‘Squid Game’ Set To Receive Special Award From American Film Institute In January

Netflix’s biggest hit "Squid Game" is part of the roster of movies and television programs that will receive special recognition from the American Film Institute (AFI) in January 2022.

AFI recently unveiled the honorees for the 2021 AFI Awards on its website. The honorees include 10 outstanding movies and 10 outstanding television programs which were deemed "culturally and artistically representative of this year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image."

The nine-episode Korean series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk has taken the world by storm and is the only foreign TV show among this year’s AFI honorees.

Additional honorees were selected to receive Special Awards that are presented for "works of excellence," and these do not fall under AFI’s categories in American film and television.

"Squid Game" joins "Belfast," a coming-of-age comedy-drama starring Irish actress Caitríona Balfe and veteran Judi Dench, and "Summer Of Soul," a documentary based on the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, in the Special Awards category of AFI.

The 2021 AFI awardees will be honored in a ceremony on Jan. 2, 2022.

"Squid Game" recently bagged the award for Breakthrough Series – Long Format, at the 31st Annual Gotham Awards held in New York City on Nov. 30.

The dystopian drama edged out other title contenders, including, "The Good Lord Bird," "It's a Sin," "Small Axe," "The Underground Railroad" and "The White Lotus."

On Wednesday, "Squid Game" was also announced as the winner of The Bingeworthy Show of 2021 at People’s Choice Awards.

The highly-acclaimed series also won six trophies at the 2021 Asia Artist Awards: Grand Prize for Television Award, Hot Trend Award, Actor of the Year (Lee Jung-Jae), Fabulous Award (Lee Jung-Jae), Best Actor Awards for Heo Sung-tae and Kim Joo-ryoung.

At the Gotham Awards, Siren Pictures CEO Kim Ji-Yeon thanked fans of the show all over the world.

"Since the show was released on September 17th, so many miracles have happened, and among them, the most miraculous thing is that it was made in Korea. It was a huge support from all over the world for a small show. I don't think I can thank you more than this, but I want to send the best possible thanks to the fans of the 'Squid Game' around the world," Kim Ji-Yeon said.