Emmy Awards: Lee Jung-jae makes history winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Squid Game

Lee Jung-jae has made history with his Emmy Awards win on Monday Tuesday (Sept 13 Singapore time).

The Squid Game actor became the first South Korean actor and the first actor of Asian descent to win the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series thanks to his role in the Netflix series, which saw him beat out Succession's Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong, Ozark's Jason Bateman, Better Call Saul's Bob Odenkirk and Severance's Adam Scott.

Taking to the stage at Los Angeles' Microsoft Theater to accept the award, Jung-jae said: "Thank you so much, thank you so much. First, I would like to thank God above. 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 and amazing visuals. Thank you. Thank you, Squid Game team."

The 49-year-old star ended his speech by thanking fans back in South Korea.

He added: "Thank you to everyone watching in South Korea. Thank you."

The evening also saw Hwang Dong-hyuk take home the Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series accolade. The survival drama previously won four honours at the Creative Arts Emmys earlier this month, notable for Lee Yoo-mi for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

Succession, Ted Lasso and The White Lotus won the biggest prizes at this year's PrimeTime Emmy Awards.

The three programmes scooped the final trophies of the evening with Succession named Outstanding Drama Series ahead of Better Call Saul, Euphoria, Ozark, Severance, Squid Game, Stranger Things and Yellowjackets.

Showrunner Jesse Armstrong made the evening's only mention of the recent death of Queen Elizabeth and the crowning of her son Charles as King when he accepted the award.

He said: "It's a big week for successions. Evidently, there was a little bit more voting involved in our winning than King Charles."

After actor Brian Cox - who plays patriarch Logan Roy - told Jesse to "keep it royalist", the writer added: "I'm not saying we're more legitimate in our position than where he is. We'll leave that to other people. But we are incredibly grateful to have this. It is a wonderful honour."

Jesse also took home the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series award while star Matthew Macfayden won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Jason Sudeikis made his second trip on stage to accept the Outstanding Comedy Series prize for Ted Lasso, having earlier picked up the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series accolade.

He said: "Thank you so much to everyone who watches the show. Thank you for everybody who voted on the show. Thank you for everybody that works on the show. This is only an eighth of them -- everybody in the offices of Warner Bros., Apple, Doozer, that answers the calls, everybody in production, our Covid-19 squad.

"Season 2 was huge. We didn't have a single shutdown because of what you men and women did for us everybody in post-production that helped us out building these amazing football stadiums around us.

"The show is about good and evil. It's about the truth and lies. This show is about all that stuff but it's mostly about our response to those things and your response to our show has been overwhelming. Thank you, again, so much."

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The Apple TV+ show - which also won an award for directing, as well as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Brett Goldstein - beat Hacks, Abbott Elementary, Barry, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Only Murders in the Building and What We Do in the Shadows to the prize.

The White Lotus scooped Best Limited or Anthology Series ahead of Dopesick, The Dropout, Inventing Anna, and Pam and Tommy.

Taking to the stage, writer-and-director Mike White - who had earlier won awards for both writing and directing the series - acknowledged the network that brought the programme to viewers.

He said: "I forgot to thank HBO in my other speeches."

Executive producer David Bernad said: "I've been talking about this show for 15 years. It took a shared vision and unwavering trust of Casey Bloys, Francesca Orsi and Nora Skinner at HBO to bring this to life.

"To our exceptional cast and crew, you showed up every day - in the midst of global uncertainty, away from loved ones - and gave your heart and soul and passion to the show. We came together as a community to try and make something special, and through our collective efforts, we're standing here today. We share this with the entire White Lotus family."

The evening also saw Jennifer Coolidge and Murray Bartlett take home the Outstanding Supporting Actress and Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie prizes.

Elsewhere at the ceremony, which was hosted by Keenan Thompson, the Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series gong was awarded to Euphoria star Zendaya and Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series prize went to Hacks star Jean Smart.

Lizzo and Amanda Seyfried won their first Emmys, for Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Girls and The Dropout respectively, while Michael Keaton became the first actor to win five major television awards thanks to his win for Dopesick.

Primetime Emmy Awards 2022 Selected List of Winners:

Outstanding Drama Series:

Succession

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:

Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:

Zendaya, Euphoria

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:

Matthew Macfayden, Succession

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:

Julia Garner, Ozark

Outstanding Comedy Series:

Ted Lasso

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:

Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:

Jean Smart, Hacks

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:

Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

The White Lotus

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie:

Michael Keaton, Dopesick

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie:

Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie:

Murray Bartlett, The White Lotus

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie:

Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus

Outstanding Variety Talk Series:

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series:

Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Competition Program:

Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Girls