Despite various controversies surrounding the lack of diversity, representation and inclusivity in the committee besides acts of bribery surrounding the Golden Globes, they are back with a bang this year, much to the chagrin of Hollywood. After they announced the nominations last month, Netflix gained plenty of nominees from various shows and films dominating the nominations, including The Power of the Dog, Squid Game, Maid and more.
Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the South Korean survival thriller series Squid Game became a worldwide sensation due to its intense and riveting narrative that served as a scathing commentary on capitalism, powerplay, economic crises, class conflict and more. Starring Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Jung HoYeon, Wi Ha Jun and others, the show induced the Korean Wave that piqued general public interest in the language and culture of South Korea.
Lee Jung-jae, who starred as the lead protagonist Gi-hun in the series, received a nomination in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series/Drama category for his brilliant performance. He has recently been nominated at the Critics Choice Awards as well. However, the actor will be unable to make it to the ceremony as announced by his agency’s statement and here’s the real reason why.
In the statement, Lee’s agency expressed immense gratitude on his behalf to have received the nomination before announcing his decision to not attend. They explained the same by citing how Netflix’s refusal to attend the ceremony besides the global pandemic scenario and quarantine regulations served as factors behind his decision.
“He recognizes that Netflix is not participating in the Golden Globes, as has been widely reported around the world. He also made the decision considering other factors like the COVID-19 situation and the quarantine requirements,” the statement read.
Since Lee is not travelling to the United States, he will not be seen making an appearance at the Critics Choice Awards either.
Squid Game’s gargantuan success has prompted two more nominations for O Yeong Su, who played Player 001 aka Oh Il Nam, the affluent mastermind behind the vicious games, for the Best Supporting Actor – Television category. The series has also been nominated for the Best Television Series – Drama category.
However, studios like Netflix and Warner Bros. have decided to not participate in the Golden Globes until the reformation of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the selection committee. Thus, it seems unlikely for any of the Netflix nominees to be present at the event to receive the awards if they win any.
The 79th Golden Globe ceremony will be taking place on January 9th, 2022.
