South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae has confirmed that he will not be attending the upcoming 2022 Golden Globes.
On January 5, his agency Artist Company said in a statement to South Korean news outlet EDaily that the Squid Game star has decided not to attend the annual awards ceremony, due to take place on January 9.
Lee is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama for his role in Squid Game, alongside co-star O Yeong-su for Best Supporting Performance In A Series, Miniseries Or Television Film. Meanwhile, the Netflix hit is also up for Best Television Series – Drama.
“He is immensely grateful to have been nominated in the Best Actor category at the Golden Globes, but he has decided not to attend the ceremony,” said Artist Company, as translated by Soompi. “He recognises that Netflix is not participating in the Golden Globes, as has been widely reported around the world. He also made the decision considering other factors like the COVID-19 situation and the quarantine requirements.”
The news comes amidst a widespread boycott of the upcoming 2022 awards ceremony, which has been criticised by stars like Scarlett Johansson and Tom Cruise for its alleged lack of diversity. An exposé by The LA Times in February 2021 had also accused the HFPA of racist and corrupt behaviour.
Additionally, the awards show has faced allegations of racism after the film Minari was nominated in the foreign language category last year, despite it being made by a Colorado-born director and set in the Southern US. According to the Golden Globes, this was because the film, which focused on Korean-American immigrants, had over half its spoken dialogue in Korean.
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“I wasn’t surprised,” said Minari star Steven Yeun. “I have no desire to try to massage both sides in this situation, but it really just comes down to the idea that rules and institutions can never capture real life.”