Squid Game
Squid Game is currently taking over Netflix across a number of countries as the number one show on the service. It’s a bizarre, gripping tale about a group of desperate citizens volunteering to play deadly children’s games for a huge cash prize, and the worst part about it? It’s only nine episodes, and only has one season so far. It’s over quick!
But after you finish Squid Game, there are some similar shows or movies you might want to check out, both Korean and otherwise. Here are my recommendations.
Alice in Borderland
Alice in Borderland – Easily, the most similar show on the list here, and one that some prefer to Squid Game, depending on their taste. In Alice in Borderland, Japanese citizens play death-defying games in an emptied out Tokyo with a mystery creator at the center.
Sweet Home – I believe this was the most popular Netflix Korean series before Squid Game, and while we’re not playing any specific games here, this is a harrowing post-apocalyptic series that is absolutely worth watching, as a depressed man must rise to the occasion and protect his neighbors from monsters.
3%
3% – We are heading all the way to Brazil for this one, and 3% is a long-running series that has poor players compete against each other to escape poverty and head offshore for a better life. Like Squid Game, it’s a metaphor about how the rich and powerful subjugate and control the poor.
Liar Game – Another game-focused series, this is from a Japanese manga originally, adapted into a Korean drama about a psychological survival game where one character has the ability to tell if anyone is lying to them, which gives them an edge in the competition.
Battle Royale – This is the original film that spawned everything from The Hunger Games to Fortnite, a Japanese classic that has schoolchildren forced to fight to death on an island, lest an explosive collar end their life for them. A true classic, and worth watching if you want to understand the roots of this entire genre.
That is probably more than enough to get your started, as there are at least a few dozen hours worth of content to consume there. Some of these you may actually like more than Squid Game, others may not quite live up to it. Let me know when you think once you get through them, as I’m curious to know.
As for Squid Game season 2? I think it’s almost a guarantee at this point, though I’m sure we are at least a year away from seeing it hit Netflix.
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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series, and The Earthborn Trilogy, which is also on audiobook.