Horror TV showsare extremely popular, and with as many releases that come out every year, fans of the genre are inevitably bound to miss a few series, especially those from other parts of the world.The best horror seriesin general are most appreciated when there are well-crafted scares and gradual amounts of suspension built throughout episodes. Bonus points are awarded by fans of twisted horror tales when shows are intense with their violence and gore.
Part of what makes horror such a beloved genre is the universal feeling of fear. This is why international horror shows are able to garner worldwide success, becauseno matter the language, all that matters is that audiences are effectively scared. Though horror TV shows can be enjoyed all year round, the approaching end of “spooky season” is the perfect time to binge a horror series from another part of the world, from Mexico to South Korea.
The sibling relationship betweenCuron’s pair of twins, Daria (Margherita Morchio) and Mauro (Federico Russo), is the heart of the show, as the two lean on one another during their troubling move to Italy’s titular town. The twins move to Curon with their mother after she has a nightmare about her mother’s death.Much ofCuronplays out like a thrilling mystery, but there are still some horror elementssure to make audiences tense up.
10 Creepy Horror TV Shows That Don’t Get Too Scary Or Gory
Sometimes, viewers want a TV show that still embraces horror tropes or ideas without them being overly gory or terrifyingly frightening.
Without giving anything away,Curon’s central antagonist is a group of doppelgängers. ThoughCuron’s doppelgänger premise never quite reaches the chilling heights offilms likeUs, the series is still coated with an eerie tone. The scary nature of doppelgängers, especially those inCuron, stems from the fact that no one is ever sure who they can trust — an uneasy feeling audiences and characters on the series are left with throughoutCuron’s episodes.
30 Coins
Cast
30 Coins is a Spanish horror series created by Álex de la Iglesia. The show follows Father Vergara, an exorcist, boxer, and ex-convict, who is exiled to a remote village in Spain. As terrifying paranormal phenomena unfold, a local veterinarian and the town’s mayor seek out Vergara’s help, uncovering a conspiracy related to a set of ancient coins that hold diabolical power. The series intricately weaves supernatural elements with intense drama.
A common event in horror films and TV shows is exorcisms.In30 Coins, exorcist Father Vergara (Eduard Fernández) teams up with the town’s mayor and a local veterinarian to investigate strange occurrences happening in the town of Pedraza.30 Coinsgets its name from the thirty pieces of silver given to Judas Iscariot after betraying Jesus. The coins play a big part in Vergara and the team solving the mystery.
Considering how many there are, it can be difficult to stand out among the numerous religious horror movies and TV shows, but30 Coinsgets the job done, feeling fresh while harking back to prominent themes.
Biblical lore, both of which are popular and lesser-known, can get confusing at times, especially when it’s mixed into the strange mystery that kicks off the series. Yet,30 Coinsdoes an excellent job of keeping audiences in the loop and along for the spooky ride. Considering how many there are, it can be difficult to stand out among the numerousreligious horror moviesand TV shows, but30 Coinsgets the job done, feeling fresh while harking back to prominent themes.
While not as intense or violent as other horror series,Black Spot, orZone Blanche, is still terrifying.Black Spotrevolves around Laurène Weiss (Suliane Brahim), the head of police of a small, isolated town, Villefranche. Surprisingly, because of how closed off the town is, Villefranche has an alarmingly high murder rate.When a prosecutor comes into town, Laurène’s past is uncovered, and the truth about the rise in deaths is closer to being revealed.
Black Spotworks well as both a thrilling procedural drama and a horror series.
Truths about what’s going on in Villefranche are incrementally introduced throughout the show, keeping the audience’s attention the whole way through. In addition to its central mystery, the appeal ofBlack Spotcan be attributed to its eerie atmosphere.The massive forest that surrounds the cold and isolated Villefranche makes for a creepy setting fit for the worst events to take place.
Ghoul
Ghoul follows three American filmmakers traveling to Ukraine to document cannibalism during the 1932 famine. Their investigation leads them to the supernatural territory linked to Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, where they become ensnared in a perilous hunt. Released in 2015, this horror film intertwines historical events with supernatural elements.
Blending political ideologies with supernatural beings is Netflix’sGhoul. The miniseries, consisting of three episodes with an approximate runtime of 40 minutes, isinspired by Arab folklore and utilizes an unoriginal, but effective scare tactic.Ghoulis set in the future where a dystopian India is run by fascism. The two characters at the center of the story are Nida Rahim (Radhika Apte), a highly dedicated military officer, and Ali Saeed (Mahesh Balraj), the menacing terrorist she’s tasked with interrogating.
It soon becomes apparent that Ali Saeed is not merely a threatening human but instead something from the supernatural world.What follows this realization is an unsettling and horrific turn of events. With only three episodes to its name,Ghoulstill manages to use its time wisely and builds an effective amount of tension that’ll leave audiences prepared to jump from their seats.
Though it was canceled after two seasons,Diablerois still a well-done horror series worth watching.Diablerocenters around a group of demon hunters hoping to defeat pesky demons for the sake of humanity.The group is led by a priest, Father Ramiro Ventura (Christopher von Uckermann), and a famous demon hunter, Elvis Infante (Horacio García Rojas). Set in Mexico City,Diablerois also full of commentary on Mexican culture, particularly the role religion plays.
There are several gory moments throughoutDiablerothat will satisfy any horror fan, but there are also a handful of lighthearted moments as well. The humor throughoutDiableroalleviates any long stretches of horror and allows audiences to better connect with its characters. The balance of dark themes and lightheartedness differentiateDiablerofrom other horror shows, but doesn’t take away from its ability to frighten viewers.
Hellbound
Netflix’s Hellbound is a Korean Drama and Dark Fantasy series that is directed by Yeon Sang-ho and based on his graphic novel, The Hellbound Volume 1. The series takes place in a modern fantastical version of Korea in which strange creatures pick and choose individuals to send to Hell.
South Korea is known for various horror series, such as the popular K-dramasAll of Us Are DeadandSweet Home.However, there are a few underrated horror series just as deserving of a watch, includingHellbound. Created byTrain to Busandirector Yeon Sang-ho,Hellboundtells the story of a town overtaken by supernatural beings condemning various individuals to Hell. Matters are made even worse when two cults begin to use people’s fears to their advantage to gain power.
Hellboundhas earned inevitable comparisons toSquid Gamebecause of a few of its shared themes, but can still be enjoyed as something completely different.
Hellboundis intense in its violence and imagery, making it essential viewing as October comes to an end.Hellboundhas earned inevitable comparisons toSquid Gamebecause of a few of its shared themes, but can still be enjoyed as something completely different.Despite surpassingSquid Gameas Netflix’s most-watched series,Hellboundis still new — its second season having just premiered — and might have been previously overlooked by some horror fans.
Kingdom
Based on the webtoonThe Kingdom of the Gods,Kingdom is a 2019 South Korean historical drama-horror series created for Netflix. Lee Chang, the crown prince of a fictional interpretation of 16th-century Korea, is forced to stand in for his ailing father as a plague begins to ravage their homeland, all while fighting off would-be-usurpers to the throne.
Kingdomcombines political tensions with zombies. From South Korea,Kingdomtells the story of a zombie plague taking over 17th century Joseon.Crown Prince of Joseon, Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), must work to prevent the infectious plague from taking over the kingdom, all while keeping his spot on the throne protected from his political opponents. Like many ofthe best historical K-dramasdo,Kingdomimmerses audiences in its dated setting through the use of costuming and set design.
Part ofwhyKingdomworks so well is because the series' historical setting and political themes keep the show feeling fresh within a saturated zombie subgenreof horror. The combination of politics and zombie horror works extremely well and also adds to the overall tension in the series. Other praises awarded toKingdomover the years mention the series' cinematography and nail-biting action.
Thailand’s two-season seriesGirl from Nowheredeals with a revenge-seeking lead character who can’t be defined as either good or bad (though she’s mostly seen as a villain). Chicha Amatayakul leadsGirl from Nowhereas Nanno, a mysterious high school girl who tortures those who’ve wronged others.Each episode is self-contained, seeing Nanno move from one school to another, tracking down her next victim. Though Nanno has good intent in making sure wrongdoers are brought to justice, her methods are unfavorable.
Yet, the psychological effects of Nanno’s powers are fascinating to watch play out as others give into their worst impulses under her control.Each episode ofGirl from Nowhereis cleverly written and more chilling than the one before. The series, on top of its terrifying supernatural aspects, also has some fascinating commentary on modern high school behaviors.
Dark
Dark is a German science fiction thriller focusing on four families in a small town impacted by the disappearance of a child. As they search for answers, they uncover a web of interconnected secrets, revealing complex temporal and familial relationships spanning multiple generations.
Not as scary as other horror and thriller series previously mentioned,Darkcombines sci-fi with a chilling mystery.Darkimplements time travel to explain a series of sinister events taking place between four families.Darkis sure to have audiences hooked all the wayuntil its memorable conclusion. Running for three seasons,Darkearned consistent amounts of high praise for its haunting tones, direction, and complex themes.
Dark’s best quotesfully encapsulate the range of themes addressed in the series, concerning things like fate and free will.Because of its complex narrative,Darkencourages an attentive audience. The complexity mixed with the series' slow burn risks turning some viewers away, but those willing to give the show a chance will be rewarded with a truly remarkable sci-fi horror series.
Marianne
Marianne follows a novelist who discovers that the frightening tales she pens are manifesting in reality.
Though it was canceled after one season, the French horror seriesMariannedoesn’t leave many lingering questions and should be watched by horror fans unfamiliar with the show.Mariannefollows Emma Larsimon (Victoire Du Bois), an author who has put a pause on writing horror stories. For a while, nothing comes of her decision, until one day she discovers the characters she writes about in her horror novels materialize in the real world, including the haunting titular character.
Marianneis full of bone-chilling visualsthat might just prompt audiences to sleep with a light on after watching a few episodes. However, a horror series is often only as good as its story, and thankfully,Mariannehas a terrific story.Marianneis alsoa TV show praised by Stephen King. FollowingMarianne’s premiere, the crowned “King of Horror” tweeted, “If you’re one of those sickos–like me–who enjoys being scared, MARIANNE (Netflix) will do the job” (viaX).
