Gen Z Horror Craze Sweeps Korea

The Netflix series "The 8 Show" is continuing the horror craze centered around Gen Z. The recently released film "​The Plot" has been a box office hit, topping the charts for two consecutive weeks. "​The Plot," set in a real-life infamous online horror spot, captivated Gen Z's taste for fresh entertainment with its non-stop dopamine-stimulating direction. It received overwhelming support, with the proportion of viewers in their 20s nearing 40%.

The Netflix series "The 8 Show," set to be released on the 24th, tells the story of high school students who are given 24 hours to live due to a curse from a smartphone app called "The 8 Show" that grants wishes. The series combines the emotions experienced during school years—friendship, love, envy, and jealousy—as the source of horror, with the everyday element of a smartphone app, delivering realistic terror. Director Park Yoon-seo, who served as assistant director for "​Kingdom 2" and co-directed "​Moving," makes his main directorial debut with "​The 8 Show."

At a press conference, Director Park Yoon-seo stated, "Although the story begins with an unrealistic situation due to the nature of the horror genre, I focused on making it as close to reality as possible to enhance immersion." He added, "You'll be able to watch without getting bored as it blends various genre elements like occult, action, and school drama, not just traditional horror." "The 8 Show" features a large cast of rookie actors, including Jeon So-young, Kang Mina, Baek Sun-ho, Hyun Woo-seok, and Lee Hyo-je, reflecting Netflix's trend of serving as a launchpad for new talent, as seen with "​All of Us Are Dead" and "​Sweet Home." Director Park expressed his gratitude to Netflix for readily agreeing to cast new actors and hoped that the series' success would lead to subsequent seasons and the continuous discovery of talented newcomers.

When asked if Korean-style horror would resonate with global audiences, Director Park replied, "Rather than considering global viewers, I tried to showcase more of what is uniquely Korean. I thought that aspect would be perceived as fresh." He continued, "We've adopted a new approach by mixing traditional horror with Korean occult. The eight-episode narrative is packed, so I hope you enjoy it until the end."

Meanwhile, the film "The Plot" has brought a new wave to cinemas, surpassing one million viewers in just 10 days since its release. This not only quickly surpassed its break-even point but also marks the fastest pace for a horror film since the hit "​Metamorphosis" in 2019. "​The Plot" overwhelmed audiences by showcasing the essence of "​physical horror," focusing on visual and auditory stimulation rather than complex psychological warfare. Director Lee Sang-min added realism by rendering the distorted textures of road views, reminiscent of actual events, on screen. Lead actor Lee Jong-won praised the direction utilizing 360-degree cameras and ScreenX, saying, "I felt like there was no escape."