Netflix’s ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ wins Oscars for animated feature and original song

Netflix’s animated film “K-Pop Demon Hunters” swept two awards at the 98th Academy Awards, winning animated feature and original song.

At the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, the film was first announced as the winner of the animated feature prize.

Director Maggie Kang, who beat out nominees including “Arco,” “Elio” and “Zootopia 2,” said, “I’m sorry it took so long to make a movie with a protagonist who looks like me,” adding, “The next generation won’t have to long for movies like this. This award is for Korea and Koreans around the world.”

Co-director Chris Appelhans added, “Music and stories connect us across borders,” offering encouragement to artists.
The film’s momentum continued when its soundtrack song “Golden” won the original song Oscar.

The song’s creators — Lee Jae, Mark Sonnenblick, Kwak Jung-gyu and Lee Yu-han — became emotional onstage after beating nominees including “Dream of a Train” and “Sinners: Sinners.”

Lee Jae, who also sang and wrote lyrics for the track, said, “When I was young, I was teased for liking K-pop, but now everyone is singing along to Korean lyrics,” adding, “This award isn’t about success. It’s about the strength to endure and recover.” The show’s highlight was the celebratory performance of “Golden.” For what the article described as the first K-pop performance in Oscar history, a pansori singer and percussionists opened with traditional Korean dance alongside 24 dancers. Lee Jae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, dressed in white, then took the stage. The article said Hollywood stars waved light sticks and joined in a Korean-language singalong.

“K-Pop Demon Hunters” is an action fantasy about girls who are K-pop singers by day and heroes who fight evil spirits by night. Since its release last June, the film surpassed 300 million views on Netflix, and “Golden” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, the article said.
Other major awards were also announced. Best picture went to Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” and Anderson also won best director. Michael B. Jordan won best actor for “Sinners: Sinners,” and Jessie Buckley won best actress for “Hamnet.”