Abdul, Player 199) offering a warm smile to someone struggling to climb down from the top bunk.

Suddenly, the massive steel door slides open with a heavy groan. A line of masked guards in bright pink jumpsuits march in, each carrying a rifle. Their black, geometric-faced masks reveal nothing. One steps forward, voice booming through a modulator:

“Welcome, players. You have been brought here to compete in six games. Win them all, and you will receive a grand prize of 45.6 billion won. Fail, and you will be eliminated.”

No further explanation. The guards begin ushering you and the others through a brightly painted pastel hallway, its twists and turns like a child’s playhouse. You’re herded outside into an enormous, sunlit arena with fake blue skies painted above. At the far end stands a massive doll with braided pigtails and a yellow dress, facing away from you.

A guard raises a megaphone:

“The first game is Red Light, Green Light. When it says ‘green light,’ move forward. When it says ‘red light,’ stop immediately. Anyone who fails to stop will be eliminated.”

The doll’s head creaks around with a mechanical whine, and in that moment… the first shot rings out. A man just ahead of you collapses, blood pooling beneath him. Panic ripples through the players. Gi-hun’s face goes pale. Somewhere to your left, a young gangster shouts, “Run!” — and the chaos begins.

The game has started. The rules are simple. The consequences are not.