KPop Demon Hunters Wins Two Oscars, Director Dedicates Historic Win to Korea and Koreans Everywhere

The Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters took the 98th Academy Awards by storm on Sunday night, winning not just one but two Oscars. The movie about a K-pop girl group that fights demons in their free time won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for its hit track “Golden.”

The wins mark a historic moment for Korean representation in Hollywood. Co-director Maggie Kang delivered an emotional acceptance speech that moved many in the audience to tears. She dedicated the award to Korea and Korean people around the world.

“For those of you who look like me, I’m so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like this, but it is here,” Kang said on stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. “That means the next generations don’t have to go longing. This is for Korea and for Koreans everywhere.”

The room erupted in applause as the cameras showed the film’s singing talents EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami crying tears of joy from their seats.

A Night of Korean Culture at the Oscars

The Oscars ceremony transformed into something like a K-pop concert when the three singers performed “Golden” live on stage. The performance opened with Korean traditional music and dancers wearing hanbok and traditional gat hats, blending Korea’s cultural heritage with modern K-pop energy.

What happened next surprised many. Hollywood’s biggest stars pulled out light sticks—the glowing wands that K-pop fans use at concerts—and waved them along to the music. Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone, Michael B. Jordan, and director Steven Spielberg were all seen smiling and swaying to the beat. It was a powerful image of how far Korean pop culture has come in the United States.

When “Golden” later won Best Original Song, EJAE gave a heartfelt speech that resonated with many.

“Growing up, people made fun of me for liking K-pop. But now, everyone’s singing our song and all the Korean lyrics, I’m so proud,” she said. “I realize the song is not about success; it’s about resilience.”

What Makes KPop Demon Hunters So Special

For those who have not seen it yet, KPop Demon Hunters follows three members of a global K-pop girl group named Huntrix—Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. By day they are superstars, but by night they secretly hunt demons from the underworld. The film blends action, music, and a heartfelt story about identity and self-acceptance.

The movie arrived on Netflix in June 2025 and quickly became the platform’s most-watched film ever. Netflix reported that the film gathered 482 million views in just six months, with lyric videos for its songs reaching 32 million views. According to more recent numbers, the film has now surpassed 540 million views globally.

The soundtrack became a phenomenon on its own. “Golden” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped charts in more than 30 countries. In total, eight songs from the film landed on the Hot 100.

A Sweep of Every Major Award

Before the Oscars, KPop Demon Hunters had already won nearly everything in sight. The film took home Best Animated Feature at the Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice Awards, and the Producers Guild Awards. It also won ten Annie Awards, which are considered the highest honor for animation.

In February 2026, “Golden” made history by becoming the first K-pop song to win a Grammy, taking the award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. With the two Oscar wins on Sunday, the film has completed an unprecedented sweep of the major American entertainment awards.

The Creative Team Behind the Hit

KPop Demon Hunters was directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and produced by Michelle L.M. Wong. Sony Pictures Animation handled the animation, while Netflix distributed the film worldwide.

Kang, a Korean Canadian who left Seoul at age five, became one of the first female Asian winners in the Best Animated Feature category alongside Wong. The win carried deep personal meaning for her.

During her speech, Kang also acknowledged how long it took for stories like hers to reach the big screen. She expressed hope that the film’s success would open doors for other Asian creators.

Chris Appelhans used his time on stage to encourage young artists everywhere.

“I just want to say to all the young filmmakers, artists and musicians in all corners of the globe, tell your story, sing in your voice. I promise you the world is waiting,” Appelhans said.

Why the Film Connects With Audiences

The movie’s success goes beyond its catchy songs and flashy animation. At its core, KPop Demon Hunters tells a universal story about accepting who you are.

The main character Rumi struggles with her identity as a half-demon while trying to fit in with her group. For many viewers, especially Asian Americans, this struggle feels very real.

Christine Kao, a mother in San Francisco, told the BBC that she cries every time she watches the film with her eight-year-old daughter Oona.

“Just seeing an Asian American, her struggle with her family and expectation, there’s a lot of identifiers there that we take with us,” Kao said. “We didn’t have something like this when we were children.”

Her daughter Oona loves the characters, the dance moves, and the songs. She even thinks the Saja Boys—the supernatural boy band in the film—remind her of BTS “because they all look a little bit different and they always change their looks.”

The film is filled with inside jokes for K-pop fans, but you do not need to know anything about K-pop to enjoy it. The story works on its own, which helps explain its massive global appeal.

What Experts Say About the Win

Many observers see the Oscar wins as proof that Korean culture has truly gone mainstream worldwide. The BBC called the film’s success a sign of the “unstoppable Korean Wave” sweeping the globe.

Dr. Grace Kao, a sociology professor and K-pop researcher at Yale University, told the BBC that the film marks “a turning point in terms of how cool Korea is. I don’t think it’s just K-pop, but just sort of K-everything.”

Ray Seol, an associate professor at Berklee College of Music, explained that the soundtrack sits at a smart intersection between K-pop and Western pop music. The producers “were very smart making this more global sound,” he said. “So the general audience, when they hear this music, it is still K-pop but somehow it’s really similar to the pop music they are familiar with.”

The Associated Press noted that the film shows the global reach of K-culture yet again. This follows previous Korean successes at the Oscars, including Parasite winning Best Picture in 2020 and Youn Yuh-jung winning Best Supporting Actress in 2021 for Minari.

The Competition It Beat

KPop Demon Hunters faced tough competition in the Best Animated Feature category. Other nominees included Disney’s Zootopia 2, Pixar’s Elio, plus Arco and Little Amélie or the Character of Rain. Winning against these heavyweights made the victory even sweeter.

For Best Original Song, “Golden” competed against tracks like “I Lied to You” from Sinners and “Train Dreams” from the film of the same name.

What Comes Next

The success of KPop Demon Hunters has already led to plans for more. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed in August 2025 that a sequel is in talks at Netflix and Sony Animation. Last week, Netflix closed deals with Kang and Appelhans for the sequel as part of a new multi-year writing and directing agreement. A release date for the sequel has not been announced yet.

The film’s impact goes beyond just entertainment. Interest in Korean traditions and cuisine featured in the movie has grown, helping introduce Korean culture to new audiences around the world.

The night’s biggest winner overall was One Battle After Another, which took six Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson. Sinners won four awards, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan.

For fans of KPop Demon Hunters, Sunday night was something special. A film built around Korean culture, made by Korean creators, and loved by millions around the world finally got its moment on Hollywood’s biggest stage.

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