From left, Lee Yu-han, EJAE, and Mark Sonnenblick react after winning the Oscar for Best Music (Original Song) for “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” during the 98th annual Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, March 15. EPA-Yonhap
The animated Netflix hit “KPop Demon Hunters” celebrated a historic night at the Academy Awards — but its victory was quickly overshadowed by controversy after an acceptance speech was abruptly cut short on stage.
The film’s original song “Golden” won Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards, held Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony was hosted by Conan O’Brien.
The film also won Best Animated Feature, giving “KPop Demon Hunters” two Oscars in a single night.
However, the celebratory moment sparked online debate after the acceptance speech for “Golden” was interrupted by the play-off music typically used to signal speakers to wrap up.
EJAE, who was the singing voice for Rumi of the fictional idol group HuntRix in the film, spoke first on behalf of the performers.
“Thank you so much to the Academy,” EJAE said. “Growing up, people made fun of me for liking K-pop. Now everyone is singing our song, and in all of the Korean lyrics. I’m so proud.”
EJAE appeared emotional as she delivered her speech.
But controversy erupted when producer Lee Yu-han, part of the production team behind “Golden,” stepped up to continue the remarks. Before he could speak, the orchestra music began playing, effectively cutting him off.
Some viewers interpreted the moment as a routine time-management decision during a live broadcast. Yet criticism grew online after audiences noticed a striking contrast with other awards that night.
Shortly before the Best Original Song announcement, the Best Cinematography winners were reportedly given nearly four minutes for their acceptance remarks. By comparison, the speech for “Golden” lasted less than two minutes before the play-off music began.
Later in the ceremony, speeches for major categories such as Best Actor, Best Director and Best Actress continued at length, further fueling criticism from viewers who felt the interruption was unfair.
Online discussions quickly spread on social media, with some users suggesting the moment reflected bias against a Korean language song or Asian creators. Others argued the timing difference was likely due to the unpredictable pacing of live television.
The situation also drew attention because a similar moment occurred earlier in the night. During the acceptance speech for Best Animated Feature, producer Michelle L.M. Wong appeared ready to speak after directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, when the orchestra music began to play.
The repeated interruptions led many online commentators to speculate that the speeches were intentionally shortened.
Despite the controversy, the film’s success remains notable. Released by Netflix, “KPop Demon Hunters” recently surpassed 500 million views, becoming the first movie in the platform’s history to reach the milestone.
The record-breaking streaming performance — and its Oscar victories — have further cemented the film’s place as one of the most globally successful Korean-themed animated projects in recent years.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.