▲ This image provided by the Critics Choice Awards highlights Lee Jung-jae winning Best Actor in a Drama Series at the ceremony held in Los Angeles on March 13, 2022. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ This image provided by Netflix shows a scene from "Squid Game." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Squid Game-Critics Choice

(LEAD) 'Squid Game' wins best foreign language series, best actor at Critics Choice

(ATTN: UPDATES with Lee's prize throughout; ADDS new photo)

SEOUL, March 14 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean sensation "Squid Game" has won best non-English language TV series and best actor at this year's Critics Choice Awards.

At the ceremony held by the Critics Choice Association in Los Angeles on Sunday (U.S. time), "Squid Game" was named Best Foreign Language Series and its lead Lee Jung-jae won Best Actor in a Drama Series.

For the best foreign language award, the all-Korean Netflix original competed with the Mexican comedy "Acapulco," the French comedy drama "Call My Agent!" the French thriller "Lupin," the Spanish crime action series "Money Heist" and the American-Mexican crime drama "Narcos: Mexico."

It is the first time that a South Korea-made TV show has won a prize at the Critics Choice, given by a group of 500 film and TV broadcast critics in North America.

On the film side, in 2020, the Oscar-winning satire "Parasite" grabbed best foreign language film, while director Bong Joon-ho won best direction.

Last year, "Minari," a drama film about a Korean American immigrant family, won best foreign language film.

By taking home the best actor trophy, Lee became the second South Korean to win a title at the Critics Choice, following director Bong two years ago.

The actor beat five other candidates, including Sterling K. Brown of "This Is Us," Mike Colter of "Evil," Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong of "Succession" and Billy Porter of "Pose." Lee is the only non-English performer among the nominees.

It marked the third consecutive week that he received a best actor honor for his role in "Squid Game" following the ones from the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The nine-part survival drama depicts a mysterious deadly contest, in which heavily debt-ridden people attempt to win 45.6 billion won (US$37.9 million) in prize money.

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