Squid Game: The Challenge is one of the most exciting reality game shows on Netflix. Patterned after the hit Kdrama miniseries, let's take a look at real-life contestant Phalisia, aka Player 229, from Squid Game: The Challenge.
In the early parts of the show, Phalisia Boothe kept a quiet profile. But it wasn't until Episode 5 that her presence was known in the show. Let's get to know more about Player 229 from Squid Game: The Challenge and why she made such a bold and daring move.
Who is Player 229 from Squid Game: The Challenge?
Phalisia Boothe stars in Squid Game: The Challenge as Player 229. She is a 31-year-old leasing agent supervisor who comes from Denver, Colorado. She is married to Valerie Boothe, with whom she shares a daughter.
In the series, Phalisia revealed that she and her wife had difficulty having kids through IUI. As they were on the brink of a divorce, they decided to take a break from trying and just focus on their relationship. When they were finally ready, they were "blessed with a baby girl" who Phalisia reveals "looks nothing" like her.
Phalisia also has a cleaning company called Key Sweepz LLC and has a true crime podcast called Paranoid Sisters.
Why Did Phalisia Choose to Eliminate Rick and Stephen?
In Episode 5, Phalisia surprised viewers with the second dormitory test. Along with four other players, Phalisia volunteered herself to take a game of chance with a 50-50 chance of getting sent home.
The players were asked to stand in front of one of the six jack-in-the-boxes that held their fate. When it was her turn to reveal what was inside her box, everyone was shocked that she gained the chance to send home three total players right then and there.
Phalisia picked Player 130, Jakoben, who previously got an advantage to send home another player in the next game. She decided to do this so that the playing field would be even for everyone in the game. However, her next two decisions shocked the other players and viewers of the show.
Phalisia picked mulleted Stephen Lomas (Player 243) and Dr. Rick Mercurio (Player 232) to send home. This shocked everyone because Dr. Rick had been everyone's favorite player in the game. He is also the eldest player in the game, having celebrated his 69th birthday in one of the earlier episodes.
Phalisia chose to send home Dr. Rick and Stephen, two leaders of the strongest alliance in the show, Ggangbu Gang.
It was a shock for many players since it seemed like Dr. Rick was a well-liked character who would not be anyone's pick to send home. Still, there were others who seemed to agree with Phalisia and deemed it to be a strategic move for all the 70 players left in the game.
Is Phalisia Still in Squid Game: The Challenge?
Yes, Phalisia is in Squid Game: The Challenge. Her fate is currently in the hands of her friend, Ashley Tolbert (Player 278), as they go head to head in the next game, the infamous Marbles match.
Aside from earning the respect of the other players in the show, she also earned negative comments from those who were rooting for Dr. Rick and Stephen's Ggangbu Gang. We'll update this article for any further news on Phalisia's status in the show.
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