At the awards ceremony on the evening of 15/3 (local time), the film triumphed over strong contenders such as Arco, Elio, Little Amelie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans directed the film, with Michelle L.M. Wong serving as producer. With this victory, Kang and Wong made history as the first Asian women to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

In her acceptance speech, Kang stated: "I regret that we had to wait so long to see our images reflected in a film like this. But now it has become a reality. This means future generations will no longer have to long for this representation. This win is for Korea and for the Korean community worldwide."

Still from "Kpop Demon Hunters". Photo: Sony Pictures Animation

Before its Academy Award honor, Kpop Demon Hunters won Best Animated Feature at the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, PGA Awards, and secured 10 Annie Awards. The film's sequel is set to be released in 2029.

The film's song, "Golden," was also a strong contender for best original song. If it had won, "Golden" would have been the first Kpop song to receive an Academy Award. EJAE, who voices the character Rumi in the film, alongside Mark Sonnenblick and the music production team The Black Label (Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Zhun), could have become the first Koreans to win this award.

EJAE once shared that the project's success boosted her confidence to advance her career. The singer said: "This film challenged me greatly in composing and singing, and it truly pushed me to delve deeper into my Korean identity."

She described the songwriting process as healing: "As a child, I was eliminated from a Kpop idol training program and received many comments about my voice, saying it was 'too deep' or 'not beautiful'. Because of that, when I wrote songs, I was often ashamed of my elimination. But the film helped me accept that part of myself. That pain turned out to be my superpower, and the wounds I experienced helped me write the songs."

The film follows Huntrix, a three-member girl group that uses their voices as weapons, creating a barrier called "honmoon" to seal demons underground. However, the demon Gwi Ma forms a boy band, Saja Boys, aiming to overthrow Huntrix. Facing a plot to conquer the world, the girls must fight to protect humanity.

AP noted that the success of Kpop Demon Hunters is a rare feat in animation, as it develops an original script rather than relying on an existing franchise. Its novelty and the connection between Korea and the West are factors that make the film stand out. Hollywood Reporter commented: "The project delivers many catchy songs, combining action and humor with a fast pace, standing out significantly compared to other animated films in theaters recently."

By Thanh Thanh (via *Variety*)