KPop Demon Hunters’ Oscar Win Marred by Speech Cut-Off

The animated film KPop Demon Hunters made history at the 2026 Academy Awards, winning both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for the track “Golden.” Though, the celebration was tempered by controversy when the songwriting team’s acceptance speech was abruptly cut short, sparking backlash from the audience and online.

Historic Wins and a Disrupted Acceptance Speech

KPop Demon Hunters beat out competitors including Zootopia 2, Elio, Arco, and Little Amélie or the Character of Rain to claim the Best Animated Feature Oscar according to ABC News. The song “Golden” as well took home the award for Best Original Song, marking the first time a K-pop song has received the honor. The film’s director, Maggie Kang, became the first filmmaker of South Korean descent to win in the Best Animated Feature category.

During the acceptance speech for Best Original Song, songwriter EJAE began speaking and then invited other team members to contribute. When Lee Yu Han began to read a prepared statement thanking collaborators and family, the orchestra started playing, signaling the end of their allotted time and cutting the speech short as reported by Koreaboo. This action was met with audible boos from the audience.

Reactions and Continued Gratitude

The abrupt ending shocked attendees, and criticism quickly spread on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Despite the interruption, members of the songwriting team were able to express their gratitude in the press room following the ceremony.

Lee Yu Han was able to finish his remarks, stating, “I would like to thank our families, and 24, and our fellow IDO members. This is an incredible honor.”

Co-composer Mark Sonnenblick also shared his appreciation, thanking his family and the entire team behind the film. He emphasized the collaborative nature of the project and the film’s message of overcoming prejudice, stating, “Part of the movie is about looking at someone that you had been taught to hate and to fear, and starting to trust, [or] maybe, you know, love them.”

EJAE, who delivered a complete speech during the broadcast, spoke about the significance of the win, saying, “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. And I realized, like the song, this award is not about success, it’s about resilience, and I’m just so grateful to our team.”

The Winning Team

The songwriting team behind “Golden” included EJAE, Joong Gyu Kwak, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Teddy Park, alongside composers Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans as noted by ABC News.

Looking Ahead

The success of KPop Demon Hunters at the 2026 Oscars marks a significant milestone for South Korean creatives and K-pop’s growing influence on the global stage. Netflix has already announced plans for a continuation of the KPop Demon Hunters story , suggesting the world hasn’t seen the last of these characters.