For many people, Netflix’s Squid Game marked a first foray into Asian dystopia.
The South Korean survival thriller took the world by storm back in 2021 during the height of a global pandemic. Maybe it was our collective global gloomy mindset. Maybe it was the show’s biting social critique. Or maybe it was just Squid Games’ themes of survival and the meaning of human relationships in an indifferent world, but something clicked with audiences on a massive scale, and a ratings juggernaut was born.
The show, Netflix’s most watched ever, returns for a final season on June 27, 2025. Of course, by now fans are acclimated to Squid Game’s unique style. Unique, that is, to Western audiences. Because, for a lot of us, the Asian format offered a first glimpse at a TV show in which social commentary took center-stage.
It’s a format that focuses heavily on character backstories and emotional depth. (Everyone can tell you at least 5 things about their favorite background Squid Game character.)
It also invests time developing each character’s motivations, and making their choices feel personal and tragic at the same time. We might think of it as melodrama, but the choice to eschew the type of familiar “tight pacing and high-energy action” of a US TV show for slow-burning tension sprinkled with moments of explosive, emotionally charged energy is quite deliberate.
And while US “go-to” TV often features a whole lot of rugged individualism and rebellion (we prefer our moral dilemmas in a broader societal conflict, thank you!), Squid Game showed us an alternative, in which fate, karma, and collective responsibility took the spotlight.
Overall, it was quite refreshing! But will Western audiences ever embrace another show like Squid Game again?
Well, many of us already have. And long before Squid Game even aired its iconic first “Red Light, Green Light” episode too.
Alice in Borderland
(Netflix, 2020-Present)
This Japanese survival thriller sees 3 down-on-their-luck and socially ill-adjusted friends walk out onto Tokyo’s busiest intersection to discover (almost) everyone else has vanished in the blink of an eye. As they attempt to make sense of their inexplicable situation, they stumble into a deadly game arena, the first of many, where handfuls of other equally confused survivors have been forced into a series of deadly games based on the suits in a deck of cards. The choice is simple. Play the game and win, or face instant disqualification and death.
Dark, intense, dripping with psychological tension and moments of brutal violence, at its core Alice in Borderland is actually a love story between its 2 protagonists Arisu and Usagi. The show also offers an exploration on grief, and what it means to live.
The show ran for 2 seasons on Netflix, and eventually resolved its central mystery (after first trolling its fans massively in the final episode!). However, a third season is currently in production, and is set for release some time in 2025.
If you liked Squid Game, Alice in Borderland will likely hold your attention.
Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor
(Crunchyroll, 2007–2011)
Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor is a psychological thriller anime based on Nobuyuki Fukumoto’s manga Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji (Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji).
The anime, produced by Madhouse and aired in 2007, follows the desperate journey of Kaiji Itou, a down-on-his-luck man wasting his life drinking, gambling, and stealing car emblems for fun.
One day, a loan shark named Endou visits Kaiji, informing him that he co-signed a friend’s loan, which has ballooned into an unpayable debt. Endou offers the hapless Kaiji a chance to erase his debt by participating in an underground gambling event aboard a mysterious cruise ship, the Espoir (French for “hope”). With no other choice, Kaiji accepts, unwittingly stepping into a brutal world where failure means financial and physical ruin.
Once onboard the Espoir, Kaiji and other debt-ridden players are forced to participate in a twisted version a of Rock-Paper-Scissors using limited cards. The objective is to use strategy, alliances, and betrayal to win enough stars to escape debt.
scenes of intense psychological battles, bitter betrayals, high-stakes games, and Kaiji’s struggle against insurmountable odds dominate the story.
All of Us Are Dead
(Netflix, 2022–present)
Based on the webtoon Now at Our School by Joo Dong-geun, this South Korean zombie horror-thriller is set in a high school where students must learn how to fight to survive after a deadly virus outbreak.
A blend of emotional drama with fast-paced action, the show explores human nature under extreme pressure, much like Squid Game, but this time with a survival-horror twist.
The story unfolds at Hyosan High School, where a failed science experiment triggers a zombie outbreak. The virus, created by a desperate science teacher to make his bullied son stronger, quickly spreads, turning students and faculty into flesh-eating monsters. A small group of uninfected students is trapped inside the school, desperately fighting to survive without food, water, or outside help.
As the show progresses, we see that the human survivors also face threats from one another including betrayals, selfishness, and bullying. At one point, the military intervenes but prioritizes containment over rescue, leading to ethical dilemmas and mass destruction. As the students struggle to escape, some develop half-zombie traits, adding another layer of complexity to the fight for survival.
All of Us Are Dead is an excellent social critique on bullying, class struggles, and authority failure in modern society. And zombies. Of course. Can’t forget the zombies.
Season 2 hits Netflix sometime in 2025.
The Liar Game
(2014)
The Liar Game is actually a South Korean adaptation of a Japanese manga and TV drama of the same name. Unlike the 2007 original, which leaned more into exaggerated mind games and quirky characters, the Korean version took a more grounded, psychological thriller approach.
The story focuses on Nam Da-jung, a kind but naive young woman struggling with financial difficulties. One day, she becomes an unwilling participant in a mysterious reality game show called Liar Game, where contestants must deceive, manipulate, and betray each other to win a massive cash prize. Unlike most competitors, Da-jung is too honest to scheme, making her an easy target.
Desperate to survive the game, she seeks help from Ha Woo-jin, a brilliant ex-psychology professor and former con artist. Woo-jin, who holds a personal vendetta against the game’s creators, agrees to assist Da-jung. Together, they navigate increasingly complex rounds filled with deception, psychological manipulation, and hidden agendas.
Meanwhile, the enigmatic and sinister host, Kang Do-young, secretly pulls the strings behind the scenes. As the game progresses, shocking truths about Do-young’s past and the true purpose of Liar Game come to light, revealing a conspiracy much larger than just a reality show.
The 8 Show
(Netflix, 2024)
This black comedy (yes really!) centers on eight individuals who are invited to participate in a high-stakes game within a secluded building. Each participant is confined to a separate floor, numbered one through eight, and earns a monetary reward for every minute they remain in the game. However, the cost of basic necessities is exorbitantly high, compelling the participants to strategize collectively and individually to maximize their earnings and ensure survival.
Initially, the group collaborates to manage resources and uncover the game’s hidden rules. Tensions escalate when they discover that higher floors receive more substantial rewards and larger living spaces, leading to power struggles and conflicts. The participants must navigate a complex web of alliances, betrayals, and moral dilemmas as they strive to outwit both the game and each other.
As the rules become increasingly brutal, the game participants see their morality and survival instincts put to the test. Expect a ton of psychological tension, social critique, and a dollop of dark satire from this South Korean offering.
Unless Netflix announces a second season, The 8 Show is a run-and-done 8 episode event series for now.
