‘Squid Game’ Eligible For Primetime Emmy Nomination, Television Academy Says

Netflix’s mega-successful Korean-language survival series “Squid Game” is eligible for a Primetime Emmy nomination, according to the Television Academy.

The most-watched series of all time on the streaming service could get a nod ahead of the upcoming awards season as it was produced under guidance from Netflix, an American company. As such, it is eligible for a spot in the Primetime Emmy race.

In a statement to Variety about “Squid Game’s” status, the Television Academy confirmed that the violent and controversial show can indeed get a nod for an Emmy because it was produced with the intent of being distributed in the U.S.

However, the makers of the hit series will have to choose between the Primetime Emmys and International Emmys. Since it was produced internationally, it is eligible to enter the International Emmys. Should the show enter the global counterpart of the Emmys, it won’t be allowed to enter the U.S.-centric version of the awards-giving ceremony. This is because the TV Academy does not allow Emmy double-dipping.

If “Squid Game” were to enter the Primetime Emmys, it will face a lot of competitors considering the volume of eligible entrants every year. Moreover, the Emmys are known for rarely favoring shows with very violent content, Variety noted.

Nevertheless, many fans of the hit show are already claiming that “Squid Game” could follow in the footsteps of 2019’s “Parasite,” the South Korean movie that won the Academy Award for best picture despite being a non-English language film.

In related news, Netflix has decided to edit some scenes of “Squid Game” that showed a real phone number after its owner was bombarded with calls following the success of the show.

The streaming giant and local production company Siren Pictures said Wednesday that the scenes showing the phone number in the invitation card given to potential players in the series will be edited because the South Korean woman who owns the working number has been receiving thousands of calls ever since the show premiered, according to Reuters.

“Squid Game” is a show about an underground system that subjects cash-strapped people into a series of children’s games with the promise of a huge cash prize in the end for the winner. However, failure to pass any of the games or violating any of the rules would result in a contestant’s death.