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Remember Player Number 1 of Netflix hit Squid Game? He just made Golden Globe history

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Varsha Vats
Varsha VatsJan 11, 2022 | 16:26

Remember Player Number 1 of Netflix hit Squid Game? He just made Golden Globe history

O Yeong-su, that old man on Squid Game, has created history by becoming the first Korean actor to win a Golden Globe.

Remember the climax of the Netflix smash hit Squid Game? Yes, the old man! He won a Golden Globe and made history. O Yeong-su is the first Korean actor to win a Golden Globe. He played the role of an old man, Player Number 001, on the superhit Korean show Squid Game.

1. WON GOLDEN GLOBE FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR TELEVISION

O Yeong-su won the first Golden Globe award in the category of Best Supporting Actor Television for his role in the hit Netflix series Squid Game. He was nominated alongside Kieran Culkin for Succession, Brett Goldstein for Ted Lasso and Billy Crudup and Mark Duplass for The Morning Show. This was O Yeong-su’s first Golden Globe nomination.

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He played the role of Oh Il Nam, who was the mastermind behind the games on the show. The Golden Globes announced the winner on Twitter.

2. ONE OF THE GREATEST STAGE ACTORS

O Yeong-su started acting on stage in 1967 with a play named The Square. O Yeong-su has appeared in more than 200 stage productions till 2013. Later, he started appearing in films and television, and often played the role of a monk. The 77-year-old actor gained worldwide popularity after playing the role of Player Number 001 on Squid Game.

He is also well-known for his role in A Little Monk (2002) as the temple master, and in Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003) as an old monk.

3. ‘I AM A DECENT GUY’

“After hearing the news of the award, I told myself, ‘I’m a decent guy,’ for the first time in my life,” O Yoeng-su told Netflix after winning Korea's maiden Golden Globe.

“Now, it’s no longer ‘us within the world,’ but it’s ‘the world within us.’ While embracing the scent of our culture and while embracing the love for my family deep in my heart, I give thanks to everyone in the world. I hope you all live beautiful lives. Thank you,” he added.

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O Yeong-su as Player Number 001 in Squid Game

4. WON SEVERAL THEATRE AWARDS

Before the Golden Globe, O Yeong-su won awards for best actor in theatre four times.

He won Baeksang Arts Award in 1994, Dong-A Theatre Award in 1979, Award by the National Theater Association of Korea in 2000 and another by Seoul Theater Festival in 2006. All were given in the category Best Actor. The Golden Globe is O Yeong-su's first global award.

5. FAMILY HISTORY

O Yeong-su was born in Kaepung County, Gyeonggi, now North Korea, on October 19, 1944. Later, he and his family moved to South Korea. His brother was captured by North Korea and his father died during the Korean War.

The old man's character in the series was appreciated by many across the world. The character was a little confusing in the beginning of Squid Game, but then, the climax cleared all doubts. Oh Il Nam was one of the best characters in Squid Game. What did you think of him?

Last updated: January 11, 2022 | 17:26
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