Who is Mai Whelan? Meet the winner of Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge
At 55, Mai Whelan became a millionaire, crossing the treacherous Glass Bridge and overcoming challenges like Red Light, Green Light. Best known as Player 287, she won Squid Game: The Challenge Season 1. Speaking about what inspired her to join the game, Mai revealed:
My husband persuaded me to watch Squid Game, and I was hooked on the show. Later, he forwarded me an ad about the casting call for SGTC, and I applied without hesitation since I loved the games they were playing.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mai served in the United States Navy for two decades.
- Some of her accolades include three Good Conduct Medals and five Joint Service Achievement Medals.
- Whelan bagged $4.56 million for winning the competition but had to keep it a secret from her family.
- She is involved in various nonprofits, including the Humane Society of the United States and Unbound.
Mai Whelan's profile summary
| Full name | Mai Whelan |
| Gender | Female |
| Year of birth | 1967 or 1968 |
| Age | 56 or 57 |
| Birthplace | Saigon, Vietnam |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Asian |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Jay Whelan |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Retired naval officer |
| Social media |
Mai Whelan is a native of Vietnam
When Mai was 8, her family relocated to the US as refugees after the fall of Saigon in 1975. According to Capital FM, she narrated how a soldier held them at gunpoint at the airfield they had escaped to during the show.
I will never forget that ordeal because my life flashed before my eyes. Nonetheless, it gave me a sense of courage.
Whelan and her family learned English and the US culture during their 18-month stay at a resettlement centre in Pennsylvania.
Source: Original
She enlisted in the US Navy at 18
In an interview with Eclair Magazine, Mai revealed that she joined the Navy to go against the set rules of her strict Asian Catholic family.
All my life, I had been a "yes" person. Although I knew my decision would cause friction in the family, I had to explore my new home in America.
During the show, Whelan narrated her experience after joining the Navy, stating:
It was like throwing myself into a pack of wolves where I was bullied.
During her 20-year tenure as a naval officer, she was awarded a NATO Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, a Meritorious Unit Commendation and five Overseas Service Ribbons.
Mai Whelan became a single parent at a young age
Mai was cut off from her family at 19 after she became pregnant. Although Whelan faced numerous challenges raising her child alone, she credits the experience for instilling in her an unbreakable spirit.
While speaking with Perception Magazine in May 2024, Mai encouraged single parents, saying:
I hope my experience inspires others forced to do parenthood alone. Always remember that life is a learning process.
Source: Getty Images
She did not expect to win Squid Game: The Challenge
Whelan defeated 455 other contestants in the reality TV competition series. In her interview with Eclair Magazine, she revealed why she joined the show and her overall experience, saying:
I watched the entire season of Squid Game in just two days. Although I applied to be cast on the show, I knew my chances were slim. However, after being selected, I barely slept during the entire competition. Praying nourished my soul for the next stressful day.
Mai added:
My experience is "the best time I never want to have again."
Whelan has always been passionate about philanthropy
In December 2023, Mai told Netflix's Tudum that with her $4.56 million prize money, she plans to buy a retirement home and donate to charitable endeavours.
My heart is with climate change, people and animals. If we do not act now, our kids will not have a future.
Source: Getty Images
When Whelan was 16, she donated her paycheck from her first job as a grocery store clerk to Save the Children after seeing starving children in Ethiopia.
In 2023, she expressed her desire to launch the Operation Hope nonprofit dedicated to animal rescue. Her supportive project, Mother Mai, spotlights other philanthropic organisations.
FAQs
Mai's journey mirrors a life shaped by resilience and a commitment to improve the world. Here are some frequently asked questions about her:
What happened to the woman who won the Squid Game?
Whelan earned $4.56 million after winning Squid Game: The Challenge. The passionate philanthropist plans to plough back the money to improve her society.
What is Mai Whelan's job?
When she joined the show, Mai worked as an immigration adjudicator for the US Department of Homeland Security. The social media personality now retired.
Source: Getty Images
Is Mai Whelan married?
The retired immigration adjudicator and her husband, Jay, have two children and a granddaughter.
From overcoming childhood trauma to navigating life in the Navy and embracing single parenthood, every experience fueled Mai Whelan's grit. She proved that dreams have no age limit by winning the inaugural season of Squid Game: The Challenge.
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