'Squid Game' notches third best foreign language series at 31st Critics Choice Awards

Ejae (third from left) and Mark Sonnenblick (fourth from left) accept the Best Song Award for "Golden" in the film "KPop Demon Hunters" at the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, Sunday. (Reuters)
Ejae (third from left) and Mark Sonnenblick (fourth from left) accept the Best Song Award for "Golden" in the film "KPop Demon Hunters" at the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, Sunday. (Reuters)

Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” won best animated feature and best song for “Golden,” a standout track from the film, at the 31st Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, Sunday. .

The first overseas-produced animated feature centered on K-pop idols prevailed over fellow contenders including “Zootopia 2,” “Elio,” “In Your Dreams,” and “Arco.” The triumph over traditional animation powerhouses such as Disney and Pixar, with titles like “Zootopia 2” and “Elio” respectively, has fueled expectations that “KPop Demon Hunters” could post a strong showing at the Academy Awards. The final Oscar nominations are set to be announced on Jan. 22.

Meanwhile, during the same ceremony, “Squid Game” continued its dominant Critics Choice streak with a third best foreign language series win.

“Squid Game” first made history at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards, becoming the first Korean drama to win best foreign language series. At the same ceremony, star Lee Jung-jae broke barriers as the first Korean actor to win best actor in a drama series.

The series repeated its success at the February 2025 ceremony, once again taking home the best foreign language series trophy following the second season.

Elsewhere at the ceremony, director Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice” earned nominations for best adapted screenplay and best foreign language film, but went home empty-handed. Best adapted screenplay was awarded to Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” while best foreign language film went to “Secret Agent,” a Brazilian neo-noir historical political thriller.

The acclaimed Critics Choice Awards are presented annually by the American Critics Choice Association, an organization comprising roughly 600 broadcast, film and television critics and journalists from the United States and Canada. Held early each year, the ceremony recognizes outstanding achievements across film and television and is often viewed as an early indicator of momentum heading into major awards races, including the Emmys.


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