'Squid Game' director, lead star receive nat'l cultural medal

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- Hit Netflix series "Squid Game" director Hwang Dong-hyuk and lead star Lee Jung-jae on Tuesday received South Korea's highest national cultural medal for their contribution to the country's content industry, the presidential office said.

President Yoon Suk Yeol presented the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest class of South Korean cultural decoration, to Hwang and Lee at his office in Seoul, commending them for their role in the national film industry.

In September, Hwang and Lee won the awards for best director and best actor in a drama series, respectively, at the 74th Emmy awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

Earlier, Yoon sent a congratulatory message for Hwang, saying that his "fierce efforts and talent," as displayed over the course of his career through films such as "Silenced" and "Miss Granny," led to the Emmy award.

In a separate message to Lee, Yoon said his "remarkable performance" merged his character and the hearts of viewers.

graceoh@yna.co.kr
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