Netflix's Competition 'The Influencer' is Like Social Media 'Squid Game'

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Spoilers for season 1 of The Influencer ahead. Netflix's Korean reality show The Influencer asks just how far social media stars will really go for fame. Following the reality hits Single's Inferno, Physical: 100, and The Devil's Plan, the streaming giant has released a new show that answers the theme, "What if Squid Game but for viral fame?" This time, it's social media influencers that come under scrutiny, as they go through intense challenges to determine which of them is the most influential and win a 300 million won (about $220,000) grand prize.

Similar to Physical: 100's wide selection of athletes and sports stars, The Influencer has cast 77 content creators across platforms including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and AfreecaTV (South Korea's answer to Twitch). The eclectic cast ranges from dancers and beauticians to fortune-tellers and drag queens, competing to solve the debate of which platforms and genres require the most creativity and cunning. Below, read on to meet the stacked cast of the new Netflix reality show The Influencer, find out where to follow them, and see who made it as finalists.

Finalists

Jang Ji-sou

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 1.19 million

Jang Ji-sou (formerly known as Quaddurup) is a YouTuber, media personality, and independent rapper. He's a regular on Korean survival shows, having previously appeared on Show Me the Money, Korea Chicken War, and Treasure Hunt.

Jang is a frontrunner from the start, thanks to his years of experience and popularity among his fellow influencers. He's a particular standout in the photo round, where he and Oking were the first to submit their posts every time, and the streaming round, where he attracted users by ranting about Netflix while on a Netflix show.

Oking

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 1.57 million

Oh Byeong-min (a.k.a. Oking) is a streamer and YouTuber who focuses on gaming, outdoor videos, and mukbang. He has previous experience on variety shows before appearing on The Influencer, having appeared on Representatives, City Fisherman, and Smiling Boss.

Oking was another frontrunner as a long-time YouTuber who's very popular among the MZ generation (the combined audience of millennials and Gen Z). He especially showed off his skill and appeal in the Hashtag game and the final round, where he gathered the largest crowds despite the stiff competition. (Spoiler alert!) Inevitably, after four rounds of intense challenges, the vetran YouTuber won over a live studio audience to become season 1's winner.

PaniBottle

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 2.29 million

Park Jae-han (a.k.a. PaniBottle) is a travel YouTuber and media personality who began his channel in 2015. He has appeared on variety shows including Adventure by Accident and World Dice Tour.

PaniBottle was a standout on The Influencer since the first episodes when he eventually figured out the likes/dislikes rule for Round One. He also stood out during the Hashtag game, where he even jumped on the console to prove himself as an attention seeker.

Risabae

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 2.26 million

Risabae is a former professional makeup artist who started her YouTube channel focused on makeup tutorials in 2015. She's also the founder of the beauty brand Two Slash Four, and she debuted as a K-pop soloist in 2018. Recently, she went globally viral for her makeup video with Stray Kids member Felix.

Risabae was immediately a standout contestant, who was popular among the other influencers and garnered respect as a first-generation creator. She truly showed her skill in identifying trends and relating to her fans in the final round, where she invited fellow influencer and dancer Aiki to join her.

Eliminated

Bbogumi

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 598,000

Bbogumi is a streamer and YouTuber who focuses on comedy and lifestyle content. She's best known for her viral videos and her teasing relationship with her fans, whom she often provokes by being annoying.

CaddieWanny

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 61,000

Yang Seung-wan (a.k.a. CaddieWanny) is a golf YouTuber who specializes in tutorials and vlogs. He stood out during Round One, when he began threatening to dislike contestants who didn't like his intro video.

Chahong

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 486,000

Chahong is a renowned hairstylist who has built an empire off hair and beauty. She owns 23 hair salons and runs a self-titled haircare line, in addition to an online cosmetology academy. Per her intro, she was previously recognized as one of the world's top 10 stylists by L'Oreal Professional Paris.

Changhyun

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 2.3 million

Lee Chang-hyun is a long-time streamer and YouTuber, who's best known for his mukbang videos. He currently runs the YouTube channel StreetKaraoke.

DaeDo

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 1.48 million

DaeDo is a gaming YouTuber and streamer who's considered part of the first generation of Korean YouTubers. Per his intro, he started his online career 13 years ago.

DoHwaDore

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 201,000

DoHwaDore is a YouTuber who specializes in saju, Korean fortune-telling which is based on the four "pillars" of a person's birth: date, year, time, and place.

Gato

Main Platform: TikTok

Follower Count: 5.2 million

Gato is a TikToker who focuses on challenge and cosplay content.

Gvan Queen

Main Platform: TikTok

Follower Count: 1.1 million

Gvan is a drag artist and content creator who makes both short- and long-form content about drag, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. He also performs live drag shows in Seoul. Per his intro, "As an openly queer influencer, I believe that everything I do can encourage others in the same scene as me."

Heo Seong-beom

Main Platform: Instagram

Follower Count: 1.1 million

Heo Seong-beom is a model and student at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), who rose to fame after his YouTube calculus tutorial went viral. In addition to The Influencer, he also appeared on the survival show College War.

Jang Keun-suk

Main Platform: Instagram

Follower Count: 656,000

Jang Keun-suk is an actor, singer, and model who's known as "the Prince of Asia." Since the late 2000s, he starred in hit K-dramas including You're Beautiful, Mary Stayed Out All Night, Love Rain, A Korean Odyssey, and Decoy. He also debuted as a singer in Japan in 2011.

Despite being a rookie influencer who started his own YouTube channel in early 2023, Jang was a standout player throughout The Influencer, as his celebrity knowledge helped him catch on to certain game trends easily.

Jin Yong-jin

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 2.68 million

Jin Yong-jin began his YouTube channel in 2014 and then debuted as a rapper in 2018. Around 2020 he began working as a film and web-series director, and he's collaborated with celebrities including Yoo Jae-suk, Ji Seok-jin, and Chuu. He also produced the web variety show Money Game, and his experience running his own shows came in handy as he unraveled the intentions of The Influencer's game rules.

Juice Seyeon

Main Platform: AfreecaTV

Follower Count: 159,000

Juice Seyeon is a streamer on AfreecaTV who focuses on dancing, fashion, and sexy content. According to her intro, she's one of the top three creators on the platform. She is a main contestant throughout the show, as her skills and knowledge of her audience propels her all the way to Round 4.

Jung-hyun

Main Platform: Instagram

Follower Count: 212,000

Lee Jung-hyun is a hair and makeup artist who rose to fame after starring in the first season of the Korean gay dating show His Man. He now focuses on live-streaming and YouTube.

Jung Jiwoo

Main Platform: Instagram

Follower Count: 10.7 million

Jung Jiwoo (a.k.a. Mejiwoo) is a YouTuber and entrepreneur, who runs several brands as a brand director and CEO, per her intro. Some of her businesses include the fashion company AJ Look, the e-commerce site Mejiwoo, and the eyewear brand Fun the Mental. In addition to her work in fashion and beauty, she's also well-known as the sister of BTS member J-Hope (a.k.a. Jung Ho-seok).

Junwoo

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 1.31 million

Lee Woo-jun (best known as Junwoo) is a streamer and YouTuber who became well-known for giving viewers advice based on their messages on KakaoTalk (a Korean instant messenger similar to WhatsApp).

Katie

Main Platform: Instagram

Follower Count: 50,600

Katie is a shaman and fortune-teller who also posts lifestyle and makeup content.

Kejimin

Main Platform: TikTok

Follower Count: 11.8 million

Kejimin (real name Park Ji-min) is a TikToker who focuses on dancing, challenges, and taekwondo content. Her large TikTok following gives her an early advantage in the game, and she makes it all the way to Round Four.

Kerrigan May

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 45,600

Kerrigan May is an independent rapper who debuted in 2019. She has appeared on variety shows including Show Me The Money, Drop the Bit, and Bed on the Beach.

Kim Ddolddol

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 301,000

Kim Ban-seok (a.k.a. Ddol Ddol) is a YouTuber who makes gay and LGBTQ+-themed lifestyle and travel content. He's also the co-host for season 2 of the YouTube series Hong Seok-cheon's Jewel Box.

Magenta

Main Platform: Instagram

Follower Count: 602,000

Magenta is a Twitch streamer who focuses on dancing, singing, and daily communication. She is also the bassist for the Korean band QWER.

MyBoo

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 360,000

MyBoo is a cosplay artist who's known as "the cosplay champion of Korea" among her fellow contestants. She is the most popular cosplay creator in the country, and she has been a model for video games.

NeedMoreCash

Main Platform: TikTok

Follower Count: 487,400

Park Ji-min (a.k.a. NeedMoreCash) is a short-form video creator and comedian who became viral with his alter-egos. In addition to the silent blue-suited character he appears with on The Influencer, he and fellow comedian Tanaka also started the "Jaljayo Agassi" trend.

Pyo Eun-ji

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 1.99 million

Pyo Eun-ji is a model and YouTuber popular in both Japan and Korea. She describes herself as "someone who feels like a girl next door, but mainly makes sexy content." Also, she previously majored in accounting in the U.S. and worked at an investment firm.

Queen Wa$abii

Main Platform: Instagram

Follower Count: 165,000

Kim So-hee (a.k.a. Queen Wa$abii) is an independent rapper and DJ who debuted in 2019, and who previously appeared on the music competition shows Good Girl and Show Me the Money.

Qyoung

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 189,000

Qyoung is a fashion and beauty YouTuber who mainly makes vlog content. Per his intro, he "influences people to be artistic." Though he makes an eye-catching initial appearance, Qyoung doesn't get enough likes and dislikes to make it to Round 2.

Sherry

Main Platform: TikTok

Follower Count: 2.3 million

Sherry is a TikToker and YouTuber who shares both short-form content and vlogs about her life as an international student in America. She recently graduated from Minerva University in San Francisco.

Shim Eu-ddeum

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 189,000

Shim Eudduem is a fitness YouTuber who should be familiar to Netflix fans. Before appearing on The Influencer, she was a contestant on Physical: 100 season 1, where she stood out for winning a bodyweight elimination challenge. Since then, she has appeared regularly on the Korean variety show Kick a Goal.

Sia Jiwoo

Main Platform: TikTok

Follower Count: 27.3 million

Sia Jiwoo (real name Park Ji-woo) is a content creator and K-pop singer who made her solo debut in 2022. She was previously a member of the canceled girl group Delight, and she competed on the music show MIXNINE in 2017. Now she focuses on dancing, fashion, and beauty content. She stands out in The Influencer's first episodes as the contestant with the most followers.

Tarzan

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 181,000

Tarzan (real name Seok Hyun-jun) is a fitness and travel YouTuber who also previously appeared on Physical: 100 season 1. Before that, he appeared on the Korean dating show Love Alarm Clap! Clap! Clap!

WetBoy

Main Platform: Instagram

Follower Count: 118,000

Yang Jin-beom (a.k.a. WetBoy) is a dancer, comedian, and short-form content creator. He often works with the comedy musical group Namolla Family, and he often does dance challenges with K-pop artists.

Youngalnam

Main Platform: YouTube

Follower Count: 1.18 million

Young Al-nam is a YouTuber who focuses on the English language and culture, travel, and sports content. He graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in England with a degree in education.