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More than with any other reality-competition series, your odds of winningSquid Game: The Challengeare breathtakingly low.
That makes Mai Whelans winning run all the more remarkable considering she was convinced shed been eliminated during casting.
The 55-year-old immigration adjudicator from Virginia stuck through the lengthy process but never felt confident shed get chosen.
I waited and waited.
I didnt hear anything, Mai told Vulture.
I told my husband, I guess I didnt make it.
How do you feel now that the whole season has aired?I feel great.
I couldnt tell anyone, and now I can freely talk about anything.
Was it hard to keep that in all these months?My excuse was that I got eliminated.
Oh, how did you do?
You have to wait for the show.
What was the casting process like?It was stressful.
My husband said, You should apply for this.
This is all of you.
I made a video right away and sent it.
A couple months later I got an interview.
Then a few months later, they said that they would have the result sometime in December or January.
January 6 came and I got the phone call.
A few days later I flew out to London.
Did you have a strategy planned out beforehand?
Were you able to prepare?No, I did not prepare.
I didnt have any strategy other than to review the TV show over and over again.
I was scared ofthe squid game, actually, because I didnt grasp that game at all.
I said,Theres no way in hell I will come out of that game winning.
Thats the moment that made me more visible with other players.
You only get a glimpse of that persons character.
I just wanted to give an idea of who I am.
I think its important in that game to have visibility.
You played a very controlled, calculated game.
I believe in connections with people.
An alliance sometimes sets off the wrong energy to other people.
You never want to do that.
I was more stealthy, getting to know a person instead of a group.
Its a friendly group we can connect with not like the Gganbu group.
One of the few people you shared your personal history with was Jada when youre playing marbles.
That seemed like one of the most difficult challenges because you dont have anywhere to hide.
Can you talk about that experience?Jada was like my daughter.
Im one of the oldest people there my experience has taken me all over the world.
And heres Jada; shes only 20.
Her brother has lupus and kidney issues.
I felt for her.
Maybe its the mother instinct inside of me.
I was like, I should just give you this game.
And then she said, Well, you have to play.
You have to give it your all.
I pinky-swore to her that I would play with 100 percent of my ability.
I was distraught, and I just started bawling.
I felt so guilty.
You mentioned a couple times that you couldnt trust other players.
I totally disagree with that.
Its not about men and women in this game.
I go against the grain, and people dont like that.
What was your head space at that time?Crying helps me a lot.
I dont cry because I want to succumb to weakness.
Its to relieve the stress Im feeling and to clear my head so I can stay focused.
Thats my strong point.
They think Im weak, but in reality, Im reassessing my moves to go forward.
What was the hardest part for you?The hardest part was sitting through the Circle of Trust.
The second part is the personal hygiene in the dormitory.
We dont have shower shoes.
Be mindful of people who come right behind you.
Thats all Im asking.
They dont even do that.
These are grown adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.
Its like, come on.
It was satisfying watching the remaining players slowly realize what a formidable player you are.
Did it feel satisfying to you at the moment?I couldnt believe Id made that far.
Its like,Oh, wow,okay.
To be able to advance to the next level felt good, but I didnt feel safe enough.
In their confessionals, theyre saying, Oh, wow, Mais good; shes really skilled.
And Ashley even says, I see you, Mai.
Are you and Ashley cool now?Oh yeah, we exchanged numbers.
She called me Mother Mai.
Shes very smart and level-headed and grounded, and its just a moment, right?
A moment of fear.
Anybody can feel that way.
