Image provided by Netflix
Dallas resident Monique Muhammad is one of 456 contestants competing in Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2.
She joins players from across the world in a bid for a record-setting $4.56 million prize, one of the largest in television history.
A former athlete, coach, and motivational speaker, Muhammad said her decision to join the show began with her love for the original South Korean series.
“I liked the actual original series,” she said. “At first, I wasn’t into it, but then I really got into the story and the games. When they said, ‘Now casting,’ I thought, this is something I can do.”
Muhammad, in her early 50s, said that it never held her back. “People sometimes don’t do things because they don’t know what to expect,” she said. “But I’m not shy. I believe in overcoming adversity and going for what you want.”
Muhammad said the competition was far more demanding than she imagined.
“They take your phone. You have no communication with the outside world,” she said. “The clothes we are wearing, the shoes are not comfy, and everything is designed to wear you down.”
Despite the challenges, she said faith and mental strength carried her through.
“Trusting in God and thinking about what this could mean for my family and my community kept me going,” Muhammad said. “God wouldn’t give me the opportunity if I wasn’t supposed to make the most of it.”
Representing North Texas was a source of pride for the Dallas woman.
“It felt really good, and I wanted to make sure people knew that someone from the DFW was there competing, showing up, and putting us on the map.”
Out of more than 150,000 applicants, Muhammad was one of the few everyday people selected for the show. “I’m not a celebrity, but I was picked, and that alone made me proud,” she said.
Her advice to others who want to pursue bold opportunities was simple. “Like Nike says, just do it,” she said.
“If you continue to question yourself, you’ll never get what that answer may be. You may fall down, but just don’t ever stay down.”
Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
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