Netflix Dark Comedy Thriller Series Will Tide You Over Before Squid Game Season 2
The South Korean dark comedy thriller The 8 Show is streaming on Netflix. Adapted from the Naver webtoons Money Game and Pie Game from Bae Jin-soo, the series is a critique of capitalism and the lengths people will go to in order to escape financial ruin. The story follows eight desperate individuals who agree to participate in a mysterious and dangerous reality competition.
The 8 Show
The participants are assigned to eight different floors of an apartment building. The higher floors earn more money per minute but face harsher conditions.
As The 8 Show progresses, the contestants are forced to cooperate and compete against each other in order to maximize their earnings and survive. At its core, the series explores the moral compromises people make in extreme circumstances.
By the end of the series, the lower-floor participants attempt to overthrow the control of the 8th-floor player, with disastrous results.
The 8 Show has been described as a tense and thought-provoking survival drama that draws comparisons to the hit series Squid Game, offering a similarly bleak commentary on the harsh realities of modern society.
Different From Squid Game
While the comparison with Squid Game remains inevitable, The 8 Show distinguishes itself in several ways. In Squid Game, only one person can win the grand prize, while the other contestants are killed.
In contrast, every contestant in The 8 Show can earn money, with the amount depending on the floor they choose and the time they survive.
The conflicts also differ, with The 8 Show focusing more on the relationships and power dynamics between the contestants living together in the apartment building.
While Squid Game featured a lot of brutality, the new series presents its themes in a more satirical way without as much graphic violence. The point is put across through a different lens.
Some Similarities
In terms of similarities, both shows require contestants to wear uniforms and are referred to by numbers to erase their identities.
However, in The 8 Show, the numbers also represent the floors they are assigned to, serving as a constant reminder of the inequality between them. The contestants in The 8 Show also choose to hide their identities from each other, unlike those in Squid Game.
The Cast And Crew
The anonymous audience in The 8 Show rewards contestants based on their entertainment value.
Written and directed by Han Jae-rim, The 8 Show stars Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Park Jeong-min, Lee Yul-eum, Park Hae-joon, Lee Zoo-young, Moon Jeong-hee, and Bae Seong-woo. The eight-episode series was released on Netflix on May 17.
Stream It Now
While Netflix hasn’t confirmed a second season, there is potential for more episodes since the webtoon sequel Funny Game is set in the same universe, and its protagonist has direct ties to the previous webtoons.
The story follows the protagonist who, having failed in both Money Game and Pie Game, returns to win Funny Game.
Equipped with proper training for physical and mental strength, the protagonist, armed with previous knowledge and experience, becomes dangerous and devil-like in their pursuit to win. The 8 Show is definitely a must-see for fans of Squid Game and the general survival series genre.
