South Africans are gearing up for some fun in the lead-up to Halloween on Sunday, and the Netflix series Squid Game has become a popular costume search locally.

The unprecedented global viral hit, which has become the streaming service's most-watched show ever, imagines a macabre world in which marginalised people are pitted against one another in traditional children's games.

Google Search trends this week showed that South Africans are looking high and low for Halloween costumes, with the hit Korean dystopian series taking the lead for outfit inspiration.