In the scripted drama The 8 Show, eight strangers in dire straits are taken to a mysterious building and locked inside. There, they’re forced to become contestants on a show where time quite literally equals money … but at what cost? And what happens when the playing field is unequal from the start?

Based on webtoons by Bae Jin-soo, the K-drama The 8 Show is a slow-burn series that reveals just how vulnerable humans are to the darkest sides of a hyper-capitalist society. Directed and written by Han Jae-rim (The Face Reader, The King, Emergency Declaration), the series stars Baeksang Arts Awards winners Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, and Park Jeong-min. 

When will The 8 Show be released?

Stream it now.

Where can I find the trailer for The 8 Show?

Check it out at the top of this page. 

Chun Woo-hee in The 8 Show

Lee Jae-hyuk

Who’s in the cast of The 8 Show?

• Ryu Jun-yeol (The Night Owl, The King) as Bae Jin-su/Third Floor, a former convenience store worker
• Park Jeong-min (Time to Hunt, Deliver Us From Evil) as Seventh Floor
• Lee Zoo-young (Believer 2) as Second Floor
• Chun Woo-hee (Unlocked, The Wailing) as Eighth Floor
• Park Hae-joon (12.12: The Day) as Sixth Floor
• Bae Seong-woo (The Swindlers, The King) as First Floor
• Lee Yul-eum (Nevertheless) as Fourth Floor
• Moon Jeong-hee (The Limit) as Fifth Floor

Lee Yul-eum, Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Lee Zoo-young, Bae Seong-woo, Moon Jeong-hee, Park Hae-joon, and Park Jeong-min in The 8 Show

Lee Jae-hyuk

What happens in The 8 Show?

Eight down-on-their-luck strangers find themselves locked in a building where the longer they stay, the more money they make. While a massive countdown clock ticks, the contestants are tasked with earning as much money as possible. The catch? To stay longer, they have to increase the time on the clock. But to do so, they have to figure out all the hidden rules of the game — before time runs out. 

The show isn’t too concerned with giving the contestants an equal shot at banking money, either, which makes everyone increasingly frustrated. The show’s main concern is seemingly to create social disparities among them, then watch how they deal with it all under increasing pressure — for entertainment. 

So it’s no wonder they start to turn on each other … and no surprise that one of the show’s rules dictates that if anyone dies (or is murdered) everyone loses the big bucks. 

Is The 8 Show based on a book?

Yes. The 8 Show is based on the Naver webtoons Money Game and its sequel, Pie Game, written by Bae Jin-soo. 

Lee Zoo-young in The 8 Show

Lee Jae-hyuk

Where does The 8 Show take place?

The show takes place in an undisclosed building somewhere in Seoul. 

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