The "Squid Game" mania lives on as Lee Jung Jae and director Hwang Dong Hyuk land a successful milestone at the Emmy Award 2022. Top-notch stars, directors, and TV personalities gathered at the Los Angeles' Microsoft Theater to celebrate the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Hosted by "Saturday Night Live" cast Kenan Thompson, the annual event honors tv shows and content that creates awareness, educates and entertains audiences.
Lee Jung Jae Wins Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Deserving stars, filmmakers, and creatives took home various awards, one of them is Lee Jung Jae who bagged Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, eclipsing Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong (Succession), Adam Scott (Severance), Jason Bateman (Ozark), and Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul).
Interestingly, the 49-year-old South Korean star made history as the first Asian actor to win the said title.
This is for Lee Jung Jae's outstanding role in "Squid Game'' where he played the debt-ridden Seong Gi Hun, a.k.a player 456.
During his acceptance speech, he took the opportunity to thank Netflix, the Television Academy, "Squid Game" creator Hwang Dong Hyuk, and the whole cast and crew.
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Once again, he expressed his gratitude to viewers, fans, family, and more for showing support for the Netflix series.
"To everyone watching from Korea, my friends, family, and dearest fans, I want to share this joy with you. Thank you," he said in Korean.
Ahead of the annual ceremony, various foreign outlets predicted that Lee Jung Jae will take home his first-ever Emmy Award win for his excellent performance in "Squid Game."
Apart from his Emmy Award 2022 win, the renowned South Korean star also bagged for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in SAG Awards 2021 while co-star Jung Ho Yeon went emotional after scoring her first award in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series category.
Hwang Dong Hyuk Hailed As Best Director at Emmy Awards 2022
Adding to the list of achievements is Hwang Dong Hyuk's recognition after taking home the Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and being the first-ever win for a non-English language drama.
The 51-year-old South Korean filmmaker beat directors of "Succession," "Ozark," "Severance," and "Yellowjackets."
In his acceptance speech, Hwang Dong Hyuk humbly expressed his appreciation to the public.
The renowned filmmaker believes that he "don't think I made history by myself" despite several people acknowledging it, however, he pointed out that it was the public, fans, and viewers "who opened up the doors for 'Squid Game,' inviting us here tonight at the Emmys."
Moreover, he also hoped that the Netflix series would not be the last non-English content to score recognition in Emmy Awards.
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Written by Geca Wills
