Set in Seoul, the dystopian series that became the biggest show in Netflix history saw hundreds of cash-strapped contestants play deadly children’s games to win cash prizes.
Lee played player 456, a cash-strapped single father who entered the game and eventually won.
The show became a pop culture phenomenon when it premiered last September and was the first non-English language series to be nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmys. It received 14 nominations for this year’s awards. Lee is the first South Korean actor to win in the Outstanding Lead Actor category.
After accepting his award, Lee thanked director Hwang “for making a realistic problem we all face so creatively come to life on screen with a fantastic script and amazing visuals.”
The show’s creator, Hwang, said he hoped his Emmy for Outstanding Director in a Drama Series would not be his last.
“I want to say thank you to the Television Academy for this honor and also a big thank you to Netflix,” he said in his speech and gave a shout out to Netflix boss Ted Sarandos.
“In season two,” he told the audience.
Speaking earlier with CNN, Hwang shared his inspiration for Squid Game, saying it was “a personal story” that also reflected “competitive society.”
“This is a story about losers,” he said, those who struggle with the challenges of everyday life and fall behind, while “winners level up.”
Back in South Korea, many shared pride in the Emmy wins. “Lee Jung-jae made another mark (for) the Korean film industry,” one South Korean viewer wrote on Twitter. Another called it a “historic moment” for the Korean film industry.
President Yoon Suk Yeol congratulated Hwang and Lee on their awards and said that Lee had honed his skills through dramas and movies.
“Actor Lee Jung-jae’s outstanding performance has gathered the character and the hearts of viewers,” Yoon wrote on his Facebook page.
Actor Lee beat nominees Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), Jason Bateman (Ozark), Jeremy Strong (Succession), Adam Scott (Severance) and Brian Cox (Succession).