'The 8 Show' exhausts viewers with excessive violence, sensationalism
"The 8 Show," a drama criticizing today's "dopamine society" that increasingly seeks more sensational content backfires with its excessive use of violence. Courtesy of Netflix
"The torture scenes were mentally exhausting," said Lee Yeon-woo, a college student who stopped watching Netflix's new drama "The 8 Show" halfway through last month.
The increasingly brutal content, especially the torture scenes, was too much for him to handle. Even a short clip of the torture scenes on YouTube was enough to give her the chills.
Lee said, "I wonder if it's appropriate to advertise such a highly provocative drama, even more so than the extremely violent 'Squid Game,' on large billboards in Seoul's Samseong-dong and Myeong-dong."
Kim Da-eun, 28, and Kim Sung-hyun, 23, who watched the drama, also found the repeated and prolonged violent scenes so exhausting that they skipped those parts.
"The 8 Show" was one of Netflix's most anticipated releases of the first half of the year, touted as the second "Squid Game."
The show features a similar premise where contestants compete for a large cash prize, with stars actors like Chun Woo-hee, Park Jung-min and Ryu Jun-yeol, drawing keen attention.
The drama's main theme was to criticize our "dopamine society" that constantly seeks and is driven by sensationalism.
However, the show's explicit depiction of violence, including brutal punishments, torture and bodily harm, has led many viewers to feel it is overly exhausting.
Critics say that Netflix's escalating use of violence and sensationalism in its content, which surged following the success of "Squid Game" (2021), has reached an unbearable threshold with "The 8 Show."
The series follows participants who must entertain themselves to earn money, escalating in violence as it progresses to criticize the increasing levels of shock content in the media.
A complex where game participants stay in "The 8 Show." / Courtesy of Netflix
Excessive sensationalism ethically justifiable?
Despite this, many viewers were disturbed by the realistic close-ups of injured faces and prolonged scenes of torture.
Comments such as, "It's the first time I've seen such realistic makeup of injured faces in a drama" and "I don't understand the need to show such long scenes of violence and torture" were common among viewers.
Drama critic Oh Soo-kyung noted, "Netflix's violent content seems to have peaked with 'The 8 Show,' and viewers are showing signs of fatigue. It's time to question whether gaining attention via excessive sensationalism is ethically justified."
Professor Yoon Seok-jin of Chungnam National University's department of Korean language and literature said, "Criticizing violence with violence is self-contradictory. Since 'Squid Game,' the intensity of violence and sensationalism in Netflix dramas has significantly increased."
Other Netflix dramas created after "Squid Game," like "The Glory" (2022-23) and "Mask Girl" (2023), also featured high levels of violence. In "A Killer Paradox," released in February, brutal murder scenes were repeated.
Many expect this trend to continue with upcoming releases, including the second season of "Squid Game," slated for later this year. Online streaming services like Netflix, Disney+ and Watcha face ongoing criticism for their unregulated high levels of violence and sensationalism, unlike traditional broadcast networks.
Netflix's "Mask Girl," left, released last year, and "A Killer Paradox," released in February. Courtesy of Netflix
Breaking away from outdated perspectives
The lack of persuasiveness in some violent scenes can be attributed to the overall quality of the drama. Stereotypical and outdated characters fail to evoke empathy or reflection from viewers.
Oh said that "The 8 Show" perpetuates prejudices against people with disabilities and minorities through its lowest-tier characters. Similarly, "Squid Game" faced criticism for its portrayal of a female contestant who trades sex for survival, thereby distorting reality.
As Netflix solidifies its position as a global OTT platform, there is a call for an increase in the quality of its content.
While many content services initially gained recognition through sensational works, Netflix, having achieved global popularity, needs to move to the next stage.
Kim Heon-sik, a professor of social culture at Jungwon University, said, "Netflix's early subscribers were male genre enthusiasts, but now with more female and diverse age subscribers, romantic comedies and historical romances are making global charts. Netflix should produce diverse content befitting its status, rather than relying on visual shock."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.