Is ‘The 8 Show’ Netflix’s Next Big Hit After Squid Game?

Introduction to The 8 Show

The thriller K-drama, “The 8 Show,” debuted on Netflix on Friday, May 17, 2024, with all eight episodes available for streaming. This gripping series follows the lives of eight individuals, each grappling with their own personal struggles. Drawn into a mysterious building, they are invited to participate in a game promising substantial monetary rewards. However, the game quickly reveals itself to be a mirror of their social disparities, intensifying the stakes and hallenges they face.

Cast of The 8 Show (TV Series 2024)

Content Warning

Don’t watch it with family because this is not a family show. You will see some brief nudity, Bad language, and quite brutal scenes.

The 8 Show’s Storyline

The story follows the journey of eight people who belong to different backgrounds. They all need a lot of money and participate in a game from which they might not be able to escape. What the game is, what its rules are, and what they have to do, you will have to watch this K-drama to find out.

Concept and Comparison

The concept of this K-drama is adopted from Money Game. In case you have seen the movie The Platform, you will notice a similar concept. Even if you have seen Squid Game or movies like The Hunger Games, this concept won’t present anything new to you. And yes, you can add another name, Escape Room.

Unique Aspects

Still, there are some things where The 8 Show succeeds in presenting its content in a new way, which are its positive aspects. This K-drama can definitely be liked by people who haven’t seen many movies or web series about death games. For those who are experiencing this concept for the first time, they will find quite likable characters, funny dialogues, humor, creepy moments, some brutal scenes, blood violence, and a decent story which will keep the young or new audience engaged.

Weak Points

However, experienced viewers might find this K-drama quite average. The story won’t surprise them, as it feels very predictable. Those who focus on character development won’t be able to connect with them, as the character development in this show is very weak. No effort is made to solve the history or mystery of any character, making it hard to connect emotionally with them.

Comparison with Squid Game

The special thing about Squid Game was that it surprised you at every moment, whether it was character killing moments or story progression. You saw many OP (overpowered) moments in it, but unfortunately, you won’t find anything like that in The 8 Show. There is no OP or wow moment where you watch the K-drama and feel mind-blown. This aspect hurts The 8 Show badly.

Character Analysis

Still, personally, I liked some characters. The characters don’t have names; rather, they are named according to the floors they are on. For example, there is a first floor, a second floor, a third floor, a fourth floor.

The third-floor character narrates things, and the character on the eighth floor has scenes that will both disturb and entertain you. Then there’s the second-floor character, and the character that emotionally connected a bit was the first-floor character. Otherwise, all the characters have done their roles decently.

Production Value

The production value of the show is good, but the rooms shown are where they were a bit stingy with spending money.

Final Thoughts

Overall, if you like watching web series or movies made on death games and enjoy survival themes, you can try this K-drama with low expectations. Personally, it felt like a decent one-time watch. There was nothing that stayed with me for long. The concept is definitely similar to Squid Game, but it doesn’t match its level at all. Still, I feel the young audience might like this K-drama.

Rating

Judging all aspects, I will rate it 7 out of 10 stars. If you have seen it, let me know how you felt in the comments.

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