‘Cute and murderous’: How the iconic killer doll in ‘Squid Game’ came to life

Seoul, South Korea –

While the second season of “Squid Game” has new plot twists, one element of the Netflix mega-hit series where contestants down on their luck risk their lives to play children’s games for the chance of winning cash prizes, has remained constant.

That is Young-hee, an innocent-looking robotic doll who has a deadly role to find contestants to gun down playing the game “Red Light, Green Light” if she spots them moving. The doll, who is clad in a simple orange dress and a hair clip, has become a viral meme on social media and the centerpiece of the streaming giant’s promotional campaign.

Chae Kyoung-sun, the production designer for “Squid Game,” says the doll’s appearance is partly inspired by her own daughter.