South Korean superstar Lee Jung Jae made history at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards 2022 after winning Best Actor in a Drama Series for his stupendous performance in the Korean breakout show, Squid Game. He became the first Asian actor to win in that category.

“Thank you to the Television Academy, thank you to Netflix and thank you to the director for making realistic problems we all face come to life so creatively on the screen with a great script. Thank you, Squid Game team. Thank you to everyone watching in Korea,” a smiling Lee Jung Jae said in English and Korean, via an interpreter.

In June 2022, Netflix confirmed that the South Korean breakout show of 2021, Squid Game, is coming back for a second season. In an official statement, Hwang Dong Hyuk, the director, writer and executive producer of Squid Game, confirmed the return of Lee Jung Jae and Lee Byung Hun. He also hinted at the return of Gong Yoo and that there will be another deadly doll. "It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year. But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever. As the writer, director and producer of Squid Game, a huge shout out to fans around the world. Thank you for watching and loving our show. And now, Gi-hun returns. The Front Man returns. , Season 2 is coming. The man in the suit with ddakji might be back. You'll also be introduced to Young-hee's boyfriend, Cheol Su. Join us once more for a whole new round," he said in a statement.

Lee Jung Jae's character’s return was teased at the very end of the first season where he appears to have decided to put a stop to the brutal annual games. The Front Man, played by Lee Byung Hun, is the main antagonist and boss of the deadly games that pit 456 cash-strapped players against each other for an astounding cash prize of 45.6 billion won. The Squid Game creator also teased the possible return of Jung Ho Yeon, who plays the North Korean refugee contestant on the series, as her own evil twin sister.

Back in October 2021, Netflix confirmed Squid Game had become the biggest launch in the streaming giant’s history by drawing 111 million viewers in its first month on the platform. The Korean series surpassed the previous mark set by Bridgerton, through the first 28 days, which was seen by 82 million households after its debut. In November 2021, Netflix confirmed that Squid Game became the most-watched show or film ever, with 1.6 billion hours of viewership.

Meanwhile, Lee Jung Jae has an array of line-up. His directorial debut Hunt was released last month in South Korea to booming box office numbers. He has landed his first major American studio joining Disney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte. The South Korean actor will star alongside Amandla Stenberg and Jodie Turner-Smith. He is also set to reprise his role as a manic killer in Ray, a spin-off series from the 2020 Korean action-horror film Deliver Us From Evil.

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