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Despite being one of Netflix’s most-watched shows, Squid Game Season 2 failed to earn a single nomination at the 2025 Emmy Awards, marking a stark contrast from its historic run in 2022. The Korean drama’s second installment, despite drawing over 192 million global views, was completely shut out of this year’s Emmy consideration. This was particularly surprising given the series’ past performance—just three years ago, Squid Game made history by becoming the first non-English-language series to receive a nomination for Best Drama Series and went on to win six major awards, including Best Actor for Lee Jung Jae and Best Directing for the debut episode, Red Light, Green Light. The total absence of nominations in 2025 has left fans and critics stunned, especially after such a record-breaking introduction to the Emmy stage.
Among the biggest surprises was the show’s exclusion from the Best Drama Series category. There were eight open nomination slots, and industry experts had predicted that Squid Game would at least squeak into one of them. Forecasts from sites like Gold Derby even placed the show precariously in eighth place leading up to the vote. However, the final list included other high-profile contenders like The Last of Us, Severance, The White Lotus, Andor, The Diplomat, Slow Horses, Paradise, and The Pitt, leaving Squid Game entirely off the table. Although Season 2 maintained significant popularity among viewers, its critical reception dropped slightly, with an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes compared to Season 1’s 95%. That dip in acclaim may have played a role in the Academy’s decision to overlook the series this time.
The snubs didn’t stop at the series level. Lee Jung Jae, who previously made history as the first Asian actor to win Best Actor in a Drama Series, was noticeably absent from the acting nominations. His performance in Season 2, though still praised by fans, seemingly didn’t resonate as strongly with voters. This omission highlighted the broader Emmy disinterest in the second season. Many felt the decision was a major blow to the actor, especially considering the impact his Season 1 performance had on international recognition for non-English dramas.
Other key cast members also saw their hopes dashed in the supporting categories. Choi Seung Hyun, known as T.O.P., who portrayed Player 230—a bankrupt cryptocurrency investor desperate to win the game—had become a breakout topic on social media but failed to land a nomination. Similarly, Park Sung Hoon, who played a transgender former soldier, and Lee Byung Hun, who reprised his sinister role as the enigmatic Front Man, were left out. Actresses Kang Ae Shim and Park Gyu Young, both lauded for their emotionally layered roles as a heartbroken mother and a rebellious North Korean defector, respectively, also did not receive recognition. The absence of nominations across the board signaled a stark shift in how the Emmy voters perceived the second chapter of the globally beloved show.
Behind the scenes, even Squid Game creator Hwang Dong Hyuk couldn’t escape the Emmy cold shoulder. Having previously won Best Directing in 2022, Hwang had carefully strategized his submissions this year to avoid splitting votes between episodes. He submitted Bread and Lottery for writing and O X for directing—two installments that featured pivotal plot developments and strong character arcs. Yet, despite these focused efforts and his proven track record, neither submission earned a nomination. The Academy’s decision to pass over Hwang, even after his prior accolades and continued creative control over the series, served as the final confirmation of Season 2’s fall from Emmy favor. For fans and industry insiders alike, the total shutout marked a dramatic shift in the awards trajectory of one of the most talked-about shows of the decade.