The 8 Show selects individuals facing financial hardship from diverse backgrounds and offers them a chance to win money, ultimately providing them with the means to transform their lives.
The 8 Show, although similar, sets itself apart from Squid Game by keeping the identities of its players unknown. However, as the K-drama progresses, glimpses into their true identities are revealed, including their occupations, reasons for their debt, and even a few names.
From the beginning, they are identified according to the floor they reside on: 1F, 2F, 3F, 4F, 5F, 6F, 7F, and 8F. It is evident that each player possesses distinct traits that reveal information about them; for instance, 8F displays a sense of superiority and a preference for lavish items, while 1F appears to be more desperate.
The 8 Show heavily relies on viewers becoming invested in the characters, making their stories crucial. Caution: spoilers to come!
Player 1F
Player 1F, a member of a traveling circus, is a clown with a bad leg. He decided to join The 8 Show in order to earn money for his daughter’s medical expenses and support his wife.
In the last episode, the audience learns about 1F’s story. He works as a clown for the Elephant Circus and his daughter is suffering from a rare and unspecified illness. Unable to afford the hospital expenses, they are forced to discharge her and send her back home. With no other options, 1F is left with no choice but to send his wife and daughter home.
In the scenes, 1F is seen attempting to walk into traffic. It is later revealed that he had asked for a favor from his circus friends, one of whom had a life insurance policy. The individual in question is No Sang-guk, and just as he is about to be struck by a vehicle, he is interrupted by a notification on his phone to join The 8 Show.
Unfortunately, 1F’s character meets a tragic end in the show when he is burned alive. After The 8 Show, 3F discovers that his wife and daughter had believed 1F was away on a business trip. Furthermore, 3F learns that 7F had generously provided enough money for the wife and daughter to live comfortably.
Player 2F
Although 2F’s background is not fully explained, the K-drama reveals that she joined The 8 Show in order to financially support someone’s surgery.
It can be inferred that 2F has a background in combat, as evidenced by her dedication to staying fit in her room and her ability to defeat 6F in a fight. The 8 Show also suggests that she may have previously worked as a delivery person or in a low-level position at a company.
The scenes depict 2F and her coworkers discussing a situation where a man was compelled to work additional shifts instead of the company hiring extra assistance. As a result, he fell asleep on the job, got into an accident, and now requires surgery. However, since he has no means to pay for the procedure, 2F encourages her colleagues to proceed with the operation while assuring them that she will find a way to raise the necessary funds.
Player 3F
Player 3F has been avoiding loan sharks after losing all of his money in a con game.
After witnessing 3F attempting to flee from aggressive loan sharks demanding repayment, it is discovered that his true identity is Bae Jin-su. He explains that he had placed his faith in an individual to invest his funds and ultimately lead him to riches. Believing in this person, he resorted to borrowing from loan sharks and emptied all of his savings to hand over to them.
Despite being swindled, he was left with nothing. Consequently, Jin-su now holds a job at a convenience store and takes on odd jobs in an attempt to repay his debt.
Player 4F
The K-drama only reveals that Player 4F had a dream of becoming a K-Pop idol but ended up working a low-paying job at a department store.
The K-drama exposes that she is employed at the parking garage of a department store when a white Mercedes illegally parks in a designated No Parking area. Despite 1F’s attempts to intervene, they mock her. It is then revealed that 4F recognizes her from their time together in school and recalls how she used to boast about becoming a K-Pop star someday.
Player 5F
Player 5F is the wife of a wealthy dermatologist and a nurse who sought comfort in the arms of a man who deceived her to deal with her husband’s unfaithfulness.
When 5F is introduced in The 8 Show, she exudes an aura of opulence. Not only is she donning a luxurious cashmere coat, but she also carries a Birkin bag. In Episode 8, it is uncovered that she is married to a wealthy dermatologist who consistently cheated on her. As a result, 5F would often visit a club, where she encountered a charming man.
Despite his kindness, she gave him all of her and her husband’s money, as well as her husband’s building and house. As a result of her actions, her husband sued her and she was left with nothing.
“Additional minor details, such as her knowledge of seizures and the process of performing a castration in a sterile environment, serve as evidence of her past career as a nurse.”
Player 6F
Once a renowned baseball player, Player 6F’s downfall led him to become a car salesman who is constantly belittled by his boss.
The 8 Show portrays a glimpse into the life of 6F as he sits outside a small shop. A married couple approaches him and requests his autograph, with the husband reminiscing about how 6F was once known as the king of stealing bases.
Despite being criticized by his boss for losing a sale while signing an autograph, 6F eventually confesses that he was kicked off the team for gambling. In a fit of anger, 6F ends up defeating his boss.
Player 7F
According to a meeting with his boss, Player 7F had experience as either a producer or writer prior to joining The 8 Show.
In the eighth episode, a 7F who is dressed elegantly is seen having a meeting with a colleague and possibly their superior. The man informs 7F that individuals are willing to do anything for moments of enjoyment. However, he remarks that what 7F has provided is not entertaining enough, and he used to hold a high position.
The man received a manuscript titled Downfall from 7F, although it remains uncertain whether it is intended to be a book, a concept for a series, or a movie. However, it is evident that the manuscript is quite dull. Additionally, we discover that 7F’s last name is Yu.
In the epilogue, it is disclosed that 7F transformed his encounter with The 8 Show into a valuable tale.
Player 8F
Player 8F is Song Se-ra, a once-successful artist who has been shunned by the community.
Upon first encounter, 8F appears to be an eccentric and playful individual with a disregard for societal norms and human life. However, it is later revealed that she is a performance artist who, after being rejected by numerous galleries, took on debt to organize her own shows.
In the final episode of the K-drama, an online news article revealed 8F’s identity. It was revealed that she had used a bulldozer to destroy a well-known art gallery and had left a sign that read, “This is not art.”As a result of her actions, Song was arrested and had to use her entire prize money to repair the damages to the gallery.
The 8 Show can be streamed on Netflix, providing the opportunity to catch up on the highly anticipated K-dramas of 2024. Additionally, viewers can find information on the second season of Squid Game and other new TV shows available for streaming.
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