‘Squid Game’ sweeps Gold Derby TV Awards with 6 wins

A scene from "Squid Game" Season 3. Courtesy of Netflix

Netflix’s “Squid Game” has once again shown its worldwide dominance, sweeping six honors at the 22nd Gold Derby TV Awards in the United States.

The winners, announced Tuesday, saw the series clinch Best Drama Series for Seasons 2 and 3, while its stars collected major acting prizes.

Lee Jung-jae, who portrays protagonist Seong Gi-hun, was named Best Actor, while Kang Ae-shim won Best Supporting Actress and Choi Seung-hyun, better known as T.O.P from BIGBANG, received Best Supporting Actor.

Gong Yoo earned the Guest Performer Award for his high-profile special appearance, and the cast as a whole was recognized with Ensemble of the Year.

The six awards highlight the show’s enduring cultural footprint, nearly four years after its debut sparked a global phenomenon.

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk appeared via video to thank fans and organizers.

“We are deeply grateful to Gold Derby and to all the fans who continue to support Squid Game and our actors,” he said. “Sometimes predictions turn out to be disappointing, but those moments are balanced by honors like this. We’ll keep striving to deliver stories worth watching.”

The Gold Derby Awards, which spotlight the year’s most notable television dramas, films, and variety shows, recognized content released between 2024 and 2025.

Despite its popularity — “Squid Game" Season 2 recently ranked as Netflix’s second-most popular non-English series of all time — the drama was notably absent from the nomination list for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards announced last month.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.