‘Squid Game’ wins 4 Emmys for the first time as non-English TV show

Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, the most prestigious award in the U.S. TV industry, for the first time as a non-English TV show. The show won a total of four awards, including the award for Outstanding Guest Actress for Lee Yoo-mi who played the role of Ji-yeong in the show.

At the 74th edition of the Creative Arts Emmy, which was held in the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (local time), Lee was selected as the winner of the award for Outstanding Guest Actress. The award is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a guest starring role on a television drama series.

Lee is the first Asian actor to win an individual acting category in the Emmys. She won against other prominent candidates, including Hope Davis of ‘Succession,’ an HBO drama series. “I am so happy. I find it hard to believe,” said Lee after the award ceremony. “I will try to do my best even beyond this award.”

‘Squid Game’ also won awards for Outstanding Special Effects in a Single Episode and Outstanding Stunt Performance for one of its episodes, ‘VIPs,’ and an award for Outstanding Production Design for its episode ‘Gganbu.’ Overall, the show won four awards out of seven categories for which it was nominated, which was the first time for a non-English drama series.

The Primetime Emmy Awards, which was established in 1949, is hosted by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the U.S. and compared to the Academy Awards in the TV industry. The Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards are held before the Primetime Emmy Awards, which give awards to acting and production categories, such as programs, lead performances, supporting performances, and directing. The Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards focus on production crews in arts and technical areas while also including some acting awards.

‘Squid Game’ is nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Hwang Dong-hyuk), Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Lee Jung-jae), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Park Hae-soo and O Yeong-su), and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Jung Ho-yeon) of the Primetime Emmy Awards, which will be held on Monday (local time). As the show won four awards at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including an award for a guest actress, it’s become more likely to win awards in major categories, such as programs and lead performances, at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

O Yeong-su who played ‘Gganbu’ in the show won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in January this year for the first time as a South Korea actor. Lee Jung-jae and Jung Ho-yeon also won the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male and Female Actor in a Drama Series, respectively, in March this year, making new history for South Korean drama series.


Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com