If You Loved ‘Squid Game,’ Here Are 7 Similar Series (2025 Edition)

The eagerly awaited second season of Squid Game is underway, and fans are eager to see what horrifying new challenges Seong Gi-hun and his fellow contestants will face this time.

When the series first premiered in 2021, it introduced audiences to a dystopian survivor-thriller genre that was relatively niche.

Since then, the genre has exploded in popularity, inspiring many similar shows with their own unique twists.

Below are some standout titles that capture the bizarre and unsettling allure of Squid Game.

7. Beast Games

Humanity’s Morbid Fascination

Imagine a game show where survival isn’t just a theme—it’s the core experience. Beast Games dives into the darker side of reality competition by pushing its contestants through grueling, often dangerous challenges.

Created and hosted by YouTube sensation MrBeast, the show has garnered widespread controversy for its depiction of human endurance under extreme pressure. Reports of on-set mistreatment, allegations of physical danger, and questionable ethics have made the show as infamous as it is popular.

With a staggering 1,000 participants from across the globe, Beast Games is the largest competition in history. Each round narrows the field through physical, psychological, and strategic challenges, all designed to test the limits of human capacity. While the promise of a massive cash prize lures contestants, the real spectacle is watching how far people are willing to go to win.

Fans of Squid Game will recognize familiar themes of exploitation and moral ambiguity, making Beast Games a compelling, if unsettling, successor.

6. All of Us Are Dead

Apocalyptic High School Drama

This Korean series blends the chaos of a zombie apocalypse with the emotional highs and lows of high school drama. Set in the fictional city of Hyosan, All of Us Are Dead begins when a high school science teacher’s failed experiment unleashes the Jonas Virus, turning students into flesh-eating zombies.

What starts as an isolated incident quickly spirals out of control, forcing a group of teenagers to band together for survival.

The series thrives on its ability to humanize its characters, showing how they navigate friendships, rivalries, and first loves—all while fighting for their lives. Adapted from Joo Dong-geun’s popular manhwa, All of Us Are Dead brings a unique visual style and emotionally gripping storytelling to the zombie genre.

For fans of Squid Game, this show offers a similarly intense focus on survival, moral dilemmas, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable horror.

5. Alice in Borderland

@kay1____ #akane | i just finished alice in borderland and it was so good | i rlly liked akane and the meme of her running is so funny 😭| #heiya #heiyaakane #aliceinborderlandnetflix #aliceinborderland #aliceinborderlandedits #edit #edits ♬ 10 Minutes of Silence – Silenzio

Tokyo’s Sinister Game Arena

In Alice in Borderland, Tokyo is transformed into a deadly game arena where survival hinges on intelligence, strategy, and sheer luck. The story follows Ryohei Arisu and his friends, who find themselves inexplicably trapped in this abandoned, post-apocalyptic version of the city.

As they navigate the Borderland, they must participate in a series of life-threatening games, each based on playing cards. The higher the card’s rank, the deadlier the game.

The show’s psychological tension mirrors Squid Game, as contestants are forced to weigh personal survival against alliances and friendships. The post-apocalyptic setting adds an eerie layer, with the emptiness of Tokyo serving as a haunting backdrop to the high-stakes challenges.

The live-action adaptation amplifies the manga’s intensity, offering a visceral and visually stunning experience.

4. 3%

The Offshore or Bust

3% stands out for its sharp critique of class inequality, set in a dystopian world where society is divided into two starkly different regions: the impoverished Inland and the affluent Offshore.

Every year, 20-year-olds from the Inland are given the chance to participate in “The Process,” a brutal selection series that tests intelligence, morality, and endurance. Only 3% of participants succeed, earning the right to live in the luxurious Offshore society.

The show’s strength lies in its intricate world-building and thought-provoking themes. The contestants are not just fighting for survival; they’re fighting for a chance to escape the crushing poverty and violence of their everyday lives.

Fans of Squid Game will appreciate the moral complexities and social commentary, as well as the nerve-wracking challenges that test both physical and mental limits.

3. The Purge

If you thought you’d be safer when the masks are off, think again.#ThePurgeTV is back on October 15 at 9/8c on @USA_Network. pic.twitter.com/95xmv5pjLL

— The Purge TV (@ThePurgeTV) September 10, 2019

Horror Meets Totalitarian Reality

Set in a dystopian United States, The Purge explores the terrifying premise of a government-sanctioned annual event during which all crime, including murder, is legal for 12 hours. The show delves into how individuals and families prepare for and survive this chaotic night, blending action-packed sequences with psychological drama.

Unlike Squid Game, which focuses on orchestrated challenges, The Purge highlights the raw brutality of human nature when societal rules are stripped away. The series expands on the films by diving deeper into the lives of its characters, showing how the Purge affects people across different social classes.

It’s a chilling exploration of morality and survival in a world where justice is put on hold for one horrific night.

2. Physical: 100

The Real-Life Squid Game

While Squid Game is a scripted drama, Physical: 100 brings its intense competition to life in the real world. Featuring 100 contestants in peak physical condition, the show tests their endurance, strength, and resilience through a series of grueling challenges. The prize is substantial, but the road to victory is anything but easy.

What sets this show apart is its emphasis on real-world skills and physicality, combined with a visually striking presentation. Each challenge is designed to push contestants to their limits, from carrying heavy objects to navigating treacherous obstacle courses. Fans of Squid Game’s brutal competitions will find this a thrilling, albeit less deadly, counterpart.

1. Hellbound

Dark Fantasy Meets Religious Horror

Hellbound explores the terrifying consequences of religious fanaticism in modern society. Set in Seoul, the story begins when supernatural beings start appearing to deliver death sentences to individuals, dragging them to Hell at the exact moment of their foretold demise. The chilling events spark chaos, as people turn to a mysterious cult for answers.

The series masterfully blends crime drama, supernatural horror, and social commentary. Much like Squid Game, it delves into the darker aspects of human nature, exploring themes of fear, morality, and the lengths people will go to survive—or justify their actions.

Conclusion

Whether you’re drawn to dystopian competition, apocalyptic horror, or supernatural thrillers, these shows offer the same tension, thought-provoking themes, and pulse-pounding drama that made Squid Game a cultural phenomenon.

Hollywood’s influence on storytelling has made such narratives even more compelling and widely embraced. Each series adds its own unique flavor, ensuring there’s something for every fan of the genre.