At the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, KPop Demon Hunters captured one of the night’s early wins, taking home Best Animated Feature — a milestone moment for the film’s creators and the rising pop stars who voice it. The victory and accompanying live performances underscored how music and animation are converging on the awards stage this year.
Who won and why it matters
KPop Demon Hunters earned Best Animated Feature, marking the first Oscar nomination and win for director Maggie Kang and producers Chris Appelhans and Michelle L.M. Wong. Kang acknowledged the cultural significance in her acceptance, saying, “For those of you who look like me, I’m so sorry it took so long to see us in a movie like this.” Appelhans and Wong also thanked collaborators and partners for their support.
Music at the center
The film’s music has been a major part of its wider impact. The original song “Golden,” written by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon and Teddy Park, is also nominated for Best Original Song.
“Golden” is performed in the movie by the trio HUNTR/X — Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami and EJAE — who not only sat in the audience but delivered a ceremony performance that highlighted the film’s pop-meets-animated energy. The song has also reached mainstream charts as a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, boosting the film’s crossover appeal.
Live moments: ‘Sinners’ tribute and star approval
Earlier in the telecast, a high-energy tribute brought the music of another nominated film, Sinners, to the stage. Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq led a recreation of the movie’s juke-joint sequence with guest appearances by Misty Copeland, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Brittany Howard and others. Performers and several Sinners cast members briefly joined onstage, creating a near-recreation of the film moment.
The performance earned visible approval from Sinners star Michael B. Jordan, who nodded and smiled from the audience. That film’s original song “I Lied to You” is nominated for Best Original Song, while composer Ludwig Göransson earned a nomination for Best Original Score.
Industry and fan reaction
KPop Demon Hunters’ win was met with cheers from both film and music communities. The presence of HUNTR/X on the Oscars stage — and their recent recognition as Billboard Women of the Year — has amplified discussions about representation, mainstream K-pop influence and the blending of film and chart success.
What’s next
With its Oscar win and ongoing song nominations, KPop Demon Hunters will likely see renewed box-office and streaming interest, and may gain additional awards-season momentum. Audiences can expect continued performances and promotion from the film’s artists as the awards season wraps and summer release schedules begin to shift in response.
As the ceremony continued, the night remained wide open: several major categories were still to come, but for now the animated feature and music moments had set a tone — loud, musical and culturally resonant.