K-Content Overcomes 1-Inch 'Subtitle Barrier'... "Won't Be the Last Emmy"

Squid Game's Non-English Emmy Win Draws Global Attention
LA Times: "Opportunity for Season 2 as Well"

On the 12th (local time), at the press room of the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, USA, director Hwang Dong-hyuk (right), who won the Best Director award in the drama category at the 74th Emmy Awards for "Squid Game," and Lee Jung-jae, who won the Best Actor award in the drama category, posed holding their trophies.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] A Korean actor performing in Korean in 'K-content' has taken center stage at the most prestigious awards ceremony in the American broadcasting industry. Netflix's original Korean drama "Squid Game" achieved a remarkable feat as the first non-English language drama to win major categories such as Best Director and Best Actor at the Emmy Awards. As Squid Game broke through the "1-inch (subtitle) barrier" and shattered the 74-year stronghold of the Emmys, foreign media also unanimously focused on the new history they wrote.

On the 12th (local time) at the Emmy Awards ceremony held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles (LA), California, director Hwang Dong-hyuk (51) and actor Lee Jung-jae (50) each took home the trophies for Best Director and Best Actor. With these wins, Squid Game achieved six Emmy Awards.

The significance of Squid Game's wins lies in the fact that it is a non-English language content achievement in the global content market, which is mainly centered around the English-speaking world. The New York Times (NYT) in an article titled "Squid Game and Lee Jung-jae Rewrite Emmy History" introduced, "The series, which deals with real-world concerns about Korea's wealth gap and moral collapse, has become a global phenomenon," adding, "Squid Game-style tracksuits and black masks inspired many Halloween costumes, and there was a surge of interest in dalgona candy."

After its release on Netflix, Squid Game recorded a cumulative viewing time of 1.65045 billion hours over 28 days, signaling a syndrome. Converted, this amounts to 188,000 years. It was the highest viewing record in Netflix history. It achieved an overwhelming performance with over 1 billion hours more than the previous number one, "Bridgerton: Season 1" (625.49 million hours).

At a press conference, Lee Jung-jae said, "It seems that the difference in language is not very important, as proven by Squid Game's win," adding, "What matters is that many people empathize with the message and theme of the work, and I am glad that Squid Game met that."

The LA Times evaluated, "(This win) is not just a grand night for Squid Game but has historic significance as the first Emmy win for a Korean and an Asian," adding, "This has raised expectations for other foreign-language works to win Emmys in the future." It further stated, "Squid Game, one of the most-watched programs on Netflix, has already been approved for a second season," and predicted, "This drama is likely to have more opportunities to win Emmys going forward."

Conscious of the American drama system, which is usually produced over several years, director Hwang Dong-hyuk expressed in his acceptance speech, "I hope this is not my last Emmy," and declared, "I will return with Season 2." As with HBO's "Succession," which competed with Squid Game this year, the world’s attention is once again focused on whether Squid Game's winning streak will continue with Season 2.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.