Netflix high-stakes survival show built on betrayal and deception leaves contestants to face public backlash alone
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Contestants of "Devil’s Plan: Death Room." From left, 7high, Choi Hyun-joon, and Jeong Hyun-gyu /Courtesy of Netflix |
Netflix’s survival game reality show “The Devil’s Plan: Death Room” ended its season under fire, as harsh backlash against the winner sparked broader debate over the show’s format. Fourteen contestants, including legendary Go player Lee Se-dol and professionals from various fields, competed in a weeklong battle of wits for a substantial cash prize.
Among the contestants, the 27-year-old winner Jeong Hyun-gyu became the main target of criticism. In a May 27 interview, he apologized, saying, “I caused harm to the program and viewers,” and announced plans to donate his prize money. The high-stakes game show was designed from the start to push contestants to set aside morality and do whatever it takes to win. While shows that highlight the darker side of human nature through lies and betrayal have become popular, only the cast are facing sharp public backlash, raising concerns.
Most negative comments during the show’s run targeted Jeong and his allies—singer Kyu-hyun and actress Yoon So-hui. Jeong, who gained popularity as a heartthrob on the dating reality show “EXchange 2,” quickly earned labels like “rude” and “coward.” He came under fire after mocking a fellow player who majored in mathematics by saying, “Do you even know how to do basic math?” and seeing all his allies eliminated, which fueled moral outrage.
Kyu-hyun and Yoon also faced personal attacks, accused of “lacking the will to win” and “letting emotions cloud their judgment” by supporting Jeong.
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Yoon So-hui criticized for “yielding the win” on The Devil's Plan: Death Room /Courtesy of Netflix |
However, some critics argue that contestants are being left to bear the brunt of the criticism alone, while platforms like Netflix have done little to protect them. “The Devil’s Plan” was designed to test how far contestants would go to set aside morality and righteousness in pursuit of victory. A notice at the beginning of the program even states, “Even if your win is stained by ugly lies and betrayal, we will applaud you and reward you with prize money.”
The show’s producer Jeong Jong-yeon told reporters on May 27, “All of the actions took place within the framework I designed, so I hope viewers will be understanding.” While he acknowledged there’s no way to prevent hateful comments, he added, “If any legal issues arise, we’ll offer as much support as possible.”
This is not the first time a show has created a cutthroat environment of betrayal and alliance-building for a large cash prize. Last year, Netflix’s “The Influencer,” another survival-based reality show, drew similar criticism for its manipulative tactics and portrayal of a dark, hyper-competitive social dynamic.
Pop culture critic Kim Hern-sik noted, “These formats that expose the darker sides of human nature originated in the West, but they’re now being replicated in Korea. Without careful adaptation, they could cause greater harm—especially in Korea’s tightly connected and densely networked society.”
While program diversity is important, voices are growing louder that OTT platforms need to be more mindful of their social impact. A broadcast industry insider commented, “TV programs go through multiple layers of internal review before airing. OTT platforms, in comparison, seem to enjoy much more freedom despite their broader reach.”
About The Devil’s Plan: Death Room
Fourteen contestants including lawyers, poker players, doctors, and actors live together for seven days playing various brain games. Lies, alliances, and betrayal are all allowed. The winner receives 380 million won.
[Kim Min-jeong]
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