'Squid Game' director receives Creator Tribute at Gotham Awards

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director behind Netflix's global phenomenon “Squid Game” (2021-), received the Creator Tribute at the Gotham Awards on Monday.

"Squid Game" (2021-) Director Hwang Dong-hyuk receives the Creator Tribute at the Gotham Awards on June 3. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director behind Netflix's global phenomenon “Squid Game” (2021-), received the Creator Tribute at the Gotham Awards on Monday.

“The miracle still continues,” the director said while describing the series’ unexpected and continued popularity in his acceptance speech, made in English, at the ceremony in New York.

“[When] ‘Squid Game’ won the Breakthrough Series Award […] I remember in my speech I said something like, it was a miracle. Four years from the night I stand here again, holding this glorious trophy. I believe that miracle still continues.”

The director recounted how the series had been a “Korean script everyone had said ‘no’ to” to becoming the “world’s most beloved show after 12 years.”

He thanked the people who supported him in creating the series before concluding his speech with promises to be humble.

“This trophy is not fancy or shiny compared to other trophies such as the Emmys or Oscars,” he said while pointing to the Gotham Awards trophy.

“I think they’re trying to tell people not to be blinded by the glamor of your successful achievements, but to carry the weight of the responsibilities that come with this trophy as you move on. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The Gotham Awards introduced the Creator Tribute category last year to recognize artists and creators who enrich and push the boundaries of TV to make an indelible impact on the medium.

The institute selected Hwang as its recipient for “combining high-stakes storytelling with sharp cultural commentary” in creating the Netflix series, according to a statement.

Actor Lee Jeong jae, Director Hwang Dong-hyuk and actor Lee Byung-hun enter a media event for the premiere of the second season of ″Squid Game″ (2021-) in Jung District, central Seoul, on Dec. 9, 2024. [NEWS1]

Actor Lee Jeong-jae, who plays the main protagonist Seong Gi-hun in “Squid Game,” introduced Hwang as a visionary before presenting the award.

"What truly sets [Squid Game] apart is the depth of director Hwang's vision," Lee said.

"Beneath the suspense and visuals is a powerful critique of inequality, desperation and human resistance," he said.

“Squid Game,” a thriller series about desperate individuals participating in dangerous games to win a cash prize, won numerous accolades, including from the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Emmys. Its third and final season will premiere on June 27.

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]