Since arriving on Netflix last month, Squid Game has quickly become the show on everybody’s lips, having recently taken over Bridgerton as the streamer’s biggest series launch ever, and if you’ve binged the whole series, then you probably have a few questions.
If you’re wondering whether the popular show will be back for season two, how you can get your hands on a Squid Game costume for Halloween, how to make the Squid Game cookies or even what the latest Squid Game theories are, then we have you covered – and if you’re stuck on what to watch next, we have the answer for that as well.
Read on for our TV recommendations on what to watch after Squid Game – whether you’re a fan of dystopian horror or a lover of South Korean acting talent.
Alice in Borderland
Fans have highlighted a number of similarities between Squid Game and Alice in Borderland – Netflix’s Japanese sci-fi thriller – over the last few weeks, so this manga-inspired series should definitely make it onto your watchlist.
Based on the Haro Aso manga of the same name, Alice in Borderland follows avid gamers Arisu and Usagi as they’re transported to the empty city of Tokyo and tasked with playing a series of games for the chance to survive. Featuring terrific performances from Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya, Alice in Borderland is a gripping, highly-visual experience that is worth binging before season two comes along.
As the Gods Will
If you’re still haunted by Squid Game’s Red Light, Green Light round but would like to see more, then it’s worth checking out Japanese horror film As the Gods Will.
This Japanese flick from Takashi Miike is based on a manga series of the same name and follows a video game-obsessed high school student who, after complaining of his boredom, is forced by an unknown figure to play a deathly game of Daruma-san ga koranda (Grandmother’s Footsteps) with his classmates, before moving on to compete in a series of other games. A very similar premise to Squid Game but without the social commentary and with various ties to Japanese culture, As the Gods Will makes for a frightening and disturbing watch.
3%
Brazilian series 3% is another string to Netflix’s dystopian bow, becoming the streamer’s first Portuguese original back in 2016 before coming to an end last year.
The series, which is set in a mysterious future, follows a group of 20-year-olds living in the impoverished ‘Inland’, who are given the chance to compete in The Process – a competition which gives contestants the opportunity to become a member of the affluent Offshore community. The unsuccessful contenders are immediately killed, while only 3 per cent succeed – which is where the show’s title comes from.
While very similar to teen dystopian thrillers like The Hunger Games and Divergent, the Netflix show’s complex characters and excellent performances make it a worthy watch.
Black Mirror
You’ve probably had Black Mirror recommended to you over the past few years as someone who loved the dystopian creepiness of Squid Game, but if you haven’t managed to watch any of it yet then now is the time.
Created by Screen Wipe’s Charlie Brooker, this sci-fi anthology series (which gets its name from the reflective face of your smart phone) is an unnerving chocolate box of technological nightmares featuring some of the best acting talent around. From an episode where Daniel Kaluuya competes in a futuristic talent competition for the chance of a better life, to a world where everyone is given a human Uber rating and Bryce Dallas Howard struggles with the idea of her score worsening, Black Mirror is a series of cautionary tales that’ll have you threatening to go off grid for a while.
Kingdom
This period horror thriller from South Korean screenwriter Jim Eun-hee should be your next watch if you’re wanting another drama that showcases East Asian acting talent, with Kingdom starring the likes of Ju Ji-hoon, Bae Doona, Kim Sung-kyu and Ryu Seung-ryong.
The series is set three years after the Imjin War during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty and follows Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju) as he tries to save his citizens when a plague hits the land, bringing the dead back to life. A mixture of period horror and political drama, Kingdom is a gory thriller that brings zombies and royalty together but makes it work.
Battle Royale
Cited as one of the inspirations behind Squid Game by creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, Battle Royale is the blueprint for the survivalist, last-man-standing story that we’ve seen in films like The Hunger Games, The Purge, The Hunt and another of others titles.
Based on Koushun Takami’s novel of the same name, Battle Royale takes place in the near-future where a school class is taken to a remote island and chosen to take part in the annual competition where all students fight to the death over three days.
Sisyphus: The Myth
South Korean series Sisyphus: The Myth is a fairly new sci-fi thriller that shares a few themes with Squid Game – namely the subplot where Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) searches for his missing brother.
The series starring Park Shin-hye and Cho Seung-woo follows Han Tae-sul, an engineer set on discovering the truth behind his older brother’s death, who meets time traveller Gang Seo-hae – a mysterious woman back from the future with a mission to save the world.
Read more about Squid Game
- Squid Game season 2 – will the Netflix show return?
- Squid Game cast – full list of actors and characters in hit Netflix series
- Squid Game true story – Real life inspiration behind Netflix series
- Squid Game money: How much is 45.6 billion Won prize money in dollars and pounds?
- Squid Game creator reveals meaning behind title
- Who is 067 in Squid Game?
- Where was Squid Game filmed?
- Squid Game director teases possible season 2 plot
- Is Squid Game dubbed into English? How to watch with voice actors and subtitles
- How many episodes are there in Squid Game?
- Who is Squid Game’s Old Man?
- Squid Game ending explained
Squid Game is available to stream on Netflix. To find out what else is on tonight, check out our TV Guide.