Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters took home two trophies at the Academy Awards, but a shocking moment when the acceptance speech was cut off mid-way has sparked a racism controversy.
At the 98th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on the 15th (local time), KPop Demon Hunters won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. The OST 'Golden' clinched Best Original Song, cementing the film’s critical and musical acclaim.
Onstage were singer–songwriter Lee Jae, who performed and co-wrote 'Golden,' alongside co-lyricist Mark Sonnenblick and composers Kwak Jung-kyu, Lee Yoo-han, Nam Hee-dong, and Seo Jeong-hoon. Fighting back tears, Lee Jae said, "This song isn’t about success—it’s about healing. I was teased as a kid for loving K-pop, but now everyone is singing our song."
Moments after Lee passed the mic to teammates, the play-off music suddenly started. The co-winners tried to continue their prepared remarks, but the music didn’t stop. The broadcast then pulled the wide shot of the stage and moved on to the next segment—effectively silencing the rest of the speech.
The scene went viral immediately after the broadcast. Online, many criticized, saying "With so many winners, they weren’t given enough time to speak," while others pointed out, "Other categories ran long, but this one was cut unusually fast." CNN in the U.S. also highlighted the moment and shared fans’ reactions.
Meanwhile, KPop Demon Hunters is an animated film about a K-pop girl group battling evil spirits. The movie has already dominated global headlines after major wins at the Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards.