For the first time in Korean history, Actor Lee Jungjae and Director Hwang Donghyuk of the Netflix series Squid Game won Outstanding Lead Actor and Outstanding Directing at the 74th Emmy Awards, held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on September 12 (local time). As a result, Squid Game won a total of 6 awards from Primetime Emmy Awards and Prime Time Creative Arts Emmy Awards this year. 

Director Hwang Donghyuk, who won Outstanding Directing for the first non-English drama series, said, "I want to thank the TV Academy for this honor and also a huge thank-you to Netflix. People keep telling me that I made history, but I don’t think I made history by myself. I have to say we all made history together. I truly hope Squid Game won't be the last non-English series to be here at the Emmys. And I also hope this won't be my last Emmy, either. I'll be back with Season 2.” 

Actor Lee Jungjae, who played Sung Kihoon in Squid Game, became the first Korean Outstanding Lead Actor in the Emmy Awards history. As a nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor of a Drama Series, Lee Jungjae won the trophy after competing with Jeremy Strong and Brian Cox of Succession, Jason Bateman of Ozark, Bob Odenkirk of Better Call Saul, and Adam Scott of Severance, etc. During the acceptance speech, Lee Jungjae said, “I’d like to share this joy with everyone watching in Korea and with my precious family, friends, and fans.” Now, Actor Lee Jungjae is the winner of the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, and the Emmy Awards. 

Squid Game challenged a total of 6 awards at the Emmys this year, including Outstanding Picture, Outstanding Directing, Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Lead Actor (Lee Jungjae), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Oh Youngsoo & Park Haesoo), and Outstanding Supporting Actress (Jeong Hoyeon). Sadly, it failed to win Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actress, Outstanding Writing, and Outstanding Picture. 

Season 2 of Squid Game, which depicts a survival game in which people risk their lives to win a prize of 45.6 billion won, is currently in production. 

Image source: Television Academy Youtube