Vietnamese-American Mai Whelan is one of the very promising contestants on Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge who has a shot at winning the prize pool of $4.56 million.
Her camaraderie with other cast members not only helped her advance in the competition but also won her a lot of respect. Many of the competitors were more than willing to put their faith in her and pay attention to her counsel. Mai was notable for her unwavering loyalty and convictions regarding other people and the rules of the game.
Few people could truly appreciate the degree of friendship and esteem she was able to amass, after all. Mai is a woman of her beliefs, and her strong sense of right and wrong was made abundantly clear when she thought Ashley Tolbert’s conduct during the competition’s later stages was disgusting.
Find out more about Mai here.
Meet Mai Whelan, Player #287 From Squid Game: The Challenge
Player #287 Mai Whelan built several alliances as well as tricked a few to become the finalists.
Throughout most of their tenure on the program, Mai Whelan and Ashley Tolbert hardly ever interacted. Following the Marbles game, which permitted all nine of the surviving women to be in the Top 20, the two were, in fact, a part of the all-women alliance. But because of Ashely’s choice on how to play Glass Bridge, the two’s disagreement actually began during that game. Before the game began, most players had decided that each player would only need to make one further decision, regardless of their sequence.
“I think 278 [Ashley] is selfish by not advancing for the team. That has shown her character,” Mai explained. “Moving forward, I will be watchful for 278. She has shown me that she is not a team player.” In fact, Mai defied the general consensus and, as all the other players were doing, nominated Ashley rather than herself when it came time for the dice game.
Knowing that the prevailing atmosphere in the dorm was against her, Mai decided to be transparent with Ashley about her thought process after the dice challenge. “I want you to know I love you as a person,” Mai told Ashley. “I don’t know what happened up there, but what I see… In the Glass Bridge, when you didn’t take a risk, I didn’t see you move.”
During the course of the Netflix competition series’ first season, TJ Stukes and Mai developed a great deal of mutual respect and were tentative allies. “Mai, 287, is wise, super wise, and genuinely cares about people,” TJ shared in the show. “There’s an age gap between us. However, I see her in me, and she sees me in her.”
Mai, who was close to Chad Van Horn (Player 286), said she didn’t think TJ was trustworthy, and TJ concurred. “TJ, he’s an entertainer. So, uh, in my mind, being an entertainer, they project a character that, you know, people want to see,” Mai explained.
However, TJ’s regard for Mai stayed unwavering and powerful, as shown by the fact that, when given the option to choose one of the Top 20, he opted to save her first. Mai’s attitude toward TJ appeared to shift as a result, and she eventually caught up with him to thank him.
Though they took their time to introduce themselves in this production, Mai and 38-year-old Chad already had a personal connection from day one. Actually, neither of them wanted attention until it was unavoidable, thus their tactic of moving smoothly in the hopes of not becoming a target on their back proved to be quite effective.
But when Mai offered herself for a task, well, that was when things changed, especially since it unintentionally resulted in the Marbles game and the player base being cut in half. The test of alliance then took place. Player 182 TJ Stukes felt that Mai and he were two sides of the same coin, thus he chose her first. However, Mai later chooses attorney Chad.
Player 287 finally followed her instincts after first being uncertain about whether it would be preferable to go with him or to proceed with a Women’s Alliance. On the other hand, he constantly showed her such respect that they had become a type of impenetrable team, which she confirmed in the exam. She confessed, “286 Chad, has my trust, and loyalty.”
Chad and Mai had become so close that when he asked her which side to choose in the subsequent Glass Bridge game, she leaped without thinking and he was lucky to make it out alive. Unfortunately, his good fortune didn’t last long, as he was eliminated just a few minutes after discussing with a friend in their dorm how they would play if they were both chosen to go to the final.
In contrast to Mai, who had chosen Ashely Tolbert, Player 286 chose to follow the group’s tradition and self-eliminate if his death rolled a 6, which ultimately proved to be his downfall.
Mai knew the only way to move ahead in the game was through alliance. Therefore, she tried her best to keep her character stain-free. But she also hasn’t hesitated to manipulate other players to achieve success.
Mai anticipated that after the elimination of Sam’s friend, Player 378, Sam would become hostile toward her, which would have been a major blow to her chances of winning the game. She thus tricked Sam “to set the record straight” and gave the impression that she had no animosity and had removed his companion merely for the show.
Mai cleverly tricked Roland in the ‘Circle of Trust’ game by pretending to be his buddy and then eliminated him by placing the box in front of him. Of course! Mai is lying to win the game. As “Circle of Trust” came to an end, Mai, Sam, and Phill Cain were getting closer to the big reveal. Sam, having won the title in the grand finale, couldn’t figure out who had placed the box in front of Roland’s desk. “Wait, did you put the box on Roland’s desk?” he asked Mai, startled.
Without pausing, Mai shook her head and said, “No.” Sam questioned once more, not persuaded, “Whose box did you put on the desk?” Knowing that others would inevitably point fingers at her, Mai gave Amanda’s name instead.
If she wins (many believe she will win), being an immigrant herself, Mai claimed she would use the $4.6M prize money to find a perfect home for her retirement.
Mai Whelan Job
Mai Whelan is now employed as an immigration adjudicator or judge. In the US the average salary for an immigration adjudicator is around $57,158, according to Comparably.
She has previously served in the military.
Mai Whelan Age
Reportedly born in 1966, Mai Whelan is 57 years of age.
Who Are Mai Whelan Parents?
Mai talked candidly about her past and how it shaped the way she is today during her time on the show.
“I was born in Vietnam, and I left during the fall of Vietnam in 1975. I was eight years old. And I can remember that you know, going to the airfield where everybody, you know, all the refugees are lying down on the airfield. And being eight years old, I was, like, curious, so I had, you know, my head up, trying to see where’s the bombing coming from, or where the guns, you know, were shooting at.”
“I just, a split second, I lift my head up. A soldier automatically, so quick, put the gun, you know, to my temple,” Mai revealed. “And he was about to shoot me because, you know, he thought I was a threat. So my mother yanked me so hard to the ground. And in that split second, my life was, like, almost over. That is a moment that I would never, never forget. And that moment is like, you know, a driving moment for me to be strong.”
Mai Whelan Height
We presume Mai Whelan’s height measures under 5’6”.
Mai Whelan Husband
The relationship status of Mai Whelan is unclear.
Related FAQs
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Where Is Mai Whelan From?
Mai Whelan was born in Vietnam. She is now dwelling in Fairfax County, Virginia.
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When Is Mai Whelan Birthday?
No, Mai Whelan’s birthday is not available.
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Is Mai Whelan On Instagram?
Yes, Mai Whelan is on Instagram and Facebook.
