8 Biggest Similarities Between The 8 Show & Squid Game

May 22, 2024, 3:50 p.m.

Movies

8 Biggest Similarities Between The 8 Show & Squid Game

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Summary Both Squid Game & The 8 Show explore survival with big prizes, using violence to highlight social criticisms in a game-like setting.

Uniforms & numbers strip contestants' identities in both shows, showcasing economic disparities & playful childhood influences.

Squid Game & The 8 Show critique capitalism & class disparity through games that exploit contestants for entertainment value.

This article contains spoilers for The 8 Show.

There are multiple, undeniable similarities between Squid Game and The 8 Show. Even before it was released on Netflix, The 8 Show was immediately compared to Squid Game thanks to their similar theming and format. Though The 8 Show is far from the first show to be compared to the Netflix hit, with Paramount+’s Pyramid Game also being dubbed the next Squid Game, the two shows' similarities showcase the best of Netflix’s best K-drama genre.

Despite being similar, The 8 Show and Squid Game are not copies of each other. The 8 Show is a web-toon-based K-drama inspired by Bae Jin-su’s Money Game and Pie Game, which were released on Naver in 2018 and 2020. Squid Game, on the other hand, is a Netflix original created by Hwang Dong-hyuk that was first released on Netflix in 2021. However, the similarities between the two shows further strengthen the social criticisms they both make and solidifies The 8 Show as Squid Game’s perfect replacement.

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8 Squid Game & The 8 Show Are Both Survival Shows

They Both Have Big Prizes, Too

One of the biggest similarities between Squid Game and The 8 Show is that they are both survival shows. However, the way contestants have to survive is very different. In Squid Game, the last person standing is the sole winner while every other contestant is killed so they can claim their prize, which is a fixed amount of 45.6 billion won.

Alternatively, every contestant in The 8 Show's cast is a winner, but the longer they survive, the more money they can earn. However, the rules of The 8 Show and the floor that the contestants choose before entering the show dictate how much prize money they can walk away with. For example, the hardworking contestant "1" earns 10,000 won per minute while 8 earns 340,000 won, putting lower floors at an economic disadvantage. Plus, if the contestants buy anything or break a rule, it is deducted from their overall prize pot.

Squid Game Cast Wi Ha-joon , Anupam Tripathi , Oh Yeong-su , Heo Sung-tae , Park Hae-soo , Jung Ho-yeon , Lee Jung-jae , Kim Joo-ryoung Release Date September 17, 2021 Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Netflix

7 Contestants in Squid Game & The 8 Show Have Uniforms & Numbers

They Strip Contestants of Their Identities

Both Squid Game and The 8 Show put all their players on the same playing field by giving them a uniform and erasing their identities from the outside world. Squid Game’s green uniforms have become synonymous with the K-drama thriller, and its green color juxtaposes the contestants’ gruesome fates. Similarly, The 8 Show provides contestants with white outfits with suits drawn on them. Each character’s uniform is slightly different, with 1 having a bow tie and 5 having a scarf drawn on hers, yet it acts as a crude reminder of the reality of the show they are in.

Though contestants in The 8 Show have uniforms, they can purchase new clothes with time or money. 8 does this in episode 2, symbolizing her wealth compared to the others. 4 is the only other character who wears something other than her uniform, but does so gradually throughout The 8 Show, acting as a shadow to 8.

Along with this, the numbers used in Squid Game and The 8 Show serve significant purposes. In Squid Game, they are for easy identification among an array of contestants, and further strip them of their names and identity in this cruel game. On the other hand, The 8 Show’s contestants choose to hide their identities and refer to each other only by their numbers. However, their numbers also represent their respective floors, and therefore, act as a constant reminder that The 8 Show is not equal for all contestants.

The 8 Show (2024) "The 8 Show" is an upcoming South Korean thriller and dark comedy television series set to release on Netflix in 2024. Written and directed by Han Jae-rim, the series stars Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Park Jeong-min, and other notable actors. It is based on the popular Naver webtoons "Money Game" and "Pie Game" by Bae Jin-soo. Cast Anzu Lawson , Rich Ting , Ryu Jun-yeol , Chun Woo-hee , Min-Jung Park , Park Hae-joon , Bae Sung-woo , Moon Jeong-hee Release Date May 17, 2024 Seasons 1

6 The Sets of Squid Game & The 8 Show Are Inspired By Childhood

Both Shows Encourage The Contestants To Play Like Children

The main premise of Squid Game is to recreate Oh Il-nam’s (albeit twisted) desire to return to childhood, so each of Squid Game's games recreates a different place where children are most likely to play to invoke a sense of nostalgia. For example, the second task takes place in a playground while the marbles task takes place in a recreation of a Korean neighborhood. These sets are not used for the actual games, but instead attempt to bring the contestants back to their youth.

The square of The 8 Show also uses playground equipment and fake sets to invoke a childish sense of play from the contestants. The whole point of The 8 Show is to provide entertainment for the elusive hosts, so they are provided with everything children would need to entertain themselves, i.e. slides and fake stores. The hope was that the contestants would use them as tools in their performances, however, they only served as a source of entertainment for the free-spirited “8” who regularly enjoyed playing on the equipment in her quest for fun.

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5 Stairs Are More Than Just Stairs in Squid Game & The 8 Show

They Both Hold Very Significant Meanings

The stairs towards the arena of Squid Game are a prominent feature of the show. Inspired by the Dutch artist M.C. Escher’s Relativity, Squid Game’s staircases disorientate its contestants and add a sense of unease to the game as the seemingly endless stairs lead them to their deaths. The striking colors further juxtapose the gravity of the situation, as they represent the bright colors often associated with children’s playhouses.

Squid Game is one of many film and TV shows that pay homage to M.C. Escher's Relativity. Some of the most notable examples include Jim Henson's Labyrinth (1986), the Harry Potter (2001) series, and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

The use of stairs in The 8 Show is very literal. Initially, the contestants believe that climbing the stairs is a means to earn time and money, yet their theory is quickly disproven after a few days of climbing where they earn less and less time. In reality, the stairs are a means to separate the contestants while also showing a physical representation of who are the richest and most powerful contestants, and who exist at the bottom of the social ladder.

4 Violence Is A Big Part Of Squid Game & The 8 Show

The More Violent The Contestants Are, The Longer They Can Survive

Though the games in Squid Game are inspired by games played by children, Squid Game’s violent twist on these games makes Squid Game a cruel bloodbath. Games that were once a source of fun for the contestants in their youth soon become a matter of life and death, where violence towards the other contestants ensures survival. Even outside the main arena, violent acts by Squid Game's cast go without punishment, and instead take the contestants one step closer to winning the jackpot.

Meanwhile, in The 8 Show, violence isn’t a necessary part of the game. However, contestants jump to an aggresive conclusion when they realize that hurting their fellow contestants in cruel games adds to their total time and means they can continue the game and earn money. This results in more violent acts as The 8 Show progresses in a twisted attempt to appease the unknown hosts and continue the game for as long as possible.

3 All Contestants in Squid Game & The 8 Show Are In Debt

The Characters Need To Have Nothing Left To Lose To Compete

Money is the driving force behind The 8 Show and Squid Game. The massive jackpots that these insane games offer seem almost surreal and draw in those in desperate need of money as they have nothing else to lose. The leading characters of The 8 Show and Squid Game are no different.

Squid Game’s Seong Gi-hun is a former gambling addict whose debts to loan sharks have crippled his finances. Meanwhile, The 8 Show’s 3, who in the real world is known as Bae Jin-su, works odd jobs but cannot make ends meet, meaning that he also owes a lot of people a lot of money. Both characters' desire for survival trumps their need for money the further their respective games continue, and even though they both receive life-changing amounts of money, they cannot use it due to the trauma they faced in Squid Game and The 8 Show.

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2 Squid Game & The 8 Show Were Created For Entertainment

Entertainment Has No Limits in Squid Game & The 8 Show

Squid Game and The 8 Show are both very aptly named as they both encompass the key form of entertainment that functions as the core of each show. For example, The 8 Show is a reality show that features eight people living together for an infinite amount of time. Meanwhile, Squid Game is a game that reflects games played throughout childhood, such as the titular squid game. However, each show exploits its contestants to entertain an outside audience.

When turned on its side, an 8 can look like an infinity symbol. This is why the number 8 is so heavily prevalent in The 8 Show, as the eight contestants' game has infinite potential.

The audience of The 8 Show is never revealed, but they play an active part in how the show works. They reward the eight contestants with time. However, the amount of time they receive depends on how entertained they are. There is no limit as to what is considered entertainment, with everything from climbing the stairs to sexual escapades being rewarded. Similarly, Squid Game is the creation of Oh Il-nam who wishes to relive his youth. The show is broadcast for a high-paying audience, who, just like in The 8 Show, feed off the contestants' pain for pleasure.

They Both Criticize Capitalism & Class Disparity

At their core, Squid Game and The 8 Show are stark criticisms of the effects of capitalism and class disparity and they both demonstrate that by exploiting their contestants. Squid Game lures contestants in with the promise of money that could change their lives before trapping them in a game of death that they cannot escape from unless they are the sole winner, all while they are watched by the uber-rich as if the game is a sport.

The 8 Show’s approach is very similar. Like Squid Game, contestants are lured in by a show where only time is required to make an infinite amount of money. However, the lower-floor contestants are made to bear the brunt of the work by the upper floors as they earn more than them. The infinite possibilities of the game also mean that even if one person wishes to stay, the game will continue forever, no matter what the other contestants think.

With Seong Gi-hun being invited back to the game in Squid Game season 2, and The 8 Show’s ending hinting that the show is far from over, both shows trap their constants in an endless cycle of exploitation. Squid Game and The 8 Show continuing stories show that no matter how much money they earn, the contestants will always be at the mercy of those with more power with strikingly similar commentaries on capitalism in the real world.