For the amount of hot water he’s in right now, Steven Spielberg needs some potholders.

Spielberg was recently in attendance at the PGA Awards, where he discussed the famous Netflix series Squid Game. The world-famous filmmaker praised Netflix for hiring “unknown” actors in the South Korean program rather than some of Hollywood’s more well-known talents. Squid Game’s casting, according to Spielberg, helped to change the game by demonstrating that a film or series can be a major hit without using well-known actors in the lead roles.

“A long time ago, it was domestic stars that brought the audience into movies,” Spielberg said. “Today, it’s interesting, unknown people can star [in] entire miniseries, can be in movies.”

“Squid Game comes along and changes the math entirely for all of us.”

“Thank you, Ted,” he said, motioning to Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos.

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However, Spielberg was chastised on social media, with many pointing out that the show’s stars had long worked in the South Korean entertainment business.

Lee Jung-jae, the show’s lead, has featured in several legendary TV series and films, including the thriller “The Housemaid,” while Park Hae-soo has starred in other renowned Korean TV dramas, including “Prison Playbook,” as Twitter quickly pointed out.

“Even if you’re pointing on the female lead & your point is to say ‘not only big names can lead successful shows’ You shouldn’t use ‘unknown’ Steven! There’re globally known bright stars with long full of success career appearing in the show you mentioned,” one post says, pointing to a Twitter thread about Silenced, the critically praised film starring Squid Game actor Gong Yoo.

“Americans always think the world doesn’t exist outside of America. They think everyone worships us when in reality they laugh at us. Actors, singers, politicians, scientists, doctors, lawyers, CEOs all exist in other countries. Stop being so ignorant,” someone else said on Twitter.

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Another said: “Correction: Squid Game proves that Hollywood has been waaayyyyyy behind in recognising and celebrating longstanding South Korean film/TV storytelling and talent.”

“Argggg more ethnocentrism courtesy of Americans who can’t see past their own borders. What series like Squid Game illustrate is exactly the opposite: That people around the world are satisfied with content other than English/white/US entertainment,” one user remarked.

“I am so irked by Seven Spielberg’s comments,” one online commenter said, adding that “we Americans need to look at the world around us & stop being so full of ourselves.”

Someone else added, “a poor choice of words,” while another said, “You’d think that someone like spielberg [sic] would do his homework or AT LEAST be respectful.”

“Folks, today’s whitest take, brought to you by Mr. Steven Spielberg and the LITERAL all-star cast of Squid Game,” another said.

“Only unknown because they aren’t in my country’s media,” a viewer joked. “Stephen, i know you’re busy. But a simple Google search for the shows imdb[.com entry] could easily have avoided that faux-pas.”