“The 8 Show” Director Han Jae-rim, “I Tried Something Different, Not Influenced By ‘Squid Game’”

On May 22nd, at a cafe located in Samcheong-ro, Jongno-ro, Seoul, director Han Jae-rim shared insights on a variety of topics during an interview for Netflix’s original series “The 8 Show.”

“The 8 Show”is a Netflix original series that follows the stories of eight individuals who find themselves trapped in a hidden space, consisting of eight floors. In order to earn money, they must participate in a perilous game where time is the currency. This marks the directorial debut on Netflix for Han Jae-rim, known for his successful and critically acclaimed films such as “The Face Reader”and “The King”.

In the process of adapting Bae Jin-soo’s Naver webtoons “Money Game” and “Pie Game” , Director Han Jae-rim decided to use the theme of “Money Game” to create a new story. When asked about his decision to change the title, the director explained, “I wanted to avoid the connotation of a survival genre. The characters in this story are not fighting for survival, they are competing for entertainment. That’s why I chose to use the word ‘Show’ rather than ‘Game’ in the title, as it accurately reflects the characters’ motivations to entertain the organizers.”

He persisted, “As there are 8 episodes and 8 characters, and their time is the currency, I considered renaming the show to ‘The 8 Show’ to symbolize the human yearning for boundless time. The original author was hesitant to modify the title, but I am grateful that he ultimately comprehended my reasoning.”

After the release of “The 8 Show,”some individuals drew comparisons to the popular series “Squid Game.”In response, director Han explained, “I had already begun working on this project prior to the release of ‘Squid Game.’ When it gained immense success, I even considered abandoning my project. While I enjoyed watching ‘Squid Game,’ I never anticipated its level of success. At the time, the survival genre was limited to only “Money Game,”and I was intrigued by the rules of the “Pie Game.”This inspired me to create a story where no one would meet their demise.”

The director clarified that his inspiration for ‘The 8 Show’ did not come from ‘Squid Game’. He aimed to create something unique. According to reviews, those who anticipated a similar experience to ‘Squid Game’ did not find ‘The 8 Show’ captivating. However, many viewers appreciated the series for its divergence from ‘Squid Game’. While the survival genre often includes death, betrayal, and complex characters, ‘The 8 Show’ is not a survival series. Instead, it is a drama that offers a reflection of society.

The director emphasized the distinctions between “The 8 Show”and “Squid Game”, explaining that in “Squid Game”, the organizers were portrayed as villains which allowed the audience to watch the show without feeling guilty. Despite the numerous deaths depicted in the drama, viewers did not feel any remorse. In contrast, in our drama, the organizer represents the audience, so even the smallest amount of cruelty could evoke intense emotions. As a result, we were extremely cautious in creating such scenes.

He emphasized the importance of preventing the viewers from deriving pleasure by continuously addressing ethical concerns and avoiding sensationalism. The creators of this work carefully consider the level of entertainment they provide for the audience, and the piece is rich with metaphors that reflect the concerns of those involved in producing mass media.