Netflix's Squid Game reigns as the most popular television series in the world right now. Since premiering in September, the South Korean survival drama became Netflix's most-streamed original series. One of the most memorable game sequences in the series has its participants play a lethal variation of the children's schoolyard game red light, green light. However, the game also contains a robotic doll that will mercilessly gun down anyone it catches moving at the wrong time. In the English-language dub for Squid Game, voiceover actor Reagan To brings the Game Doll to life, mixing childlike innocence with ruthlessness.
In an exclusive interview with CBR, To shared how she found her voice for her now-iconic performance as Squid Game's Game Doll. To also revealed how she and her family discovered the show became a global phenomenon and hinted at her upcoming acting roles.
Reagan, how did the opportunity to voice the Game Doll in the English-dub of Squid Game come about?
Reagan To: My agent actually sent the audition to me. Me and my coach worked on it and quickly sent it in. Twelve hours later, the agent called saying, "You booked it!" I was really amazed because that was my first voiceover job but that wasn't Squid Game, that was a different one. That one was called Sijipeuseu: The Myth. It's out already and that was my first voiceover job. When I went in and recorded it, I didn't think much of it because the director was really nice. A few weeks after, Netflix called again to say they wanted me again. That was [for] Squid Game.
Was there a bit of direction or intonation in the Korean-language dub that helped inform your performance?
The director told me that they were playing red light, green light and I had to sound like a child/robot doll mixed as one, playing red light, green light with my friends.
Was there anything beyond the red light, green light directive that helped you find that voice specifically?
They just played the Korean voice a bunch of times and said, "Just try to sound as close as you can [to that] as possible," like a really light tone. I was really confused but they liked it! [laughs]
Squid Game is the biggest show in the world right now. How was that initial reaction to your performance?
When I was inside [the recording booth], I was really confused because I thought [the characters] were in a park playing a game. I didn't see any violent parts. My dad was watching Squid Game for the first time, we had no idea that it had came out. He called my mom over saying that this is Netflix's #1 watched TV show and my mom said, "Let's watch it!"
When it goes to the red light, green light part she said that seemed familiar because she was inside [the recording booth] when I was voicing it. When she heard my voice, she ran upstairs to wake me up to say that I was in Squid Game. I was so happy but, then again, I didn't even know what was going on because I couldn't watch it. [laughs]
You've done both live-action and voiceover roles before. What are some of the joys in voiceover performances and would you be open to doing more in the future?
Voiceover work is really fun! You get to be a voice that you never thought you would be. It's really cool and the people at the studios are really nice. I'm really open to doing a lot more voiceover because it's really fun. Right after Squid Game blew up, I was in shock so much. [laughs]
Reagan, what other projects do you have coming that you can tease about?
I have a short film that just premiered at a film festival called Eureka that I think is going around to other festivals right now. That one is really cool and I just finished two voiceovers: I'm not sure of their names. I just finished voicing them yesterday but I think they're coming out soon and I'm really excited!
Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game is streaming now on Netflix.