Emmy wins for ‘Squid Game’ actor Lee Jung-jae and director Hwang Dong-hyuk

By Heather Chen, CNN

Smash Netflix series “Squid Game” racked up multiple wins at Monday’s Emmy Awards, with South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae winning outstanding lead actor in a drama series and director Hwang Dong-hyuk taking the award for top director of the same.

Set in Seoul, the dystopian series which became the biggest show in Netflix’s history, saw hundreds of contestants in need of money play deadly children’s games to win cash prizes.

Lee played Player 456, a single cash-strapped father who entered the game and ultimately won.

After accepting his award, Lee thanked director Hwang “for making a realistic problem we all face come to life so creatively on the screen with a great script and amazing visuals.”

Lee is the first South Korean actor to win in the outstanding lead actor category. Hwang said he hoped his Emmy as outstanding director in a drama series won’t be his last.

“On to season two,” he told the audience.

The show became a pop culture phenomenon when it debuted last September and was the first non-English language series nominated for the outstanding drama series at the Emmys. It received 14 nominations at this year’s awards.

Lee prevailed over nominees Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), Jason Bateman (Ozark), Jeremy Strong (Succession), Adam Scott (Severance) and Brian Cox (Succession).

The-CNN-Wire
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