Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" pulled off a double win at the Academy Awards, but drew criticism over how the show handled its moment onstage.
At the 98th Academy Awards, held on the 16th (KST) at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, "KPop Demon Hunters" took home Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, capping off the “KPop Demon Hunters” craze with a glittering finale. Still, many viewers felt the organizers’ treatment fell short.
The Best Original Song segment, in particular, sparked debate. Golden from "KPop Demon Hunters" won as expected. Singer and co-lyricist/composer EJAE, co-lyricist Mark Sonnenblick, and The Black Label composers Kwak Joong-gyu, Lee Yoo-han, Nam Hee-dong, and Seo Jeong-hoon went up to accept.
EJAE said, “Thank you to the Academy for this incredible honor. This song is about healing, not success. When I was a kid, people made fun of me for loving K-pop, but now everyone sings our songs. I’m proud.”
When a co-winner took the mic next, the play-off music kicked in. As they began to speak, the mic was muted. Moments later, the stage went to blackout and the broadcast cut to commercials.
Watching the live show in Korea, broadcaster Ahn Hyun-mo remarked, “There are so many winners up there… Earlier, we heard a very long speech from the short film winner.”
The live Oscars telecast presents 24 categories over roughly three hours. Each year, organizers tell winners to keep speeches within 45 seconds to prevent overruns. Still, most winners want to savor what may be a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Producers, prioritizing a smooth show, often play music to urge exits.
Yes, the show is driven by timing, ads, and ratings. But the prevailing view is that winners still deserve maximum respect onstage.
On this night, "KPop Demon Hunters" beat out Disney and Pixar to give Netflix the Best Animated Feature trophy, and it set a first at the Academy by winning Best Original Song with a K-pop track. Even so, the team wasn’t given enough time to properly thank the people who got them there.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)