Netflix is taking action to remove any trace of the phone number seen in Squid Game from the series after the owner of the real-life number has been reportedly hit with prank calls.
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the streamer and local production company Siren Pictures have reached a joint decision to edit the phone number out of the various scenes in which it appears. This comes shortly after it was reported that the number's real-life owner had been on the receiving end of around 4,000 phone calls per day after the show premiered.
The phone number apparently made its first appearance in Squid Game's debut episode, where it was found printed on multiple business cards. A mysterious man handed out the cards, which contained the eight-digit number, to multiple characters offering them the chance to compete in a deadly survival game and potentially win a big cash prize.
It seems some viewers called the number out of curiosity, with many of them registering their interest to "be in the game." Despite being hit with a barrage of calls, both day and night, the person who owns the number has reportedly been reluctant to change it because it is linked to the individual's business dealings and client contacts.
The situation has not been helped by Squid Game's growing popularity, meaning that more and more people are streaming the series with the number exposed. The debut season of the South Korean survival drama featured as the top title on the streaming service in the US last week and is currently on track to become Netflix's biggest TV show ever.
If you happen to be coming into the series for the first time and you're relying on translations to follow the story, you might want to consider watching the episodes with the proper "English" subtitles turned on rather than Netflix's closed captions, so you don't lose the nuances of the script and all of the twisted, colorful competitions that dominate the show.
Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.