“I used to be teased in the United States, but standing on the Oscars stage and seeing the audience wave light sticks, I felt a deep sense of pride,” she said, her voice breaking as she received a warm welcome back home.
EJAE joined fellow Oscar winners at a joint press conference at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul, alongside key figures behind the film, including co-directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, and producers from The Black Label’s IDO — Lee You-han, Kwak Jung-gyu and Nam Hee-dong.
The event marked the film’s recent triumph at the 98th Academy Awards, where it secured both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song — a rare double win that underscores the growing global influence of Korean content.
Singer also recalled the emotional buildup to her performance, saying she became overwhelmed during rehearsals.
“I cried a lot during rehearsal,” she said, adding that incorporating traditional Korean elements such as pansori and gugak made the performance especially meaningful.
That emotional intensity carried onto the stage, where the performance drew strong reactions — including Hollywood actors seen waving light sticks, a signature element of K-pop fandom.
Co-director Appelhans said Korean cultural identity would remain central to the sequel.
“The Koreanness is the soul of the film,” he said, adding that the next installment will continue to draw on Korean cultural elements while expanding the story beyond the first film.
The event highlighted a broader shift, as distinctly Korean cultural elements are increasingly being translated into content with global appeal rather than remaining confined to local narratives.
Participants also pointed to the role of audiences in the film’s success, noting that global fans were instrumental in discovering and amplifying the film.
While specific details of the sequel were not disclosed, Kang said the team aims to deliver a larger-scale project building on the success of the original.
Released in June 2025, K-pop Demon Hunters follows a fictional K-pop girl group battling supernatural forces, blending music, fantasy and Korean mythology. The film has since garnered major international accolades, including the Golden Globes and the Grammys, culminating in its Oscar wins last month.
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