The 8 Show Review

                                             

I'm not sure were to begin with my review. I guess I'll start with the premise. The Netflix series, "The 8 Show" is described as a Korean survival drama. Similar to "Squid Game", it follows eight individuals in serious debt agreeing to participate in a reality competition show. These people are not only in great debt but, as the series goes on, you learn that they are all either unhinged or suicidal. The goal is to win a life-changing amount of money. The total cash prize is not disclosed. The participants are paid to live in a strange apartment complex until the show ends.

The eight contestants enter the auditorium separately and select a number one through eight. The number is immediately shown to correspond with the floor that the individual will live on. The focal character, 3rd Floor played by Ryu Jun-yeol, learns that the players earn money by the minute and can buy anything they want via an intercom.  The catch is, that everything comes at an inflated rate of one thousand times the retail rate. 

The players are confined to their rooms from midnight to eight in the morning. During the day, they can hang out together in the courtyard containing fake markets, a fake pool and fake food items. The only thing that is real is a large clock counting down.  We soon learn that when the clock reaches zero, the game is over. How do they accrue more time? Votes from spectators of the show. 

They soon learn that each floor accrues funds according to the floor they reside on. The 8th floor is the penthouse, which accrues at an obscenely high rate approximately  $340,000 per minute. The 1st floor accrued at only $10,000 per minute.  

I know what you're thinking, that's amazing either way.  Nay, nay... remember earlier, I told you that everything you purchase is 1000 times the retail rate? Wait for it... the apartments are small and empty. No toilet, no kitchen, no basic necessities. You need a toilet? It's $10,000,000. Need toilet paper? That will be $20,000. ( I can't recall the actual amount but you get the gist.) So, if you've been there for two hours and only made $20,000, you're sugar honey ice tea out of luck.  

It only takes a short time before tension arises between the upper and lower floors. Eventually, the 8th Floor takes charge with the other Floors, 4th through 7th assisting. The upper-class floors make the lower-level floors entertain the viewers.  At some point, they realize that they can inflection harm in the form of torture to get the most time to make more money. 

Lower-level floors work together to overthrow the tyrannical reign of the upper floors. Unfortunately, it doesn't go as planned.  The entire series keeps you glued to the screen.  I loved how they showed how money and power can corrupt people.  Very reflective of real-world issues. 

This series was highly entertaining. Was it good? Meh! But, it was a creative, and chaotic mix of reality shows "Big Brother" and "Survivor" with a dash of the movie " "Hostel".

I give this series a 3 out of 5 acorns. It was bingeable.