When it comes to Korean dramas, romantic stories have always been reigning. Recently though, we’ve seen success from darker storylines, or at least, those who aim to look outside of the box. You know, like Squid Game. And now, Korean reality shows are also taking the world by storm. So, what do you get when you mix something like Squid Game and reality shows? Well, maybe The 8 Show, the newest offering from Netflix.
The 8 Show on Netflix is a mix of entertainment and violence. Sounds familiar? It’s a formula that creators have been trying to squeeze dry and see what sticks with the audience post-SquidGame. Ironically, it’s similar to what The 8 Show depicts. You also have director Han Jae-rim from movies such as Emergency Declaration and The Face Reader leading the way, making his debut into drama territory. Read our review to find out if you should stream or skip The 8 Show on Netflix.
A review of Netflix’s The 8 Show
Lifestyle Asia rating: 3.5/5
Genre: Dark comedy, thriller
Cast: Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Park Jeong-min, Lee Yeol-eum, Park Hae-joon, Lee Joo-young, Moon Jung-hee, Bae Sung-woo
Director: Han Jae-rim
Total no of episodes: 8
Approximate length of each episode: 50 minutes
Where to watch: Netflix
Release date: May 17, 2024
What we liked: Strong performances from the lead cast with elaborate production design and entertaining social parable.
What we didn’t like: A well-thought-out first half comes crumbling as the second half succumbs to purposeless cliches.
Plot of The 8 Show: Eight contestants find themselves trapped in a game show with nothing but basic necessities available. But they earn money as time passes. To survive, they must work together for better or worse. However, they soon discover that there are hidden rules and that not everything is as it appears to be.
The 8 Show on Netflix showcases the realities of society
Most will draw comparisons between The 8 Show and Netflix’s other series, Squid Game. I am perhaps in the minority, of the people who have yet to see the global phenomenon. So, I suppose that comes with merits because I’m immune—or oblivious rather—to the comparisons. I can see why the likeness — both shows have a similar premise with contestants vying for prize money. But beyond the obvious, both provide critiques on social class, wealth disparity, and inequality.
If anything, The 8 Show feels reminiscent of something closer to reality, that of comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu, also known as Nasubi. For 15 months, millions of viewers watched him live in total isolation for a Japanese reality show. At some point, Bae Jin-su or Third Floor (played by Ryu Jun-yeol) even looked eerily similar to the comedian. If the series wasn’t based on the webtoons Money Game and Pie Game, I’d be sure that the showrunners drew inspiration from that real-life event.
But choosing to showcase reality is one of The 8 Show’s biggest draws. Each character—named after the floors they reside in—somehow represents an individual in a society. First Floor (Bae Sung-woo) is that hardworking father, the breadwinner who wants to provide for the family despite his physical disability. Second Floor (Lee Joo-young) is the classic tough-on-the-outside but a softie who wants to help others. Fourth Floor (Lee Yul-em) represents ambitious individuals who strive to climb the social ladder no matter how difficult. And so on… but even more so, they are a mirror to society, essentially how society must function and the roles an individual takes. After all, the show itself is a microcosm of society.
Fifth floor (Moon Jeong-hee) takes on the role of the carer while Sixth Floor (Park Hae-joon) is the troublemaker. Seventh Floor, represented by clean looks and glasses, is the brain of the group while Eight Floor (Chun Woo-hee) is the rebel, the one who defies the rules. And you have Third Floor, our lead character, our regular minimum-wage worker who wants to succeed in life. He represents the average Joe, just either you or me. What happens then, if you put all these individuals in an enclosed space? Will they survive or fall apart? It’s almost like Lord of the Flies. But set in Hunger Games and Battle Royale style with the Squid Game prize money aspect along with the social divide that was apparent in Snowpriercer.
Despite their differences, they all have the same goal of gaining riches beyond their imagination and that makes for compulsive watching. Audiences can put themselves into their shoes, making them avatars of sorts on how they think they would act if they were put on the show. It helps even, that they are nameless. We have some glimpses of their lives outside of the show, but we’re not told more, keeping us in the dark.
A worthy but futile attempt to keep viewers invested
Some may think that stripping the characters of their identities makes them one-dimensional and nothing but stereotypes. But perhaps that is the point. We’re not meant to root for anyone as anyone can be just as evil if pushed to their limit with no way out. If their heart is in the right place but their actions say otherwise, are they bad or good? We’re left to ponder. The second half of the series could have spent more time exploring these complex characteristics rather than going off the rails to something simply fantastical. It moves away from being a mirror of society to something that feels too bizarre to be true.
The 8 Showis at its most compelling when it sticks to its initial premise: a reality show. Some of the most gripping moments are when we see the characters strategising or conspiring. It’s not only because it can be spicy or juicy. But because it’s a reflection of how we function as a society. Plus, aren’t those moments the best in reality shows? We are meant to be entertained, not disgusted or bored.
Furthermore, the second half fell prey to its characters’ fear: violence. The onslaught of violence feels repetitive, and you start to be that horrified viewer who just wants it all to end. Or worse, bored. What is the point of the never-ending depiction of it, if we already know what it’s trying to say? Just more shock factor, perhaps? It did not earn extra points on my card.
Inconsistent tone and pacing
The start of the series feels coherent and promising. We’re presented with something familiar but also intriguing on how it could be different from its predecessors. However, it seems like The 8 Show was also not sure what direction it wanted to take. Its dark comedic tone makes it feel unserious for something that supposedly critiques real life. The approach is also a mish-mash of sorts. It felt like I was watching a 1990s show from my childhood with a 4:3 framing for flashbacks and title cards that mysteriously disappeared and reappeared whenever convenient.
The 8 Show also has a lot of numbers and mathematical sequences. And to help viewers better understand, they show the rules in written form and explain a bit. But that too only appears conveniently without any consistency. There are hidden “rules” that they discover but they come and go. In addition, there are attempts to be humorous and while I did find myself laughing at times, especially during the talent show, the unserious tone when things start to get serious is very off and jarring.
There have been survival death game shows and movies like this. The 8 Show follows the pattern to a certain degree. But to also stand out, it tries to deviate but not fully. Then, it just ends up falling into cliches that serve no purpose. It would also be fine not to rush the sequence so suddenly into chaos. But then, the pacing takes its sweet time for nothing to happen and then rushes things from episode six. From then on, it is the same thing over and over until the eighth episode. Because of course, The 8 Show with eight players and eight floors has to end with eight episodes. The result? The last few episodes drag their feet, repeating similar things, mostly cycles of violence. I felt like a contestant stuck on the show…
Concluding thoughts: What else does it have to say about inequality?
There have been plenty of narratives that critique capitalism and inequality in South Korea: Squid Game, Parasite, and even Snowpricer… the list goes on. So, if you’ve consumed plenty of Korean content, you know what they have to say. But what else do they have to show? Ironically, stories about capitalism capitalise on them so much, they feel almost redundant. That’s not to say we should be immune to the very real issues that are happening. It’s more of, what could be done? Parasite showed the reality of those living in basem*nt homes and in fact, they are now being phased out due to the dangers of flooding.
What about The 8 Show on Netflix? What does it mean for us as an audience? Is it simply something entertaining to watch? What new does it offer? I’m afraid, nothing much. Despite the strong performances from its lead cast, much is left to be desired. There is a worthy attempt to showcase the disparity that we experience in society but going beyond that, the effort feels futile. But maybe if you watch long enough, you’ll feel entertained…
A little fun fact: Lee Ji-eun (IU) was originally cast as Eight Floor and while it would’ve been interesting to see IU’s take on a complex character, Chun Woo-hee’s performance was nothing short of splendid. It’s a character you’ll either love or hate.
Watch The 8 Show on Netflix here.
