The nominations for the 2025 Emmy have recently been revealed, but unfortunately Squid Game didn’t make the list. According to Screenrant, when the popular korean drama first aired back in 2021, it had been nominated for 14 Primetime Awards and secured six wins, which includes Outstanding Lead Actor for Lee Jung-jae (The Acolyte, Hunt) and Directing for Hwang Dong-hyuk (Silenced, The Fortress). It was quite a shock to discover that the second season wasn’t nominated for any of categories this year.
In an interview with Screenrant, Netflix’s chief content officer, Bela Bajaria expresses her disappointment about the series “Squid Game had an incredible cultural impact. Biggest show in the world,” [said Bajaria]. “That first season really made Emmy history, and people loved this last season too. I am disappointed for Director Hwang and the cast. For Director Hwang to not be recognized in that way, considering the amount of audiences around the world who loved it so much and that it really resonated with people… I’m disappointed when it doesn’t get recognized in the way that it should have.”
Bajaria continues her statement with Screenrant, voicing her thoughts of the lack of nominations doesn’t take away the series’ status, “Netflix’s crown jewel… but here’s the thing, I think if you’re really looking at excellence in television and excellence in storytelling, it is in every single way. So when you deliver that, yes, it’s surprising when it doesn’t get recognized.”
According to Screenrant, the second season has maintained the same elements that made the series recognizable, focusing on character development, storyline, and themes. However, when the final season arrived, the series appeared to lose its momentum. While the second season missed out on opportunities for recognition, the final season of Squid Game will be eligible for next year’s Emmys.
All three season of the Squid Game are available to stream on Netflix.