5 Foreign TV Shows To Watch On Netflix Outside Of 'Squid Game' (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Netflix)

Squid Game took the world by storm when it was released on Netflix. If you liked that, there are many more foreign TV shows to watch on the streaming platform!

Hollywood isn’t the only place making blockbuster movies and hit TV shows anymore. Now, hit TV shows are coming from countries all over the world! From South Korea to Germany, foreign TV shows and movies are dominating streaming. There are many great shows out there that weren’t made in the US besides Squid Game!

Foreign TV Shows To Watch On Netflix Outside Of ‘Squid Game

It can be fun to watch shows and content from different countries to see the little things we do differently here. Sometimes, they’re dubbed into English but I often find the dubbing to be too obvious and takes you out of the show. So, I’ll typically watch foreign TV shows with subtitles on in their original language to get the most out of them. However, not every foreign TV show needs to be dubbed or subtitled–they can be in English!

The United Kingdom is still considered foreign! Broadchurch, for example, is an amazing show out of the UK. It’s a thrilling whodunnit starring some recognizable faces with Olivia Colman and David Tennant. You’ll be guessing the entire series who committed the crime and every episode you’ll be left with a different guess. They executed it very well. If you’re looking for something made in the US, there was a US-remake called Gracepoint that’s essentially the same thing. I think the British version is a bit better but you can make your pick. Either way, it’s intense and emotional. Unfortunately, it’s not on Netflix (you can watch it right now on Peacock) so it’s not going to make the list.

Like Broadchurch, there are great foreign-made TV shows on other streaming services outside of Netflix like Max, Hulu, and Peacock to name a few. Just like these shows can be found on several streaming services, they also come from all over the world. Although, it seems like South Korea has really been on a roll in recent years. They scored a global hit with Squid Game, an a Best Picture Win at The Oscars with Parasite a few years ago! That kicked off some major momentum for them putting out some impressive shows.

There are too many must-see foreign TV shows on Netflix to name them all and it was no easy task narrowing down only 5 to recommend. That means some great shows got left out including: Kleo, Lupin, and Dark didn’t make the list–but all have good ratings and positive reviews. I’m just not going to recommend a show that I haven’t watched. Ready? Let’s get to the list!

5 Foreign TV Shows To Watch On Netflix Outside Of ‘Squid Game

  • All Of Us Are Dead (South Korea)

    If you enjoyed Squid Game, then I’m confident you’ll like All Of Us Are Dead. Fans of The Walking Dead will also get a kick out of this TV series streaming on Netflix. It centers around a school in South Korea that undergoes a zombie outbreak and all of the kids and teachers at the school start trying to kill one another. It sounds dark–and it can be. There are some incredibly gruesome deaths. However, there’s also a lot of heart. The show does a fantastic job getting you to care about all of the characters. Even though it’s in a different language, it will hit you hard! Good news! Season 2 is reportedly on the way.

  • Alice In Borderland (Japan)

    At one point, I could have called Alice In Borderland my favorite show. I loved it! I couldn’t get enough and you won’t either. It’s actually very similar to Squid Game in that characters compete to the death in some well-known games with a wicked twist. Players compete in these can-be-fatal games to earn cards that can be collected to earn their escape from the game. Again, you really care about the characters and it’s so thrilling! The games are always intense and some of them are mind games that you can play along with in a sense and watch playout. It really keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat. Season 1 was fantastic and then Season 2 took it to another level. It’s thrilling, it’s dramatic, it’s emotional, and there are funny parts. It’s everything you’d want in a show. I’ve watched it dubbed and with subtitles, it’s great either way. I think I prefer subtitles. It was a cliffhanger ending in Season 2 that could lead to an exciting Season 3.

  • Derry Girls (Ireland)

    I had to put a comedy on the list! I think you’ll enjoy Derry Girls out of Ireland. My girlfriend and I get a kick out of it. The characters are all hilarious and there’s just something about that accent that adds to the humor. I wish I could talk like that and you will too once you start watching it. The show follows 5 teenagers living in mid-1990s Derry while attending Our Lady Immaculate College. It was a turbulent time and all of that is shown from a unique perspective on the show. You learn a lot and you’ll laugh. What more can you ask for? Plus, you and yours can watch it together!

  • Hellbound (South Korea)

    Hellbound was another great series that came out of South Korea in recent years. On the show, supernatural beings suddenly appear out of seemingly nowhere to condemn people to Hell. They do it in a very brutal way, too. Despite it being about being condemned to Hell, it’s not a religious show by any means. I’m sure there’s some sort of message in there, but it’s not a theme of the show. At one point, it was the most watched show on Netflix, surpassing Squid Game. I enjoyed it and have been waiting on Season 2 for a long, long time it feels like.

  • 1899 (Germany)

    1899 was a very interesting show! Honestly, it took much longer than it should have for me to realize that it was dubbed. That’s on me. The show follows a group of European emigrants that are traveling from the United Kingdom on a steamship. Then, all sorts of mysterious things start happening on the boat. It’s fun to watch and it’s super engaging. There was one big problem with the show, it ends with a strange M. Night Shyamalan-style cliffhanger and twist but was canceled after Season 1. Many questions go unanswered but it’s still a good show to watch if you need one.

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