Beijing shop launches 'Squid Game' bake-off competition 

Beijing: A Beijing bakery has introduced squid game-themed confection-making challenge in its store as it seeks to capitalize on the South Korean Netflix's huge popularity. 

In the Beijing store, customers can pretend to be a character in ‘Squid game’ by taking part in a challenge of making a candy, called dalgona.

Participants try to convert a mixture of sugar and baking soda into neatly shaped biscuits For 58 yuan ($9). 

The challenge takes about 10 minutes to complete in which participants choose metal biscuit-template shapes, melt the sugar, add the baking soda, and then convert the mixture into shapes. 

The last stage is tricky because the mixture sets quickly, becoming brittle and prone to cracking.

However, unlike the TV show, there is no prize for success and no penalty for failure.

"Our customers are mainly young people and young people make up many of this show's fans", Hao Jing owner of the DIY Bakery & More store, who is herself a big fan of the show, said on Saturday.

"Just now when I was doing the first shape I thought I was doing really well," said 27-year-old Li Zi.

"But then I got to this one, and broke it," she said, holding up two parts of a star-shaped biscuit. And then I subconsciously started shaking a little with nerves as I thought about the show."

Since the bakery last week added the Squid Game challenge to its menu of cake and dessert-making activities, around 20 customers or pairs of customers have taken part.

Squid Game—a nine-episode thriller series in which cash-strapped contestants play deadly versions of childhood games in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38.58 million), has become a worldwide sensation.