Friendly Fandoms / Squid Game

• With Parasite, another Korean drama that was an international hit for its enjoyable cast and scathing critique of capitalism. However, comparing the two is looked down on, as Squid Game and Parasite explore the subject matter in different ways and aren't the only Korean shows to do so, pointing to Minority Show Ghetto and Small Reference Pools.
• Also with Genshin Impact, due to having similar Periphery Demographics. There’s even quite a plentiful amount of crossover fanart and fanfiction that place Genshin’s characters in the Game and examines how their personalities and dynamics would help their chances of victory.
• Likewise with Kaiji fans since both premises are very similar (A down-on-his luck protagonist who's in debt invited to games organized by evil rich folks where they can win a good sum of money, only to find out too late it's a life or death struggle for their entertainment). The only difference being Kaiji is a little more complicated of the two with their games as it focuses more on the gambling aspect, while Squid Game focuses on kid games that can be easily won but leave no room for error. Many comments on the anime are from people saying that they started watching it after it was cited as one of the inspirations for Squid Game.
• Fans of the show might also be fond of Liar Game, a manga with a similar premise and far less bloodshed: A mysterious and nefarious organization puts innocent people through psychological games, using their debt as bait to keep them playing. All members of the organization wear masks to hide their identity, and players are free to leave at any point... if they accept that they lose their chance at eliminating their debt. The stakes are financial rather than mortal, but the series (which has also been turned into live drama series) has its axis on its fascinating and well-developed characters as well as the genuinely brilliant psychological games that power the plot. The creator talks more about some of the manga influences, including Liar Game, here.
• Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout fans have gotten a kick out of the similarity between the two works despite the extreme tone difference, specifically in their premise, art design, and how the games are structured. Even the fifth game has more than a passing resemblance to Fall Guys' own "Tip Toe" round. Meanwhile, the devs over at Mediatonic are considering reviving a rejected concept for a Red Light, Green Light round after seeing the show's success.
• There are many Among Us YouTubers (both let's players and web animators) who have crossed this show over with the game (which incidentally broke into the mainstream the year prior).
• Of all things, many fans of Squid Game have also drawn connections to Mario Party, especially since it also involves playing simple games for money. Several of the games in Squid Game even have direct counterparts to the Mini Games in Mario Party such as Red Light, Green Light to Sneak 'n' Snore, Dalgona Cutting to Crazy Cutters, Tug of War to...well, Tug o' War (or Pull It Together), and Gi-hun and Il-nam's marble Game of Nim to Honeycomb Havoc. Many of these mini-games would even reappear in Mario Party Superstars, which released later the same year as Squid Game's first season.
• There is also another unlikely one with Kamen Rider Ryuki. A small but notable fanbase of both shows noticed the various similarities between the two, be it in themes (Battle Royale for heart's desire born of desperation), protagonists (pacifists) or antagonists (the antagonists being a rigged participant). The result is this.
• With All of Us Are Dead for being another successful Netflix original kdrama sporting a large cast of characters, and a large death count, as well as sharing an actress, Lee Yoo-mi.

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