The 8 Show is a highly gripping dystopian K-drama that premiered on May 17, 2024, on Netflix. The dark comedy thriller series stars Ryu Jun-Yeol, Chun Woo-Hee, Bae Sung-Woo, Park Jeong-Min, Lee Yul-Eum, Moon Jeong-Hee, Lee Joo-Young and Park Hae-Joon. It depicts the story of a group of eight individuals. The story unfolds when they get the invitation to play a fascinating game to win a massive amount of money.
However, as The 8 Show progresses, the characters soon find themselves victims of a social disparity, where the system feels unfair and unjust. The game soon creates mayhem. The K-drama industry has produced several other notable dramas that share similarities with the new Netflix series. The list includes Pyramid Game, Squid Game, Night Has Come, and more.
Squid Game
Squid Game is undoubtedly one of the most globally popular K-dramas of all time. It debuted on Netflix on September 17, 2021. Similar to The 8 Show, the series revolves around a group of people invited to play a game to earn a huge amount of money. However, in Squid Game, the danger and difficulty levels are much higher than those of The 8 Show.
But both the Netflix K-dramas showcase a realistic portrayal of social disparity, making them even more arresting. Viewers can watch Squid Game on Netflix.
Night Has Come
Night Has Come is another riveting dystopian horror thriller K-drama that shares similarities with Netflix’s The 8 Show. It first aired on U+mobiletv on December 4, 2023. It centers around a group of high school teenagers who get stuck inside a building while on a field trip. They lose all connection to the real world and are forced to play a deadly real-life mafia game.
Soon, one by one, the students succumb to their terrifying deaths due to the nature of the game. The series also displays how people can become ruthless and violent when the social structure is no more. The audience can watch the K-drama on Viki and Viu.
Pyramid Game
Set in a high school, Pyramid Game brings out both the ruthlessness and helplessness of human beings when there is the presence of a powerful bully. It is similar to The 8 Show in the way that it also revolves around a menacing game called the “pyramid game”. Premiered on February 29, 2024, on TVING, the K-drama showcases the unjust social structure through the game itself.
It stars Bona, Ryu Da-In, Jang Da-Ah, Kang Na-Eon, and Shin Seul-Ki, among others. Viewers can stream the series on TVING.
Nightmare Teacher
Nightmare Teacher is another dystopian horror series that shares similarities with The 8 Show. It first aired on March 14, 2016, on Naver TV. Directed by Hyun Moon-Sub, the K-drama chronicles the story of a group of high school students who become the victims of a mysterious figure in the form of their new homeroom teacher, Han Bong-Gu (Uhm Ki-Joon).
After the mysterious teacher arrives at the school, the students begin to get stuck in a dangerous, illusory world. The thriller K-drama can be watched on Viki.
Black Knight
Starring Kim Woo-Bin, Black Knight is a highly thriller survival Korean drama. It debuted on May 12, 2023, on Netflix. Set in a dystopian future, it depicts the fascinating story of a group of elite delivery drivers who are far from any ordinary delivery drivers as humanity depends on them.
Black Knight brings up the topic of class struggle to the surface, similar to the new Netflix series, The 8 Show. Viewers can stream the K-drama on Netflix.
Other dystopian thriller K-dramas like The 8 Show include All of Us Are Dead, Duty After School, Kingdom, Sweet Home, and more.
