The 8 Show

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Drama: The 8 Show
Revised romanization: The 8 Show
Hangul: 더 에이트 쇼
Director: Han Jae-Rim
Writer: Bae Jin-Soo (webcomic), Han Jae-Rim
Network: Netflix
Episodes: 8
Release Date: May 17, 2024
Runtime:
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

8 people in need of money are invited to appear on reality variety show Money Game. The 8 people are to stay at the studio that consists of nothing but concrete walls. If they are able to hang in there for 100 days, they can divide the winning prize of 44.8 billion won equally. But, everything they spend for, including necessities like food, water, electricity, costs 1,000 times more than normal prices and are deducted from the winning prize.

Notes

Based on Bae Jin-Soo’s webcomics "Money Game" (published from November 23, 2018 to January 10, 2020 via Naver) and "Pi Game" (published from July 5, 2020 to November 7, 2021 via Naver).
IU was first cast to play lead female role, but, prior to filming, had to drop out due to scheduling issues. Chun Woo-Hee was then cast to play the lead female role.
Filming beings mid-June, 2022.
Early working title was "Money Game".

Cast



Ryu Jun-Yeol	Chun Woo-Hee	Park Jeong-Min	Lee Yul-Eum	Park Hae-Joon
3F	8F	7F	4F	6F



Lee Joo-Young	Moon Jeong-Hee	Bae Sung-Woo
2F	5F	1F

Others

Jeong Ji-In

dept store customer (ep.8)

Additional Cast Members:

Park Gun-Ju - loan shark (ep.1)
Lee Na-Hyun - film crew staff (ep.1)
Jeon Su-Ji - No Sang-Guk's (1F) wife (ep.8)
Oh Eun-Seo - No Da-In (ep.8)
Park Jae-Wan - car accident driver (ep.8)
Seo Min-Sung - used car dealership owner (ep.8)

Trailers

Comments

Just1more Feb 21 2026 3:07 pm I started late in the evening and now almost four in the morning, it is that good trust me. I was put off by their uniform i thought this is some cheap comedy, how is this so brillant with lots of plot twist but ultimately thugs at your hearstrings.

Say what you want about Ryu Junyeol personal life but you can never call him talentless, i watch whatever he is in. And Park Jeongmin oppa the GOAT. Every floor is astounding, 1st flloor is mindblowing, Korean Joaquin Phoenix Joker. Bravo.

Henry Jul 08 2025 11:52 pm I honestly really liked this show especially the plot and some of the plot twists. I really hope they add another season with maybe new players or even Jin-su playing again. I'd also think it would be cool if they actually told us the names of the floors and also told us about their backstorys just a bit more. I don't understand why people hate the show so much but it's understandable, some people just don't like violent things or maybe the beginning was to boring.

Jordan Netzley Nov 09 2024 2:18 am I’ve seen a lot of negative comments about the show due to things like acting and plot lines. Some of these plot lines, though, I don’t think many people could come up with. I enjoyed not knowing what might happen next, but understanding that it would be something important. Not only to deeper, involve, the connection of these characters, but in importance of the depth of how far this game would take some people. Even though I knew none of the actors coming into watching this, I liked it. I found out about it on a Reddit pages comment. I can relate it to the feeling I got of watching the movie The Platform on Netflix. I really do enjoy shows/movies like that. 9.5 out of 10. The .5 is being saved for a season two, maybe? With a different cast but same rules.

K-drama Holic Sep 15 2024 12:00 am Watching this cause of Chun Wohee. Her acting is great, as expected. But the plot is simply a downgraded, cheaper version of Squid Game. Like, the writer/webtoonist just wrote this cause of the booming effect of Squid Game and trying to ride the coattails of it by writing something that has similar essence.

No Jul 31 2024 7:20 am Don't waste your time on this show. It's good acting but terrible plot. Violent, and a story line that doesn't make sense. Terrible drama, had to fast forward most of the episodes.

Erika Jul 05 2024 7:21 am Excellent premise, Excellent acting

Terrible writing and overall execution.

If 3's internal narration is supposed to completely stress out the audience, congrats you won.

The writing failed because it missed the mark on the rules of the game leaving too many plot holes. The rules seemed like they were so clever but there were easy solutions to every problem if they actually worked together or had at least one intelligent being among them.

Things escalated from bad to worse seemingly overnight but at the same time every thing seemed to just drag on.

Hold on. Hold on. Wait. Did I actually describe perfect writing and execution because this show so accurately portrays the world state? Yep.

The parallels are many. Write your thesis on this show folks.

That said, it's a show I only need to see once. Lil too depressing as a societal 1st - 3rd floor member.

Shelly Jul 02 2024 9:17 pm Bae Seong Woo is adorable and brilliant!

gyu Jun 18 2024 10:56 pm "If you don’t like this show you are corrupted by the society/world as a whole"

wth with this statement ?? this drama is just okay, kinda boring, the character is not likeable.

IndraZaga Jun 09 2024 9:51 am You will either love or hate it. This show is incredible! It's polarizing, but I'm firmly in the camp of those who love it. The intense drama, complex characters, and thrilling plot twists make it a must-watch.

Here are the reasons why you'll love this series:

Unique Concept: The show features an intriguing premise where contestants must survive in a confined space with limited resources, making strategic decisions to win a large cash prize.

Thrilling Plot: The series combines dark comedy and thriller elements, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats with unexpected twists and intense psychological drama.

Complex Characters: Each contestant has a rich backstory and personal motivations, adding depth to the narrative and making their interactions compelling.

Social Commentary: The show offers a critique of modern society's obsession with money and reality TV, providing thought-provoking content beyond mere entertainment.

High-Quality Production: With strong performances from a talented cast and high production values, the series is visually and emotionally engaging.

Overall, "The 8 Show" is a must-watch for fans of psychological thrillers and dark comedies.

And.... Here are the reasons why some people hate it:

Dark Themes: The series delves into heavy psychological and societal issues, which might be too intense or depressing for some audiences.

Complex Narrative: The intricate plot and character dynamics might be confusing or overwhelming for those who prefer straightforward storytelling.

Pacing: Some viewers might find the pacing slow or inconsistent, affecting their overall enjoyment.

Mbokne Sapi Jun 07 2024 1:55 pm Why they didnt buy toilet portable for all and put it outdide?

Emi Jun 03 2024 3:37 pm anyone who doesn't like this show is either boring or stuck in a world of capitalism. this show was amazing,i would say my fav is #7 or #2, smart and willing to do whatever it takes to get out

DimeAnDozen May 26 2024 2:47 pm If you don’t like this show you are corrupted by the society/world as a whole. The show is based on the hierarchy and capitalism in “Their” (or others) society. So, you must place yourself into that perspective to genuinely understand the knowledge behind the story/concept. The characters all have parts that must be played. They’ve audience/host chosen these individuals for a reason, because I’m pretty sure more people tried to commit suicide that day. For either their same reason, equivalent, or worst so understand that. They’re almost trying to make them create an economy from scratch while in the hold of money. So instances like this will happen. It’s your choice to choose capitalist, socialist, communist, or dictator.

So, from 3F coward ability of the literally average human being placed as a narrator was genius. It made you have a sense of relatable in all or at least the slightest. 6F being an absolute meat-head/hot-head, and handling power with the aim of violence. Due to his deep root of anger because of loss of fame, and reoccurring debt was smart. 1F being a Jester/Clown that was happy but not happy. Due to his daughter illness and wanted better for her, and his wife. Strategically planned an accident so his family can get the money from the insurance after his death, the money he saved, and others help. He played a soft spoken pawn but had his own goals to meet secretly was genius. 8F being a smart, privileged, and a psycho that could easily relate to the audience/host due to the familiarity in power. So, we could not like her but understand she was one of the rich people. Who thirst for entertainment from middle to lower floors/class, and added as their view of “us” as entertainment was genius. 5F was a nurse that’s battling mental issues from her past backstabbing of her cheating husband, or the unstable patient’s she dealt with. She played as median that just wanted peace and unity while in a harsh environment. While, diving into hallucinations that she probably faced outside the show and getting push down due to her nice behavior. Just like regular people in society was genius. 4F was an naive and relatable character. She played as character that did anything to benefit from harm or to succeed like most, but still trying make it to or remain at the top. She was a smart choice for a character. 2F although didn’t have really a background. She really provided security and trust, and majority or some could at least try to relate to her thought process. She spoke the truth and defended/fought for her truth or others, but still was hushed due to higher authority. In the game just like outside world. She showed no matter how much u fight power will overrules. The most brave, blunt-spoken, justice seeker, etc. is most hated/agreed/cared less about by the “rich” because their agenda matters more. Her placement as a character was genius. 7F was a genius writer/producer that wanted to show the truth and help others, after the years of submitting. When he played the game as he keep the same mind-set, but he begin to fall back into his old behavior of compromising for the benefit of the high power’s just to keep a safe spot. He realized he fell back into his habits and fought for truth. He played helper that’s still trying to help himself, while trying to still provide answers. Just as most people in the world act like was smart placement.

Some of things/acts they did in the series was not what common people would do. Although, I’m American so I couldn’t relate to certain behaviors. Once I placed myself in their shoes I understood more. It’s based on “Their” (relate to other’s countries) country’s downfalls. Which was the title of 7F new script/book. It was hierarchy that they could not leave unless someone died, or stopped it.

Also, it’s not like squid game at all. In Squid Game people must die so you can win. While, The 8 Show no one can die and must coexist together to make money. I also suggest you to watch it 3 times. The first time you will just watch with little to none understanding, or some will under on first attempt. It’s very easy to understand as well. 2nd time will be for entertainment which is just like the purpose of the game, and you will understand it more. The third time you will do both at the same time which is the point of The 8 Show.

Ja May 25 2024 12:54 pm 2F getting punched repeatedly by 6F? She would have blocked his shots. So convincing...not.

I'm here May 25 2024 5:37 am Spoiler alert.

There's one biggest plot hole at the end of the episode.

Everything's gonna be fine if only they read the instructions to change the rooms.

1. They can use the 8th room's money to buy the 1st room to change and switch the room. Then automatically the 1st room gonna change place. Right?

-Let's say you can't buy the room for someone else. Then,

2. The 1st floor should just buy the 8th room with its money. It has the exact same money as its price. So the room should be his because he's the one who asked for room change even though he used the 8th room's money.

The drama's okay, the 7th guy made it bearable for me because of his hotness :3 I do realize that they kept on going back and forth with tying this person and then tying that person, the method was getting old. But overall enjoyable 6/10

Jay May 23 2024 5:20 pm I stopped watching after the 5th episode, it kept on getting me and hating the characters

Jay May 23 2024 2:23 am I'm only halfway through, but it's getting too annoying to watch the illogical decisions being made and the levels of violence that the lower floors were willing to endure. Especially when the group received greater rewards for sex anyway

orbitgangtohell May 22 2024 10:18 am What a waste of drama with all great actors in it! The story line just too simple and not excited! I Really hate the #8..

Sum1 May 22 2024 3:39 am Good storytelling, it isn't Squid Game. It represent real society, 10/10. Must watch.

amirul May 22 2024 2:53 am i currently on episode 3, why can't they just exchange time with some food. the cigarette and lighter only cost 2 minutes, and they are food that cost equal or lower than cigarette and lighter. losing 16 minutes for a meal is not hard enough compare to the energy usage.

This_is_so_great May 21 2024 10:22 pm Based on webtoon, this is good drama. I love it, and i know this game only stop when 1 player dead... This is human being, this is our world. So sad but it's true...

Nasi ayam May 21 2024 7:54 am This show is on par with squid game. I like the dark comedy that show human beast nature and Its kind of mindblown.

I like how the 8F potray her character, psycho crazy but still cute and bubbly. Actually i expect the 3F will loose his mind and do some crazy shit but didn't happen

Anyway its 10 out of 10. It's kinda sad this series did not get top global

Ardigun May 20 2024 9:50 pm Personal opinion: much better than Squid Game. The game that has simple rules. Let everyone win but the ego from upper floors drive them crazy. The 8f made the show alive. Its like having villain without MC. The 3f seemed to be MC but was useless but I did understand as I'm also a coward. The fatal stupid thing from 4f floor is relatable as a kind person, they sometimes naive and stupid. As the strong person that always want to solve the problem with violence by the 2f and 6f and the oposite 7f that smart but cant do nothing against it. Overall 9/10.

Arya Vijayan May 20 2024 2:45 pm Omg.What a stupid series is this..storyline good but it could be taken more viewable manner..so much lag, most are unwanted

cielo May 19 2024 11:29 pm some people who don't like this series, and hate 8F, definitely not understand the meaning of it. its a representation of country and society, where it has upper, middle, lower class. ofc 8F will do such things, 8F is upper class, she has power and money. and in reality is like that. upper class people always doing such stupid, selfish things.

Jamcuuk May 19 2024 12:19 pm This show full of idiots

8F May 19 2024 11:08 am There are idiots voting low for this series because they hate 8F.

Herday May 19 2024 9:46 am Personally I'm really glad IU dropped out of this show I honestly don't wanna see her play a character like 8F, I expected more from 3F but he was useless all through the show, 5F is understandable doing what she did releasing the upper floor residents, she's just traumatized and we can see that she sometimes hallucinates, 8F is the most selfish, she earns a lot more than all of them but she wants to contribute the least and all the violence in that show started because of her because she brought their attention towards, 1F is just plain stupid, 2F already decided to give him part of her money buh he too was just too greedy, the show could have ended the first time the upper floor residents were captured and he still repeated the same mistake, his death is no one's fault but his...over all I don't really like the series too many unexplained things

An May 19 2024 6:05 am I stop watching because these characters are not smart enough to stop the 8th floor lady do stupid things

Ji May 19 2024 4:07 am It started good, but the characters were inconsistent and the plot progressed very slowly. There's no development for like 3-4 episodes, which considering the drama is only 8 ep length, it's a huge drag. By the end of the series, nothing is clear. We don't know who made the game or who the viewers of the game are. Wait, to call it a game is also too much. Games should have clear rules. They didn't know what they were doing or what to do being in that place for 2 months. Anyway, it's a waste of time I can say, they don't have any content for the last episode either, it's a super long closing. It's such a shame because the cast aren't that bad.

taehofan May 19 2024 3:32 am Asking this out of frustration (contains spoilers !) ㅡ ㅡ ㅡ In episode 6 where they decided to leave after letting the time run out, they got so frustrated when they found out that the time increased the next morning. Why didn't they just use the general intercom to lessen their remaining time???? Why did they go through all that ruckus when there's an easier solution for them to get out sooner??? Like, I know that they locked up that area but I'm pretty sure they got hold of the key from guy from 6th floor when they subdued him??? Did I miss an important scene that explains why this is impossible for them to do? Or is this just a stupid plot hole that the overlooked??????

melindaaa May 19 2024 1:59 am this reminds me of episode 449 of runningman but the cast and genre are different .

arbehery May 19 2024 12:05 am wow, so the initial cast for 8F was IU? Chun Wonhee is a great actress but I really want to see IU play that character and outfit!

Jackie L May 19 2024 12:04 am I cannot stand floor 5. She infuriates me more than the evil upper floor people. She's an actual idiot for what she did in Episode 6. She's so frustrating to watch because of how absolutely stupid she is like I want to throw my computer watching this brain dead woman ruin everything.

Pam_dodo May 18 2024 7:32 pm I knew 8th floor was a psycho from EP 1.

pel May 18 2024 5:41 pm can someone tell me the song on last episode last minutes while credits show.? i can’t find..

hallyu syndicate May 18 2024 9:48 am always fancy this kind of genre!

mt May 18 2024 8:08 am I dont like the 8th floor lady..that there's not enough explanation on why this show was started and also the ending. There are so many loopholes in ep 8.. since he saved up that much money why spend it

lolol May 18 2024 4:02 am the best series after squid game..recommended to watch!

dauyi May 17 2024 9:53 pm amazing show!! chun woo hee is best actress

Daniel May 17 2024 4:50 pm 9/10 enjoyed it and recommend it. Only thing I'd change is the long monologues/voice overs. Great acting from all 8

Mimomo May 17 2024 3:34 pm Im on ep4 and i enjoyed it. Its not that heavy, way lighter than squid game or the elevator. There were silly moments too. And the show is portraying how society is so unfair, the rich is the boss. Better than expected.

Mimi May 17 2024 12:05 pm I know this comes from a webcomic, the idea and concept of this story are very good but the show the people made in it is less creative!! This story would be amazing if the performances and problems in it were made creatively and make sense rather than just showing violence!

Mae May 17 2024 9:13 am ... its also like watching big brother tv show + Platform type of thing. where one of the players in here holds the power and control the game. if you like watching black mirror and reality shows like The circle and big brother or survivor, this series is the exageration of it.

Han May 17 2024 7:33 am Ep 1 is equally boring. But I will hold on because of Park Jeong Min whom I rarely see on drama.

aleput May 10 2024 12:16 pm woah. solid cast, solid trailer

Kyoposan May 04 2024 12:25 pm Sounds like a combo of Squid Games, Survivor, Big Brother, and a MrBeast challenge! I'm in!

oop May 01 2024 6:54 pm didn't running man have an episode like this in 2017/2018 called Yoomes Bond returns? lolol

strawberry latte Feb 18 2024 8:30 am chun woo hee is here so i'm definitely watching!!

Zayyin_Aini Dec 18 2023 2:14 pm It's similar to the drama called "Liar Game"

s Jul 03 2023 6:45 am chun woo-hee is here!! must be a good show I'm looking forward

Shelly Heidel Jun 12 2023 12:08 am Is Bae Seong Woo actually in the series? I hope he didn't drop out!

nanananame Nov 02 2022 4:34 pm Whoa 2 chungmuro blue chip actors are there, Ryu Joonyeol and Park Jungmin. I'm exciteddddd!

X$Y Oct 24 2022 1:56 pm based on the webton, the participants consisted of 5 men and 3 women, while here there are 4 men and 4 women. will the role of drunken uncle number 6 be replaced by a woman? I can't wait for this drama, i've just read the webtoon and the story is quite interesting. But 60 episodes will be condensed into 8 episodes?

Nayan Jul 30 2022 10:11 pm I wish iu would have played the role but I'm excited to see Chun Woo-Hee. Fighting!

Anonymous Jul 30 2022 5:56 am Aghhhh??? why IU dropped out??? i was excited to watch this for IU!

Haruto Watanabe Jun 04 2022 2:49 pm IU dropped out??? I was hoping to see her as no. 7 though :(((

Yeo Ha Jin May 27 2022 8:06 pm So sad about the fact that IU can't join this drama. but i hope Chun Woo Hee do her best

littlepinky Apr 23 2022 1:51 am casts are perfect ..only needto know when will it be shown..

Freya Apr 06 2022 9:23 pm I read this in webtoon and excited to see IU in it! So refreshing to see her in a different role. Though not sure which role she's going to take.

Tulipaa Mar 17 2022 8:32 pm Omg I love the webtoon so much I'm glad they are making it into a drama

Whatever Feb 23 2022 1:43 pm I cannot wait!!! Does anyone know the date of release?

Pawi i like you long time Feb 12 2022 7:09 pm If yall curious about the show. Then yall can watch some clips from runningman games called 100million dollar secret room game and get enlighten.

Girl#7 Feb 12 2022 11:37 am I've read the webtoon and I can tell you guys that Money Game is not the same as Squid Game. In SG, the participants actively play to win the prize. In MG, the participants can just laze around and they would still win the prize. If SG is more into playing literal games, then MG is more into playing with their minds. Teamwork is crucial in this show but of course, they invited people with different backgrounds and clashing personalities. It would be exciting to see how they would bring out the vibe from the webtoon to the drama. I'm also wondering how they can fit both Money Game and Pie Game into 8 episodes. Anyways, I wish this drama, the cast, and the crew great success!

Hyunmi Feb 06 2022 7:08 pm Yeee IU eonni comeback drama ❤❤❤

Kimdongmi Feb 04 2022 8:31 pm Ryoo Joon Yeol = 08 IU = 07 Park Jung Min = 05 Park Hae Joon = 04 Bae Sung Woo = 01

Hi Jan 31 2022 11:05 pm I've been reading the webtoon long time ago and now excited for this.. some characters may be annoying but what is a drama without annoying characters

Park Jung-Min #1 Fan Jan 31 2022 6:46 am wow the casts are amazing!! can’t wait

aruu Jan 31 2022 5:07 am omg park haejoon too naurr this will be too good?

aruu Jan 31 2022 5:05 am sounds like squid game...I just hope its good ryu jun yol and iu are goated

v Jan 30 2022 8:19 am i’ve been reading the webtoon and it’s actually pretty good. i’m interested in how this cast will play the roles. will be looking forward to this!

k Jan 29 2022 5:01 pm not them wasting such a cute cast on another dark genre. in this time, we could use a lighthearted romance or slice of life. i mean IU and ryu joon yeol? thats would be so cute

.... Jan 29 2022 11:34 am Another squid game ?? ????

Moon Jan 29 2022 7:27 am My pretty iu .. I can't

Cocooa Vu Jan 28 2022 1:34 pm OMG? really? im so excited

JungMin Jan 28 2022 11:26 am Jungmin saranghae <3

Verna Marie Jan 28 2022 2:54 am Can’t wait to watch IU again after so many years!! Goodluck!!

Zanil Jan 28 2022 12:51 am this series will be like kdrama Squid Game is very good to watch I can't wait for this money game series

Iu Jan 27 2022 10:53 pm Daebak IU can't wait !!!!

The 8 Show

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Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

Notes

Cast

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Trailers

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