'Squid Game' and director Ryoo Seung-wan win grand prize trophies at Baeksang Arts Awards

Recipients of the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards pose for a photo with their trophies on Friday night at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi. [ILGAN SPORTS]

Netflix series "Squid Game" (2021) and director Ryoo Seung-wan of action blockbuster “Escape from Mogadishu” (2021) took home the grand prize trophies at the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards held at the Korea International Exhibition Center (Kintex) in Goyang, Gyeonggi, on Friday night.

"Squid Game" won the grand prize in the television division of the award ceremony for its worldwide success. The Netflix series was the most-watched series on the platform upon its release last year, garnering over 1.65 billion hours of view time in the first 28 days after its release.

To receive the award, "Squid Game" cast members including Lee Jung-jae and Hoyeon, series director Hwang Dong-hyuk and CEO of the Netflix show's production company Siren Pictures Kim Ji-yeon attended the ceremony.

"We didn't have the confidence that [the show] could go out to the world," Kim said during her acceptance speech. "I hope all those in the content industry will get hope and courage."

The series also nabbed two other prizes — Best TV Director and Best Technical Achievement in Television — at the ceremony on Friday.

Some of the other award-winners in the TV section were Netflix's "D.P" (2021) which took Best Drama, Best Supporting Actor and Best New Actor in Television; Netflix's "Juvenile Justice" (2022) for Best Screenplay; and tvN's "Twenty Five Twenty One" (2022) for Best Actress in Television.

Director Ryoo of the action film "Escape from Mogadishu" took the grand prize in the movie division.

"I [can't believe I'm] receiving this award in my name and not the movie's," said Ryoo during his acceptance speech for the grand prize. "I'm grateful to the crew who worked with me and the actors who relied on me."

Hwang's film surpassed 3 million in ticket sales on Sunday, 33 days after its release on July 28, casting aside the record set by Marvel’s "Black Widow” of 2.96 million admissions, to become the most-watched film at the local box office last year.

“Escape from Mogadishu” was also awarded Best Film and Best Technical Achievement in Film in the recent Baeksang Arts Award.

“Escape from Mogadishu” is based on a true story that took place in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, in 1991 as North and South Korean embassy workers banded together to escape the civil war. A star cast including Kim Yoon-seok and Zo In-sung portray the South Korean embassy workers while Huh Joon-ho and Koo Kyo-hwan portray those from the North.

Other movies and actors that received awards were "King Maker" (2022) for Best Film Director, Leading Actor in Film and Supporting Actor in Film; "Perhaps Love" (2021) for New Film Director; and "Hot Blooded" (2022) for New Actor in Film.

The award ceremony was held with a live audience as Korea alleviated social distancing rules, though everyone still had to wear masks. It was the first time in two years for the ceremony to be held with a live audience.

Comedian Shin Dong-yeob, singer-actor Bae Suzy and actor Park Bo-gum were the M.C.s of the event.

Established in 1964, the Baeksang Arts Awards is an annual awards ceremony organized by JTBC Plus and Ilgan Sports. It awards directors, actors and crew members in television and film.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]