INTERVIEW 'The 8 Show' director highlights differences from 'Squid Game'

Netflix's new original series “The 8 Show" released on May 17. Courtesy of Netflix

The plot of Netflix’s new original series “The 8 Show,” about cash-strapped people trapped to play a game for a large sum of money after accepting a mysterious invite, may sound similar to that of the streaming service’s smash hit title “Squid Game.”

Director Han Jae-rim / Courtesy of Netflix

"From my understanding, 'The 8 Show' started getting developed before ('Squid Game'). When 'Squid Game' became an explosive success, I wondered, 'Should I not do this?'" the latest series' director, Han Jae-rim, said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Jongno District, Seoul, Wednesday.

"Our series is different from 'Squid Game' in terms of rules and conflicts. In 'Squid Game,' someone else has to die, so I can live and the protagonist feels satisfaction as others get eliminated. But in our work, no one should die, and everyone must survive together, which is the complete opposite."

The eight-part black comedy series, which was released on May 17, follows eight contestants taken into a mysterious eight-story building to participate in a lucrative but dangerous show where they earn money as time passes. The series is based on the popular webtoon "Money Game" and its sequel "Pie Game" by Bae Jin-soo.

The director, who also scripted the adaptation, aimed to innovate the traditional survival genre formula by adding a tweak.

"In the survival genre works, the protagonist is usually a hero who overcomes crisis. However, in 'The 8 Show,' the '3rd Floor,' the protagonist and narrator of the story is just like any of us in real life. He's rather naive, and things keep going the other way than he expected. And I felt this incorporates elements of black comedy. So I wanted to put a twist on the survival genre," he said.

A scene from the series “The 8 Show" / Courtesy of Netflix

In the show, each participant is asked to choose a number from one to eight when entering, which turns out to be the floor of their room that offers different amounts of money per minute; the higher the floor, the higher the money. Without being given specific instructions or games to play, the participants figure out the show ends when the clock in the communal space counts to zero and the only way to add more time is to please the organizers.

As the story unfolds, the participants are divided to take sides and begin to take more and more extreme measures. The series touches on different social issues, dopamine-driven media addiction, social hierarchies and capitalism.

The director began developing the series to talk about the black comedy of capitalism, but later expanded it to include messages about modern-day content patterns.

“I felt this was the story that anyone can relate to in the age of capitalism. I wanted to create a hierarchy by naming the characters by their floor. And I tried to make it easier for (viewers) to empathize with any of the characters by not providing them with detailed backstories,” he said.

“These eight people are meant there to entertain. So I could see myself resembling them, like how I try my best to entertain the audience … As I created this work, I had many ethical concerns. I understand what aspects the audience enjoys, but at the same time, I wonder how far I should go to provide that entertainment. I wanted to create a work that not only entertains but also raises questions and discussions about such issue.”