After a celebrated debut season, Squid Game made history by earning 14 Emmy nominations. The Netflix drama became the first Korean-language series to break through at the Primetime Emmy Awards, with nods in the top categories, including Outstanding Drama Series.
Other notable nominations include Jung Ho-yeon for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Lee Jung-jae for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Park Hae-soo and O Yeong-su for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Jung Ho-yeon for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Lee You-mi for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
Squid Game also picked up noms in writing and directing categories.
The news came on Tuesday, when JB Smoove and Melissa Fumero revealed the full list of nominees for the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards.
The recognition for Squid Game comes after a historic run during the past 2021-2022 awards season, with wins at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Independent Spirit Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The series was also nominated for multiple British Academy Television Awards and Television Critics Association Awards.
“Season 1 was, like, kind of the best in the history of Netflix,” creator Hwang Dong-hyuk told ET, explaining that it’ll be hard to top despite being renewed. “It’s such pressure for me, you know, and I’d like to please people [who are] waiting for season 2.”
And they’ll indeed have to wait, with the series not slated to return to Netflix until 2023 or 2024.
The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards will be handed out live Monday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.