Following the success of “Mask Girl” and “A Killer Paradox,” Netflix Korea continues with projects adapted from webtoons, with the latest being "The 8 show" Directed and scripted by Han Jae-rim, the series is based on Bae Jin-soo’s webtoon “Money Game.”
Even before its release, “The 8 Show” was compared to “Squid Game,” as it also features a survival game narrative and is funded by Netflix. However, the scale of its game is smaller than “Squid Game,” and its storyline is entirely different. The 8-episode story unfolds within a mysterious building where eight strangers must find ways to prolong the game because they earn money by trading their time. Unlike “Squid Game,” in this survival game, a crucial rule is that no one is allowed to die; if someone does, the remaining participants must leave empty-handed. Similar to many other Korean films, including “Squid Game,” “The 8 Show” is heavy on its messaging, using the story of the eight participants to convey moral lessons. However, it does so in a way that feels seamless and not forced, unlike many previous works.
