In June, like everyone else, I was once again completely obsessed with Squid Game. I watched Season 3 in a single day—completely hooked from the first scene to the last. And after that final twist, I was left with a massive void and a craving for something equally dark, thrilling, and thought-provoking.

I didn’t want another light comedy or half-hearted mystery—I needed something that could scratch the same itch: high-stakes survival, sharp social commentary, and characters pushed to their emotional and physical limits. After some serious binge-watching, I’ve put together a list of five must-watch TV shows that absolutely deliver.

1. Happiness

Streaming on: Netflix
IMDB – Happiness

This intense thriller takes place in a newly constructed high-rise apartment complex that gets locked down after a mysterious virus outbreak. The infected don’t become typical zombies—they’re still human enough to make you hesitate, which adds an eerie tension to every scene.

Yoon Sae-bom (Han Hyo-Joo), a sharp counterterrorism officer, and her longtime friend Jung Yi-hyun (Park Hyung-Sik), a detective, are trapped inside with other residents as paranoia, distrust, and desperation begin to spiral out of control. It’s a chilling look at human nature under pressure and a perfect mix of suspense and emotional weight.

2. Alice in Borderland

Streaming on: Netflix
IMDB – Alice in Borderland

When Tokyo suddenly becomes eerily empty, a group of strangers finds themselves trapped in a twisted parallel world where survival depends on completing dangerous, often deadly games. Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), a clever but aimless young man, quickly discovers that brains are just as important as bravery.

The show balances heart-pounding action with existential mystery and moral complexity. What begins as a battle to survive becomes a larger question: who’s really behind the games, and what is this world trying to teach them?

3. All of Us Are Dead

Streaming on: Netflix
IMDB – All of US Are Dead

A seemingly ordinary high school turns into ground zero for a terrifying zombie outbreak. As the infection spreads, students are forced to make impossible choices—sacrifice friends, fight teachers, and survive without help from the outside world.

What makes this show stand out is its emotional depth. It’s not just about survival—it’s about loyalty, trauma, and who we become when everything falls apart. You’ll grow attached to the characters, which only makes their fate harder to watch.

4. Pyramid Game

Streaming on: Paramount+
IMDB – Pyramid Game

At a prestigious all-girls high school, students are secretly ranked by popularity through a monthly vote. The twist? The girl at the bottom becomes the official target for bullying, and no one dares challenge the system—until a new transfer student arrives.

Pyramid Game is a disturbing, addictive social experiment wrapped in a psychological thriller. It’s not just about school politics—it’s about complicity, rebellion, and the terrifying power of groupthink. If Squid Game made you question society’s rules, this will too—but in a way that feels disturbingly real.

5. Sweet Home

Streaming on: Netflix
IMDB – Sweet Home

Inside a decaying apartment building, the residents are cut off from the world as terrifying monsters begin to emerge—each one a physical manifestation of human desires and fears. No one knows who will turn next, and paranoia spreads faster than the monsters themselves.

The reluctant hero of the story, Cha Hyun-su (Song Kang), is a reclusive teenager who starts discovering a new will to live as the building descends into chaos. Sweet Home combines psychological horror with survival drama and emotional arcs that hit surprisingly hard.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve already mourned the end of Squid Game like I did, don’t worry—there’s no shortage of gripping dramas that explore survival, fear, and the darker sides of human nature. These five shows each bring something unique to the table, but all share the intensity and emotional stakes that made Squid Game unforgettable.

🎬 Ready for your next survival drama binge?
Start streaming these series now and let yourself get pulled into worlds where the only rule is survival.

💬 Seen one of these already? Got another recommendation?
Drop it in the comments below—I’m always looking for my next obsession.

Featured Image from Pexels