What is the story about?
The Critics Choice Awards 2026 delivered a moment of redemption for global sensations that were previously overlooked elsewhere. At the 31st edition of the awards,
Netflix’s Squid Game was crowned Best Foreign Language Series, a win that comes months after the Korean phenomenon faced a surprising shutout at the Emmy Awards. The night also proved to be a big one for Netflix’s animated hit KPop Demon Hunters, which emerged as one of the standout winners across categories.
Squid Game's redemption moment
Squid Game’s Critics Choice victory holds particular significance given the controversy surrounding its absence from the 2025 Emmy nominations. After making television history in 2022 with 14 nominations and 6 wins for its first season, the series returned to eligibility with its highly anticipated second season. Despite enormous global buzz following its late-2024 premiere, the show failed to secure even a single Emmy nomination, leaving its cast and creators notably absent from the ceremony. Season 3, released in 2025, first half was also a huge global hit.
The snub sparked widespread debate, especially considering the cultural footprint Squid Game continues to hold worldwide. Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria had openly expressed disappointment over the omission in an interview last year. “Squid Game had an incredible cultural impact. Biggest show in the world. That first season really made Emmy history, and people loved this last season, too,” she said in July. Addressing the lack of recognition for creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, Bajaria added, “I am disappointed for Director Hwang [Dong-hyuk] and the cast. For Director Hwang to not be recognised in that way, considering the amount of audiences around the world who loved it so much and that it really resonated with people… I’m disappointed when it doesn’t get recognised in the way that it should have.”
The Critics Choice win is a validation of the show’s storytelling and huge global impact.
KPop Demon Hunters wins 2 major awards
Meanwhile, Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters enjoyed a triumphant night of its own. The animated musical urban fantasy film won Best Animated Feature, while its song Golden also took home the Best Song award. Artists Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and Teddy were honoured for their work on the track.
Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, KPop Demon Hunters is a 2025 Sony Pictures Animation production for Netflix. Featuring voice performances by Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong and Lee Byung-hun, the film follows a K-pop girl group, Huntrix, who secretly battle demons while navigating fame. Together, the wins for Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters underscored the growing global influence of Korean-led storytelling at the Critics Choice Awards 2026.
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