Entertainment, March 16: The animated film KPop Demon Hunters created history at the 98th Academy Awards on March 16, becoming the first non-Disney or Pixar animated feature to win two Oscars in the same night. The film won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Golden” at the Dolby Theatre.
Co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix.
The story follows fictional K-pop girl group Huntrix, who live double lives as global pop stars by day and demon hunters by night. They face their rivals, the Saja Boys, a boy band secretly composed of demons.
Since its release on June 20, 2025, the film has recorded more than 500 million views, becoming the most-streamed film in Netflix history. The film also sparked strong fan engagement, with sing-along theatrical screenings across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom drawing large crowds.
Critics highlighted the film’s mix of pop culture and mythology. Kang built much of the film’s lore around Korean shamanistic traditions and mudang spiritual practices, incorporating Korean aesthetics in costume design, food, architecture and visual style.
The soundtrack also achieved major commercial success. It became the first film soundtrack to place four songs simultaneously in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified double platinum in the United States.
Singer-songwriter EJAE, who co-wrote and performed the Oscar-winning song “Golden”, previously became the first Korean-American female songwriter nominated for Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards.
Ahead of the Oscars, the film had already won top honours for animation at the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.
With a sequel already confirmed and both directors returning, Kang said the project’s success had exceeded expectations. “This is only the beginning,” she said.
