Netflix will be removing areal-life Korean phone number seen in the hit series Squid Game after it's been bombarded with thousands of phone calls. The Korean survival drama series revolves around a contest where 456 players in crippling debt compete in a series of games with a ₩45.6 billion prize and deadly consequences for losing. The series quickly became the number one most-watched TV show in both the US and UK. It became so popular, South Korean internet provider SK Broadband filed a lawsuit against Netflix due to an overwhelming surge in usage due to the show.

In the series, a card is given to potential game participants that features a phone number to call for a chance to compete for the massive cash prize. However, the number shown onscreen belonged to a real person, resulting in them getting thousands of calls and texts. The owner initially thought the calls were spam until callers revealed that they got his number from the show. This was an unintentional move on the Squid Game creators' part, who believed that the number would be undialable if they excluded the first three digits. However, the calls have not stopped coming in, and the owner says he's gotten over 4,000 calls and texts.

Related: Squid Game: Why [SPOILER] Had To Be The Winner

Per EW,  Netflix is now making moves to remove the number from the series. A Netflix spokesperson has confirmed that they will be editing out scenes that include the phone number. This will be a joint effort with production company Siren Pictures to find ways to avoid showing the number when necessary. Netflix Korea has specifically asked viewers to refrain from contacting the phone number.

The recruiter showing a red card in Squid Game

Several other movies, songs, and books have used both real and fake phone numbers in their stories. Occasionally, real numbers may even connect to fun easter eggs for fans like the voicemail inbox of Saul Goodman and Associates from Better Call Saul and a message from Murray Bauman of Stranger Things to Joyce Beyers. However, in this case, the frequent calls have seriously affected the unnamed owner of the Squid Game number.

With "555" becoming a known fake number, some writers are avoiding it for realism. The Squid Game individual is far from the only victim of these prank calls. The song "867-5309/Jenny" connects to a working number in many area codes when dialed locally in the same manner. Due to the popularity of Squid Game, Netflix may only be putting a bandaid on the issue since the number is already out there.

Next: Biggest Squid Game Theories For Season 2

Source: EW