ED Another K-content milestone
'Squid Game' actor makes history by winning Golden Globe
O Yeong-su has become the first Korean actor to clinch a Golden Globe for his role in “Squid Game.” The 77-year-old star, who plays Oh Il-nam in the hit Netflix series, won the Best Supporting Actor in Television Award Sunday. His triumph marks the first time a Korean TV drama or actor was nominated and won a Golden Globe.
His victory represents another milestone for K-content, after “Parasite” swept four Academy Awards in 2020 and Youn Yuh-jung won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Minari” last year. “Squid Game” was also nominated for two other awards, including Best Television Series, but regrettably it failed to win them.
While his career spans decades, O was largely known for his theatrical work until he was cast in “Squid Game.” The actor debuted on the silver screen in “The Seashore Village” (1965) and also appeared in director Kim Ki-duk's “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter … and Spring” (2003). In fact, he declined an offer to be the face of an ad campaign by a local fried chicken brand, saying that his endorsement of the product might undermine the significance of “Squid Game.” After learning about his Golden Globe win, he showed his humility by saying, “After hearing the news, I told myself, 'You are a good guy,' for the first time.”
“Squid Game” is the most-watched Netflix show of all time. It attracted around 140 million viewers around the world since its release in September. The dystopian series topped the service's global top 10 streaming chart for 53-consecutive days. It also created a global craze for the props and games featured in the series.
“Squid Game” has proven yet again that K-content can be at the center of the global entertainment market and that what is made here can appeal to a worldwide audience. The government should draw up a slew of support measures so that the potential of K-content can spread across the world. Among these tasks, the most urgent one is to remove reverse discrimination against homegrown over-the-top (OTT) service providers.