Hwang Dong-hyuk won the directing Emmy for his groundbreaking Netflix series, Squid Game, on September 12, and he didn’t forget to mention the show’s business daddy in his acceptance speech. “A huge thank-you to Netflix,” he began, before making a special shout-out to the streamer’s all-powerful CEO and chief content officer: “Ted Sarandos, I mentioned your name, okay?” After making sure Sarandos’s ego wasn’t bruised from being ignored on the Emmys stage (you know these Hollywood types), the writer-director went on to acknowledge the historic nature of the win. “Since Squid Game got 15 nominations at the Emmys, people keep telling me that I made history,” he continued. “But I don’t think I made history by myself, because it was you who opened up the door for Squid Game, inviting us here tonight at the Emmys. So I believe, I have to say, we all made history together.” Hwang doesn’t want to see the Emmys go back to business as usual, though. “I truly hope Squid Game won’t be the last non-English series to be here at the Emmys,” Hwang finished. “And I truly hope this won’t be my last Emmy, either.” Sarandos filmed (or took pictures of) the speech from the crowd in Mean Girls–mom fashion. He probably hopes so, too, since Squid Game is practically keeping Netflix afloat at this point. Hwang Dong-hyuk is the business daddy now.
