There are many reality TV shows that Netflix produces and they are going global by launching reality TV shows in many languages. In the middle of all this is Netflix Korea, which is producing many shows in the reality genre. Squid Game is the most popular of all, and that brought the world's attention to Korean culture instead of the world-class cinema that the country's creators produced. Single's Inferno, Physical: 100, Squid Game: The Challenge, The Devil's Plan, Love after Divorce, and Love Naggers are some of the Korean reality shows on Netflix. While some are good, others are abysmal. Combining elements from all of these reality TV shows, Han Jae-rim brings The 8 Show, a new Netflix Korea original show that launched on May 17, 2024.
The 8 Show is an eight-episode show with each episode lasting 35 to 40 minutes. The show is about a group of lonely men and women who are lured into a house under the premise that they simply can't do anything and will make money by the minute. The protagonist, Bae Jin-su, is a poor man in debt and has loan sharks after him to pay back the money. He comes across a message that takes him to a fake house from top to bottom. Several men and women join him in the house before long.
Stars: Chun Woo-hee, Ryu Jun-yeol, Lee Joo-young
Initially, they believe that they have all the money that could solve their problems, but soon they all realize that the time allotted to them must be saved and used wisely. They also needed to increase it since the end of the game would mean the end of profits. As they find ways to stay active for the sake of time, friction between the eight people begins to flare, just like any other reality TV show. Do they all turn against each other or does one of them become the leader of the team and start dominating the others?
The idea of this television show is to offer a satirical view of all reality shows that involve many participants whose goal is to make money and survive until the end. The show takes this element and presents something full of dark humor and manages to make fun of reality shows, including cases of tantrums to attract the attention of the audience, which will increase your visibility on social media and remain relevant. There's always that one unlikable character who generates the most conversation, and the writers have introduced people like that. The show's biggest drawback is the script, which is a drag fest. While the premise is great, the director and writer spend a lot of time establishing the same concept over and over again, and start beating around the bush. Each episode is dedicated to eight characters living on each floor, but soon the show becomes a snooze fest as it takes too long to establish each character's intentions.
The message of The 8 Show is quite evident as the show progressively talks about class differences, the overwhelming presence of capitalism in society, and the rush to make money to survive. All of this comes together to form a frankly uninteresting show. The creators probably wanted to mirror real reality shows that are a dream fest, but the satire in the script doesn't come across well. The subplot about the set being fake is a brilliant insight into how everything about every reality TV show is inherently a farce, including the bodies of the contestants participating in it. But unfortunately, the overwhelming and stretched nature of the script was a burden that the show couldn't save. The long running time of the show does not add to the intrigue and there is no sense of urgency until the end. Although the climax is surprisingly good, the show's breakneck pace doesn't allow it to generate enough excitement.
The directing, at first, was interesting, making it seem like the show would be presented in an old-school film style; Unfortunately, that style vanished into thin air just half an hour into the show. However, it is interesting to see how these characters were constructed. They all had interesting arcs, including Bae Jin-su, whose voiceover gave the audience wonderful insight into what was happening and who could be trusted as the show progressed. Adding the voiceover helps to some extent, but it doesn't completely cover the show due to the slow narrative. The 8 Show would have been interesting if the creators had spent time tweaking the script and reducing the length of each episode. The production design, however, is excellent and fits with the theme and plot of the show.
The performances in the show are just above average, thanks to some poor writing. The character development worked only in parts. Chun Woo-Hee as Se Ra is excellent as the spoiled brat who denies rules and regulations and hopes to rule just because she claims to be rich. Overall, The 8 Show is a grueling watch and falls flat very quickly.
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