Summary
This article contains spoilers for The 8 Show.
There are multiple, undeniable similarities betweenSquid GameandThe 8 Show. Even before it was released on Netflix,The 8 Showwas immediately compared toSquid Gamethanks to their similar theming and format. ThoughThe 8 Showis far from the first show to be compared to the Netflix hit, with Paramount+’sPyramid Gamealso being dubbed the nextSquid Game,the two shows' similarities showcase the best ofNetflix’s best K-drama genre.
Despite being similar,The 8 ShowandSquid Gameare not copies of each other.The 8 Showis aweb-toon-based K-dramainspired by Bae Jin-su’s Money Game and Pie Game, which were released on Naver in 2018 and 2020.Squid Game, on the other hand, is a Netflix original created by Hwang Dong-hyuk that was first released on Netflix in 2021. However,the similarities between the two shows further strengthen the social criticismsthey both make and solidifiesThe 8 ShowasSquid Game’s perfect replacement.
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8Squid Game & The 8 Show Are Both Survival Shows
They Both Have Big Prizes, Too
One of the biggest similarities betweenSquid GameandThe 8 Showis that they are both survival shows. However,the way contestants have to survive is very different. InSquid Game, the last person standing is the sole winner while every other contestant is killed so they can claim their prize, which is a fixed amount of 45.6 billion won.
Alternatively, every contestant inThe 8 Show’scastis a winner, but the longer they survive, the more money they can earn. However, the rules ofThe 8 Showand the floor that the contestants choose before entering the show dictate how much prize money they can walk away with. For example, the hardworking contestant “1” earns 10,000 won per minute while 8 earns 340,000 won, putting lower floors at an economic disadvantage. Plus, if the contestants buy anything or break a rule, it is deducted from their overall prize pot.
7Contestants in Squid Game & The 8 Show Have Uniforms & Numbers
They Strip Contestants of Their Identities
BothSquid GameandThe 8 Showput all their players on the same playing field by giving them a uniform anderasing their identities from the outside world.Squid Game’s green uniformshave become synonymous with theK-drama thriller, and its green color juxtaposes the contestants’ gruesome fates. Similarly,The 8 Showprovides contestants with white outfits with suits drawn on them. Each character’s uniform is slightly different, with 1 having a bow tie and 5 having a scarf drawn on hers, yet it acts as a crude reminder of the reality of the show they are in.
Though contestants inThe 8 Showhave uniforms, they can purchase new clothes with time or money. 8 does this in episode 2, symbolizing her wealth compared to the others. 4 is the only other character who wears something other than her uniform, but does so gradually throughoutThe 8 Show,acting as a shadow to 8.
Along with this, the numbers used inSquid GameandThe 8 Showserve significant purposes. InSquid Game, they are for easy identification among an array of contestants, and further strip them of their names and identity in this cruel game. On the other hand,The 8 Show’s contestants choose to hide their identities and refer to each other only by their numbers. However, their numbers also represent their respective floors, and therefore, act as a constant reminder thatThe 8 Showis not equal for all contestants.
The 8 Show
Cast
“The 8 Show” is an upcoming South Korean thriller and dark comedy television series set to release on Netflix in 2024. Written and directed by Han Jae-rim, the series stars Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Park Jeong-min, and other notable actors. It is based on the popular Naver webtoons “Money Game” and “Pie Game” by Bae Jin-soo.
6The Sets of Squid Game & The 8 Show Are Inspired By Childhood
Both Shows Encourage The Contestants To Play Like Children
The main premise ofSquid Gameis to recreate Oh Il-nam’s (albeit twisted) desire to return to childhood, so each ofSquid Game’sgamesrecreates a different place where children are most likely to play to invoke a sense of nostalgia. For example, the second task takes place in a playground while the marbles task takes place in a recreation of a Korean neighborhood. These sets are not used for the actual games, but insteadattempt to bring the contestants back to their youth.
The square ofThe 8 Showalso uses playground equipment and fake sets to invoke a childish sense of play from the contestants. The whole point ofThe 8 Showis to provide entertainment for the elusive hosts, sothey are provided with everything children would need to entertain themselves, i.e. slides and fake stores. The hope was that the contestants would use them as tools in their performances, however, they only served as a source of entertainment for the free-spirited “8” who regularly enjoyed playing on the equipment in her quest for fun.
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5Stairs Are More Than Just Stairs in Squid Game & The 8 Show
They Both Hold Very Significant Meanings
The stairs towards the arena ofSquid Gameare a prominent feature of the show. Inspired by the Dutch artist M.C. Escher’s Relativity,Squid Game’s staircasesdisorientate its contestants and add a sense of uneaseto the game as the seemingly endless stairs lead them to their deaths. The striking colors further juxtapose the gravity of the situation, as they represent the bright colors often associated with children’s playhouses.
Squid Gameis one of many film and TV shows that pay homage to M.C. Escher’s Relativity. Some of the most notable examples include Jim Henson’sLabyrinth(1986), theHarry Potter(2001) series, andNight at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb(2014).
The use of stairs inThe 8 Showis very literal. Initially, the contestants believe that climbing the stairs is a means to earn time and money, yet their theory is quickly disproven after a few days of climbing where they earn less and less time. In reality, the stairs are a means to separate the contestants while also showinga physical representation of who are the richest and most powerful contestants, and who exist at the bottom of the social ladder.
4Violence Is A Big Part Of Squid Game & The 8 Show
The More Violent The Contestants Are, The Longer They Can Survive
Though the games inSquid Gameare inspired by games played by children,Squid Game’s violent twist on these games makesSquid Gamea cruel bloodbath. Games that were once asource of fun for the contestants in their youth soon become a matter of life and death, where violence towards the other contestants ensures survival. Even outside the main arena, violent acts bySquid Game’scastgo without punishment, and instead take the contestants one step closer to winning the jackpot.
Meanwhile, inThe 8 Show, violence isn’t a necessary part of the game. However, contestants jump to an aggresive conclusion when they realize that hurting their fellow contestants in cruel games adds to their total time and means they can continue the game and earn money. This results in more violent acts asThe 8 Showprogresses ina twisted attempt to appease the unknown hostsand continue the game for as long as possible.
3All Contestants in Squid Game & The 8 Show Are In Debt
The Characters Need To Have Nothing Left To Lose To Compete
Money is the driving force behindThe 8 ShowandSquid Game. The massive jackpots that these insane games offer seem almost surreal anddraw in those in desperate need of moneyas they have nothing else to lose. The leading characters ofThe 8 ShowandSquid Gameare no different.
Squid Game’s Seong Gi-hun is a former gambling addict whose debts to loan sharks have crippled his finances. Meanwhile,The 8 Show’s 3, who in the real world is known as Bae Jin-su, works odd jobs but cannot make ends meet, meaning that he also owes a lot of people a lot of money.Both characters' desire for survival trumps their need for moneythe further their respective games continue, and even though they both receive life-changing amounts of money, they cannot use it due to the trauma they faced inSquid GameandThe 8 Show.
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2Squid Game & The 8 Show Were Created For Entertainment
Entertainment Has No Limits in Squid Game & The 8 Show
Squid GameandThe 8 Showare both very aptly named as they both encompass the key form of entertainment that functions as the core of each show. For example,The 8 Showis a reality show that features eight people living together for an infinite amount of time. Meanwhile,Squid Gameis a game that reflects games played throughout childhood, such as the titular squid game. However, each showexploits its contestants to entertain an outside audience.
When turned on its side, an 8 can look like an infinity symbol. This is why the number 8 is so heavily prevalent inThe 8 Show, as the eight contestants' game has infinite potential.
The audience ofThe 8 Showis never revealed, but they play an active part in how the show works. They reward the eight contestants with time. However, the amount of time they receive depends on how entertained they are. There is no limit as to what is considered entertainment, with everything from climbing the stairs to sexual escapades being rewarded. Similarly,Squid Gameis the creation of Oh Il-nam who wishes to relive his youth. The show is broadcast for a high-paying audience, who, just like inThe 8 Show,feed off the contestants' pain for pleasure.
1Squid Game & The 8 Show Are Both Commentaries on Social Issues
They Both Criticize Capitalism & Class Disparity
At their core,Squid GameandThe 8 Showarestark criticisms of the effects of capitalism and class disparityand they both demonstrate that by exploiting their contestants.Squid Gamelures contestants in with the promise of money that could change their lives before trapping them in a game of death that they cannot escape from unless they are the sole winner, all while they are watched by the uber-rich as if the game is a sport.
The 8 Show’s approach is very similar. LikeSquid Game, contestants arelured in by a show where only time is required to make an infinite amount of money. However, the lower-floor contestants are made to bear the brunt of the work by the upper floors as they earn more than them. The infinite possibilities of the game also mean that even if one person wishes to stay, the game will continue forever, no matter what the other contestants think.
With Seong Gi-hun being invited back to the game inSquid Gameseason 2, andThe 8 Show’s endinghinting that the show is far from over, both shows trap their constants in an endless cycle of exploitation.Squid GameandThe 8 Showcontinuing stories show that no matter how much money they earn,the contestants will always be at the mercy of those with more powerwith strikingly similar commentaries on capitalism in the real world.
