KPop Demon Hunters Wins Best Animated Feature Oscar
Netflix film's Oscar win caps awards sweep and follows a soundtrack that placed eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
Deadline‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Creative Team Call Out For “More Animation That Focuses on Different Cultures” – Oscars Backstage
USA TODAY'KPop Demon Hunters' director emotional over Korean representation
BBC NewsKpop Demon Hunters wins Oscar for best animated film - what made it so viral?
Rolling Stone'KPop Demon Hunters' Wins Best Animated Feature at Oscars: 'This Is for Koreans Everywhere'
Overview
KPop Demon Hunters won the Academy Award for best animated feature at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday.
The Netflix film, released in June, follows Korean girl group HUNTR/X as they battle otherworldly demons and blends Korean mythology with K-pop idol culture.
In her acceptance speech, director Maggie Kang dedicated the win to Koreans everywhere, and Kang and producer Michelle Wong became the first people of South Korean descent to win in the animated feature category.
The film's soundtrack landed eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100, its song "Golden" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for more than eight consecutive weeks, and the film had more than 480 million Netflix views as of January.
Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, who provide the film's singing voices, were scheduled to perform "Golden" at the Oscars, and "Golden" was nominated in the original song category.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as celebratory recognition of Korean culture, using upbeat language ("uber-hit," "coveted trophy"), privileging director quotes and success metrics (Oscars, streaming records), and organizing the piece around emotional pride. Source quotes supply sentiment; editorial choices amplify positivity and omit dissenting or broader context.
FAQ
Yes, Netflix confirmed a sequel in a press release on March 12, 2026, with directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans returning.
The film follows K-pop girl group HUNTR/X (Rumi, Mira, and Zoey), who are secret demon hunters protecting fans from demons led by Gwi-Ma, using songs to maintain a magical barrier called the Honmoon.
The film was co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans.
Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami provided the singing voices for the fictional group HUNTR/X.
Announced by Sony Pictures Animation in 2021, Netflix registered it in 2022, and it was released on Netflix after Sony initially passed but later partnered.
