After winning Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge, Mai Whelan may finally officially enjoy her well-deserved victory. She has gotten the much-anticipated payment. People verified that the immigration adjudicator won the $4.56 million prize after outlasting 455 other contestants in a series of difficult trials that drew inspiration from the critically popular Korean drama series Squid Games.
People has confirmed that Whelan was aware of a payment schedule that stated she would get her prize money following the conclusion of the first-season finale of the show, in contrast to her previous claim of a 10-month delay in obtaining the winnings.
Whelan compared her excitement over her prize to a scene from Jerry Maguire in December 2023, telling The Times, “I feel like Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, show me the money!”
Post Squid Game stint
The Virginia native revealed her post-win plans, saying she wants to move into a retirement community. She hasn’t chosen a specific area yet, but she is happy where she now lives on the waterfront because it’s a quiet sanctuary.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Whelan revealed her charitable aims in addition to her personal goals. She talked about her devotion to supporting numerous humanitarian projects and expressed her wish to use her prize money to make a positive effect.
