Hwang Dong-hyuk

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk gained global recognition early in his career with his short film Miracle Mile, which was invited to over 40 international film festivals and won several awards, including the DGA Student Film Awards and Student Emmy Award. The film tells the story of a young adopted Korean man and showcased Hwang’s talent for storytelling.

He received critical acclaim for his work across various genres, exploring profound themes in his films from his debut feature My Father to Silenced, Miss Granny, and The Fortress. In 2021, Hwang created an authentically Korean survival-themed series, the Netflix sensation Squid Game. The series topped Netflix’s Top 10 chart in 94 countries and became a global phenomenon with over 142 million households watching it for more than 1.65 billion hours in the first 28 days of its release.

Squid Game won the 2021 Breakthrough Series – Over 40 Minutes at the Gotham Awards and the Bingeworthy Show of 2021 at the People’s Choice Awards, as well as the AFI Special Award. Its cinematic quality was recognized with nominations for the 79th Golden Globe Awards, Best Drama Series at the 27th Critics’ Choice Awards, and the Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama at the 33rd Producers Guild of America Awards. The series, a twisted tale of desperate adults playing deadly childhood games, garnered immense public acclaim. Everything about Squid Game, from its art, music, and games, became a social phenomenon, sparking global interest in Korean culture. Hwang’s exceptional direction earned him the Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series award at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards®, making him the first Asian winner, the first native Korean winner, and the first win for a non-English language series in the category.