On a glittery night at the Academy Awards, one animated movie practically owned the moment. The wildly popular ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ marched onto the stage and grabbed the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, beating a packed lineup of contenders and proving that its global fan army is very real.
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The Netflix hit, already known as the platform’s most-watched movie ever, defeated fellow nominees Arco, Elio, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2. By the time the envelope opened, many in Hollywood were already whispering the same thing: this victory had been building for months.
The awards run that no one could stop
The Oscar win was simply the final crown in a long line of victories for KPop Demon Hunters.
The film has been sweeping awards all season. It won Best Animated Film at the Golden Globe Awards, the Critics Choice Awards, and the Producers Guild of America Awards. On top of that, it dominated the animation world by winning 10 trophies at the Annie Awards.
An emotional speech that touched the room
When director Maggie Kang stepped up to accept the award, the moment turned emotional.
She thanked the Academy and the film’s fans before speaking directly about representation. Fighting back tears, Kang said she was grateful to everyone who supported the movie, especially people who saw themselves reflected on screen.
She acknowledged how long it took for a film like this to exist. Kang said she was sorry it took so long for audiences who “look like me” to see themselves in a story like this, but added that the film’s success means future generations won’t have to wait.
A historic win for Asian women
The film was directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, and produced by Michelle LM Wong.
The Oscar victory also created a historic moment. Kang and Wong became the first female Asian winners ever in the Best Animated Feature category.
Sequel is already on the way
The success of KPop Demon Hunters is far from over.
Just last week, a sequel was officially announced. Kang and Appelhans will return to write and direct the follow-up, which is currently aiming for a 2029 release.
The upcoming film will also kick off the duo’s new exclusive multi-year animation deal with Netflix, giving them a major creative partnership with the streaming giant.