By Jana Monji, AsAmNews Art & Culture Reporter
Squid Game’s Hwang Dong-hyuk became the first Asian director to win the drama series category, and the first-ever director to win for a non-English language series at the Primetime Emmy ceremony on Monday night, September 12.
It would also win in one more major category–Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Lee Jung-jae (as Seong Gi-hun). Squid Game had already won awards at the 74th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards last weekend (3-4 September). Both Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Hwang beat Justin Bateman (Ozark), Ben Stiller (Severance), Mark Myeloid (Succession), Cathy Yan (Succession), Lorene Scarfaria (Succession) and Karyn Kusama (Yellowjackets). Hwang won for the infamous episode Red Light, Green Light.
Mindful of time, Hwang didn’t use his interpreter, but thanked the TV Academy and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive officer and chief content officer for Netflix. Hwang also said:
Since “Squid Game” got 14 nomination at the Emmys, people keep telling me, like, I made history. But I don’t think I made history by myself, because it was you who open up the doors to “Squid Game,” invited us here tonight at the Emmys. So I believe I have to say we made all history together.
And 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. Thank you.
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Lee also thanked the academy and Netflix as well as Hwang. Of Hwang he said, “And thank you to director Hwang for making a realistic problem we all face come to life so creatively on the screen with great scripts and amazing visuals.” He went on to thank the Squid Game teams and everyone watching in South Korea. Also nominated in the same category was Bateman (Ozark), Brian Cox (Succession), Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), Adam Scott (Severance) and Jeremy Strong (Succession). Lee was the first Asian actor to win in this category and the fourth person of Asian descent to win an acting Emmy.
Other winners of Asian descent were Iranian American Shohreh Aghdashloo (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie) for House of Saddam in 2008, Indian Brit Archie Panjabi (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series) for The Good Wife in 2010, Filipino American Darren Criss (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie) for The Assassination of Gianna Versace: American Crime Story in 2018 and British Pakistani Riz Ahmed for (Outstanding Actor in a Limited Series or Movie) The Night Of in 2017.
Backstage, Lee commented via an English interpreter: In the past, when we would create something Korean and take that overseas in terms of the content, we wanted them to see our story and our culture, and I think now because we have so many methods of communication, it allows us to instantly connect…so I feel that if we feel that truly in our hearts that something that we made is great and very entertaining, that naturally translates overseas and is understood and enjoyed.”
Squid Game was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama series (O Yeong-su and Park Hae-soo), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (HoYeon Jung) and Outstanding Writing for a Drama series (Hwang). Outstanding Drama series went to Succession. Matthew Macfadyen won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for HBO’s Succession. Julia Garner took Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for another Netflix series, Ozark. Jesse Armstrong won Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the episode All the Bells Say of Succession.
Other AAPI nominees included Korean American Sandra Oh for Killing Eve (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series), Lebanese American Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and Australian-born Chinese Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Vietnamese Chinese American Ali Wong for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special (Ali Wong) and Iranian American Zhubin Parang as part of a team of writers for The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Globe – Hungary for Democracy.
In all, Squid Game received 14 Emmy nominations and won in six categories.
For the Creative Emmy Awards last week, Squid Game won the following awards:
Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode
Squid Game • VIPS • Netflix
Siren Pictures for Netflix
Cheong Jai-hoon, VFX Supervisor Kang Moon-jung, CG Supervisor (3D) Kim Hye-jin, VFX Producer Jo Hyun-jin, Layout Lead Kim Seong-cheol, Matte Painting Supervisor Lee Jae-bum, Animation Supervisor Shin Min-soo, CG Supervisor (2D) Seok Jong-yeon, Compositing Supervisor Jun Sung-man, Compositing Supervisor
Outstanding Stunt Performance
Squid Game • Stick To the Team • Netflix
Siren Pictures for Netflix
Lim Tae-hoon, Stunt Performer Shim Sang-min, Stunt Performer Kim Cha-i, Stunt Performer Lee Tae-young, Stunt Performer
Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
Squid Game • Gganbu • Netflix
Siren Pictures for Netflix
Chae Kyoung-sun, Production Designer Gim En-jee, Art Director Kim Jeong-gon, Set Decorator
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Squid Game • Gganbu • Netflix
Siren Pictures for Netflix
Lee You-mi as Ji-yeong
There were other firsts at the Monday night ceremony. Zendaya became the first Black woman to win the lead actress in a drama series, as well as the youngest two-time winner of any Emmy in history. Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso) became the first back-to-back winner since Jeremy Piven for Entourage back in 2007.
The full list of winners are:
Drama Series: Succession (HBO)
Comedy Series: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Limited or Anthology Series: The White Lotus (HBO)
Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game)
Writing for a Drama Series: Succession • All The Bells Say • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, HyperObject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions — Written by Jesse Armstrong
Directing for a Comedy Series: Ted Lasso • No Weddings And A Funeral • Apple TV+ • Apple presents a Doozer Production in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television — Directed by MJ Delaney
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart (Hacks)
Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Zendaya (Euphoria)
Directing for a Drama Series: Squid Game • Red Light, Green Light • Netflix • Siren Pictures for Netflix — Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk
Writing for a Comedy Series: Abbott Elementary • Pilot • ABC • Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and 20th Television — Written by Quinta Brunson
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special: Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Rotten Science, Written by Jerrod Carmichael
Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: The White Lotus • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Rip Cord, The District and Hallogram Inc. Written by Mike White
Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: The White Lotus • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Rip Cord, The District and Hallogram Inc. — Directed by Mike White
Competition Program: Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Prime Video)
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie: Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie: Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)
Variety Talk Series: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
Variety Sketch Series: Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary)
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Julia Garner (Ozark)
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Matthew Macfadyen (Succession)
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie: Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus)
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie: Michael Keaton (Dopesick)
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