'The 8 Show' Season 2: Everything We Know

The Netflix K-drama The 8 Show is the latest can't-miss series riding on the recent wave of brutal survivalist stories about what happens when human nature is pushed to sadistic extremes. Based on the webtoons Money Game and Pie Game by Bae Jin-soo, the series follows eight people participating in a live-streamed show where they earn money by the minute. Fortunes can be made, but to keep the show going, the strangers must work together to entertain the mysterious figures watching—by any means necessary. Things quickly go south as the show reaches one violent extreme after another and the unnamed competitors turn against each other.

Since its May 17 release, The 8 Show has found a global fan base, and it's safe to say they're wondering whether the series will return and resolve many of its unanswered questions. Read on to see what we know about a possible season 2, set to follow the shocking ending of season 1.

What happens at the end of 'The 8 Show' season 1?

Once the disturbing show ends, it's revealed that the eight participants managed to keep it going for over two months and that society carried on without even noticing they were gone. The protagonist, 3rd Floor (Ryu Jun-yeol), returned to his life over 1.5 billion won (about $1.1 million) richer but struggled to readjust to the world. Eventually, he reunited with some participants to hold a funeral for 1st Floor (Bae Sung-woo), and Floors 2 (Lee Joo-young), 4 (Yul-Eum Lee), and 5 (Moon Jeong-Hee) show up. As for the other former players, Floor 6 (Park Hae-joon) sends flowers and Floor 8 (Chun Woo-hee) is in prison, arguably where she belongs, given all of the atrocities left in her wake.

After the funeral, the group parts and seemingly never sees each other again.

Though there's no cliffhanger, The 8 Show does end on a very meta mid-credits scene, where 7th Floor (Park Jeong-min), who works as a screenwriter, pitches a script based on the horrifying ordeal to a financier. There's an eerie moment where the TV executive pretends he has also gone through the show and walked away with a fortune, though he eventually admits that he's joking and laughs it off. After a resigned 7th Floor lies and assures that it's fiction, the money guy gives his full support and concludes the series with a toast and a fun line, "Who knows? There might even be a season 2."

The line could be a subtle dig at today's streaming model—or it could be a hit at The 8 Show director Han Jae-rim's hopes. Why not both?

Has 'The 8 Show' been renewed for season 2?

Netflix has not indicated whether The 8 Show will return, but it often takes several months to decide whether to renew even its biggest hits. (It even took four months for the announcement of Squid Game season 2 to arrive.) On the ratings front, things look promising: The 8 Show was Netflix's biggest non-English TV series in the first full week after its May 17 premiere, with over 33 million hours viewed just a week and a half since the episodes dropped. It has also reached the Top 10 in 68 countries (including No. 1 in its native South Korea).

What would 'The 8 Show' season 2 be about?

Season 1 of The 8 Show ends with so many unanswered questions. There is never any hint regarding who created the show, nor is it clear who was watching or what the show's history is. We also barely learn information about each players' identity—just enough to understand why they joined the show and how they eventually parted ways. This leaves season 2 with tons of possible ground to cover, and as there's no cliffhanger like the thriller's predecessor Squid Game, it could easily continue with an entirely new cast.

However, there is a hint of where a future season could go. Since the release of the source material, Money Game and Pie Game, author Bae Jin-soo has released a third story, Funny Game. It's currently released on the comic platform Naver Webtoon in South Korea.

According to a Korean-to-English translation, the synopsis describes the webtoon as focusing on a "protagonist, who experienced failure in Money Game and Pie Game, [as he] trains his body and strengthens his mind to win the final Funny Game. The protagonist, who confirms that he is the only one with game experience among all the participants, decides to become a devil in order to win."

If The 8 Show takes inspiration from the third webtoon for a possible season 2, viewers could follow 3rd Floor once again, as he discovers a chance to re-enter the show—perhaps after blowing most of his prize money—and going through the ordeal with a new set of participants, and maybe even new rules.

We can also hope season 2 shines a light on who's controlling the peculiar, vicious show from the shadows.