“Squid Game” Streams Records in TV History

On September 12, 2022,  the annual Emmy Awards, hosted by Kenan Thompson, were attended by hundreds of popular television actors and actresses and thousands of fans from all around the world. Among those attending the event, were several Squid Game cast members, including Lee Jung-jae, Jung Ho-yeon, Park Hae-soo, Oh Young-soo, all of whom had been nominated in several categories, along with director Hwang Dong-hyuk.

Squid Game is a 2021 hit South Korean Netflix dystopian television series about a game show featuring 456 players whom all have a common financial struggle, encouraged to play in “the Squid Game” for a $4.56 million prize. But as these players found out that their lives may also be at stake, survival and defense suddenly becomes a priority.

The series first made history with its two Primetime Emmy Awards wins in Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Lee, a first for an Asian actor to ever win the award.

Prior to the award ceremeony, the show was nominated for 14 Emmys and they left with four major victories alongside with others in guest acting, stunts production design, and visual effects. Lee took home the top acting prize and became the first person from a foreign-language show to win best actor in a drama series. Additionally, Hwang Dong-hyuk won the Emmy for best drama directing.

As Hwang finished his acceptance speech, he said that he hoped “this won’t be [his] last Emmy either” promising with the return of a second season to the show.