10 Terrifying International Horror TV Shows You Probably Haven't Seen

Horror TV shows are 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 series in 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, because no 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.

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10 Curon (2020)

Country Of Origin: Italy

The sibling relationship between Curon'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 of Curon plays out like a thrilling mystery, but there are still some horror elements sure to make audiences tense up.

Without giving anything away, Curon's central antagonist is a group of doppelgängers. Though Curon's doppelgänger premise never quite reaches the chilling heights of films like Us, the series is still coated with an eerie tone. The scary nature of doppelgängers, especially those in Curon, 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 throughout Curon's episodes.

9 30 Coins (2020-2023)

Country Of Origin: Spain

A common event in horror films and TV shows is exorcisms. In 30 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 Coins gets 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.

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 Coins does 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 numerous religious horror movies and TV shows, but 30 Coins gets the job done, feeling fresh while harking back to prominent themes.

8 Black Spot (2017-2019)

Country Of Origin: France and Belgium

While not as intense or violent as other horror series, Black Spot, or Zone Blanche, is still terrifying. Black Spot revolves 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 Spot works 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 of Black Spot can 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.

7 Ghoul (2018)

Country Of Origin: India

Blending political ideologies with supernatural beings is Netflix's Ghoul. The miniseries, consisting of three episodes with an approximate runtime of 40 minutes, is inspired by Arab folklore and utilizes an unoriginal, but effective scare tactic. Ghoul is 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, Ghoul still manages to use its time wisely and builds an effective amount of tension that'll leave audiences prepared to jump from their seats.

6 Diablero (2018-2020)

Country Of Origin: Mexico

Though it was canceled after two seasons, Diablero is still a well-done horror series worth watching. Diablero centers 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, Diablero is also full of commentary on Mexican culture, particularly the role religion plays.

There are several gory moments throughout Diablero that will satisfy any horror fan, but there are also a handful of lighthearted moments as well. The humor throughout Diablero alleviates any long stretches of horror and allows audiences to better connect with its characters. The balance of dark themes and lightheartedness differentiate Diablero from other horror shows, but doesn't take away from its ability to frighten viewers.

5 Hellbound (2021-2024)

Country Of Origin: South Korea

South Korea is known for various horror series, such as the popular K-dramas All of Us Are Dead and Sweet Home. However, there are a few underrated horror series just as deserving of a watch, including Hellbound. Created by Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho, Hellbound tells 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.

Hellbound is intense in its violence and imagery, making it essential viewing as October comes to an end. Hellbound has earned inevitable comparisons to Squid Game because of a few of its shared themes, but can still be enjoyed as something completely different. Despite surpassing Squid Game as Netflix's most-watched series, Hellbound is still new — its second season having just premiered — and might have been previously overlooked by some horror fans.

4 Kingdom (2019-2021)

Country Of Origin: South Korea

Kingdom combines political tensions with zombies. From South Korea, Kingdom tells 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 of the best historical K-dramas do, Kingdom immerses audiences in its dated setting through the use of costuming and set design.

Part of why Kingdom works so well is because the series' historical setting and political themes keep the show feeling fresh within a saturated zombie subgenre of horror. The combination of politics and zombie horror works extremely well and also adds to the overall tension in the series. Other praises awarded to Kingdom over the years mention the series' cinematography and nail-biting action.

3 Girl From Nowhere (2018-2021)

Country Of Origin: Thailand

Thailand's two-season series Girl from Nowhere deals 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 leads Girl from Nowhere as 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 of Girl from Nowhere is 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.

2 Dark (2017-2020)

Country Of Origin: Germany

Not as scary as other horror and thriller series previously mentioned, Dark combines sci-fi with a chilling mystery. Dark implements time travel to explain a series of sinister events taking place between four families. Dark is sure to have audiences hooked all the way until its memorable conclusion. Running for three seasons, Dark earned consistent amounts of high praise for its haunting tones, direction, and complex themes.

Dark's best quotes fully encapsulate the range of themes addressed in the series, concerning things like fate and free will. Because of its complex narrative, Dark encourages 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.

1 Marianne (2019)

Country Of Origin: France

Though it was canceled after one season, the French horror series Marianne doesn't leave many lingering questions and should be watched by horror fans unfamiliar with the show. Marianne follows 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.

Marianne is full of bone-chilling visuals that 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, Marianne has a terrific story. Marianne is also a TV show praised by Stephen King. Following Marianne'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" (via X).