Pyramid Game (TV series)

Pyramid Game (Korean: 피라미드 게임) is a 2024 South Korean psychological thriller survival mystery television series created by Lee Jae-kyoo, written by Choi Soo-i, directed by Park So-yeon, and starring Kim Ji-yeon, Jang Da-ah, Ryu Da-in, Shin Seul-ki, and Kang Na-eon. Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Dalgonyak, it tells the story of an all-girls high school where popularity polls are used to rank students in class, and the differential treatment leads to school violence. It was released on TVING from February 29 to March 21, 2024, every Thursday at 12:00 (KST). It is also available for streaming on Viu and Paramount+ in selected regions.

Pyramid Game
Promotional poster
Hangul	피라미드 게임
Revised Romanization	Piramideu geim
McCune–Reischauer	P'iramidŭ keim
Genre	Psychological thriller[1] Survival[1] Mystery[2]
Created by	Lee Jae-kyoo
Based on	Pyramid Game by Dalgonyak
Written by	Choi Soo-i
Directed by	Park So-yeon
Starring	Kim Ji-yeon Jang Da-ah Ryu Da-in Shin Seul-ki Kang Na-eon
Music by	GroovyRoom[3]
Country of origin	South Korea
Original language	Korean
No. of episodes	10
Production
Running time	49–64 minutes
Production companies	Film Monster CJ ENM Studios
Original release
Network	TVING
Release	February 29 (2024-02-29) – March 21, 2024 (2024-03-21)

Synopsis

The series follows transfer student Seong Soo-ji, who falls to the bottom of the class and becomes the subject of bullying and violence. In an effort to finally put an end to Pyramid Game, Soo-ji attempted to climb the social ladder out of desperation to save herself.^[4]

Cast and characters

Main

• Kim Ji-yeon as Seong Su-ji^[5]

A transfer student in class 2–5 of Baekyeon Girls' High School. She has good social skills and a straightforward personality then gets entangled in a pyramid game and becomes a victim of school violence, but she leads a rebellion in the midst of it.

• Jang Da-ah as Baek Ha-rin^[6] / Yang So-eun

A princess of class 2–5 of Baekyeon Girls' High School. She is always loved for her gentle and dignified demeanor, but has a cleverness behind it.

• Ryu Da-in as Myeong Ja-eun^[7]

A unique Baekyeon Girls' High School student of class 2–5 who is always timid but affectionate towards people and shines brighter in a crowd than she does alone.

• Shin Seul-ki as Seo Do-ah^[8]

The class president of class 2–5 and the top student of Baekyeon Girls' High School.

• Kang Na-eon as Im Ye-rim^[9]

An idol trainee of Baekyeon Girls' High School who is easygoing unlike her relaxed family and glamorous daily life.

Supporting

• Jeong Ha-dam as Go Eun-byeol^[10]
• Ha Yul-ri as Bang Woo-i^[11]

A cute bragging student of class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School who is proud and pretentious, but also sociable and cute, making her impossible to hate. She longs and looks up to Ha-rin.

• Hwang Hyun-jung as Kim Da-yeon^[12]

The youngest daughter of a chaebol family.

• Lee Joo-yeon as Shim Eun-jung^[13]

A promising national swimming team member from class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School. With an aloof and cool impression, she is a quiet, blunt, and stubborn. And only interested to Ye-rim.

• Oh Se-eun as Song Jae-hyung^[14]

A hidden idol enthusiast and strategist of class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School.

• Kim Se-hee as Pyo Ji-ae^[15]

A student of class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School with "glass mentality" who was accustomed to blaming others and defending herself, but undergoes a change after meeting Su-ji.

• Choi Yoon-seo as Gu Seol-ha^[16]

An expressionless judo player of class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School.

• Ahn So-yo as Yun Na-hee^[17]

A part-time literature teacher at Baekyeon Girls' High School who is interested in the school violence that occurs in the pyramid game and tries to get to the bottom of it.

• Son Ji-na as Im Sun-ae^[18]

The principal of Baekyeon Girls' High School who is trying to hide the school violence.

• Son Ji-young as Ra Hae-joon^[19]

The housekeeper of class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School.

• Yoon Ga-i as Ju Seung-i^[20]

A student of class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School.

• Kim Ye-na as Jeong Yeon-du^[21]
• Song Xi-an as Oh Seong-ah^[22]

A good-natured and friendly student of class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School. She is also moderately kind and defensive.

• Cho Dong-in as Jo Seung-hwa^[23]

An ordinary but somewhat mysterious convenience store part-time worker who got into the Pyramid Game because of Su-ji.

• Jeong Ae-yeon as Choi I-hwa^[24]

Baek Ha-rin's mother who is the daughter-in-law of a chaebol family and the chairman of Baekyeon Girls' High School.

• Jung Seung-gil as Seo Joong-yeon^[25]

Do-ah's father and the hospital director.

• Choi Sung-won as Im Ju-hyeong^[26]

An art teacher at Baekyeon Girls' High School, who is also the homeroom teacher of class 2–5.

• Lee Da-kyung as Yoon Ye-won^[27]

A genius programmer of class 2–5 at Baekyeon Girls' High School.

Production

Development

In March 2023, TVING confirmed the drama adaptation of the Naver webtoon's Pyramid Game which is written and illustrated by Dalggonyak.^[28] It is directed by Park So-yeon, written by Choi Soo-i, created by Lee Jae-gyu, and co-produced by Film Monster and CJ ENM Studios.^[29]

Casting

In June 2023, TVING announced the first cast lineup consists of Kim Ji-yeon, Jang Da-ah, Ryu Da-in, Kang Na-eon, Jeong Ha-dam, Shin Seul-ki, and Ha Yul-ri.^[30] In the same month, actresses Hwang Hyun-jung, Lee Joo-yeon, Oh Se-eun, Kim Se-hee, Choi Yoon-seo, Ahn So-yo, and Son Ji-na revealed as the second cast lineup.^[31]

Release

TVING production team confirmed that the release date of Pyramid Game would be on February 29, 2024, with four episodes then released two episodes every Thursday until March 21, 2024.^[32][33] It is available for streaming on Viu, and became available on Paramount+ starting on May 30, 2024, in selected regions.^[34][35]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee(s) of the award, and the result of the nomination

Award ceremony	Year	Category	Nominee / Work	Result	Ref.
Blue Dragon Series Awards	2024	Best New Actress	Jang Da-ah	Nominated	[36]

Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement

Publisher	Year	Listicle	Placement	Ref.
NME	2024	The 10 best K-dramas of 2024 – so far	Included	[37]
		The 10 best Korean dramas of 2024	6th place	[38]
Time Magazine		The 10 Best K-Dramas of 2024	7th place	[39]

References

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External links

• Official website (in Korean)
• Production website at Film Monster (in Korean)
• Production website at CJ ENM Studios (in English and Korean)
• Pyramid Game at IMDb 
• Pyramid Game at HanCinema