On October 18, media outlet YTN Star reported that director Hwang Dong Hyuk and actor Lee Jung Jae of the Netflix original series 'Squid Game' will soon be awarded the Order of Cultural Merit by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The Order of Cultural Merit is an honor awarded to those who contributed to the promotion and progress of Korean culture and the arts. The Order of Cultural Merit awarding ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 2. While director Hwang Dong Hyuk intends on attending the ceremony in-person, actor Lee Jung Jae will deliver his remarks of gratitude with a recorded message due to overseas schedules. 

It's widely known that director Hwang Dong Hyuk is the mastermind himself behind one of the most successful South Korean drama series of all time, 'Squid Game'. He is currently working on season 2 with Netflix. 

Actor Lee Jung Jae also received countless praise for his performance as Sung Gi Hoon in 'Squid Game'. His character is expected to return for season 2. 

The Netflix-original series 'Squid Game', originally released on September 17, 2021, depicts a deadly survival game featuring those in the lowest strata of society as they compete for a chance to win 45.6 million won. Just last month, the series made history at the '2022 Primetime Emmy Awards', with director Hwang Dong Hyuk taking home 'Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series' and Lee Jung Jae claiming 'Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series'.