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“Squid Game” lead actor Lee Jung-jae (left) and director Hwang Dong-hyuk (right) hold up their respective Emmy trophies after winning at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 12 in Los Angeles’s Microsoft Theater. (AP/Yonhap)

The headliners of the six trophies that the Korean Netflix series “Squid Game” won at this year’s Emmy Awards — considered the top honors in American television — were 50-year-old actor Lee Jung-jae and 51-year-old director Hwang Dong-hyuk. Lee was named Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, while Hwang claimed the trophy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.

Something that Lee and Hwang have in common is that they stayed the course despite various hardships and came into their own around the age of 50, which is when Confucius said he finally understood the will of heaven.

After graduating from high school, Lee was working part time at a coffee shop to pay his way at an interior design academy when he was scouted as a model. His first brush with acting came with the SBS series “Dinosaur Teacher” in 1993, and he was propelled into stardom with “Sandglass” in 1995, also broadcast by SBS.

In “Sandglass,” Lee made a strong impression as the bodyguard of Yoon Hye-rin (played by Ko Hyun-jung). That was despite being given few lines in the show because the producers weren’t impressed by his acting ability.

“Squid Game” lead actor Lee Jung-jae delivers his acceptance speech after winning an Emmy for his role in the series at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 12 in Los Angeles’s Microsoft Theater. (AP/Yonhap)

Having developed a taste for acting and determined to improve his ability, Lee enrolled in the Department of Drama and Cinema at Dongguk University at the ripe age of 28. He would go on to receive a master’s degree in the performing arts.

Lee became the youngest person to win Best Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards for his starring role in “City of the Rising Sun” in 1999, but despite playing numerous roles, none of his films turned out to be a blockbuster. He didn’t let that get him down, however, and kept honing his acting chops.

It was with his role as homeowner Hoon in Im Sang-soo’s 2010 film “The Housemaid” that Lee started getting noticed again. He’d gained the ability to make his mark on a film even when he wasn’t in a leading role.

Lee Jung-jae appeared in “The Face Reader” as Prince Suyang. (courtesy Showbox)

Lee deftly pulled off a string of characters who straddle the boundary between good and evil, including Popeye in “The Thieves” (2012), Lee Ja-sung in “New World” (2013), Grand Prince Suyang in “The Face Reader” (2013), and Yem Sek-jin in “Assassination” (2015). “The Face Reader” in particular became his signature role, with the line “Do I look like a king?” becoming something of a meme.

In his late 40s, Lee tried something new. In “Squid Game,” his first role in a streaming series, he played a down-and-out man who risks his life in the titular game with the hope of getting out of debt.

According to the New York Times, Lee “gives a wrenching and surprisingly subtle performance [. . .] as the protagonist Seong Gi-hun, a gambling addict who is deeply in debt.” The US paper of record praised the actor for avoiding caricatures such as “a hero or a villain, a bumbling fool or a savvy con man.”

Lee also received an invitation to the Cannes Film Festival for “Hunt,” his debut as a director.

Lee is now flexing his muscles as a global star. It was recently reported that he’s been cast for a leading role in “The Acolyte,” a Star Wars series produced by Disney+. Foreign media reported that every streaming service has been dreaming of working with Lee since “Squid Game.”

“Squid Game” creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk points into the crowd as he gives his acceptance speech after winning Outstanding Directing and Writing For a Drama Series at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 12 in Los Angeles’s Microsoft Theater. (AP/Yonhap)

Hwang Dong-hyuk, creator and director of “Squid Game,” was born in the Ssangmun neighborhood of Seoul, which serves as the backdrop of his hit series. Raised by his widowed mother and grandmother, he had a hardscrabble childhood, which would serve as fodder for his later works.

Hwang took an interest in social issues while studying journalism at Seoul National University. A love of cinema inspired him to complete a master’s program in film production at the University of Southern California in the US.

After debuting as a director with “My Father” in 2007, he made a big splash with “Silenced” (2011), a film based on actual incidents that occurred at a school for the deaf.

His 2014 film “Miss Granny” sold 8.6 million tickets, and his 2017 film “The Fortress,” a dramatization of a novel by Kim Hoon, won Best Film at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

After that, Hwang changed course, moving from cinema to television with the Netflix series “Squid Game.” The series he’d envisioned a decade ago was turned down time and time again until finally becoming a global sensation. Producing the show was so stressful, Hwang said, that six of his teeth fell out, but his efforts have been amply rewarded.

After his big win at the Emmys, Hwang said he hoped those wouldn’t be his last awards. “We’ll come back with Season 2,” he said.

Fans around the world are waiting to see what Hwang and Lee can pull off with Season 2.

By Suh Jung-min, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]