Oscars 2026: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Star Golden Wins but Speech Cut Short
Historic Best Original Song win at the 98th Academy Awards overshadowed after orchestra interrupts acceptance speech.
Korea, Mar 16 : A landmark moment for K-pop at the 98th Academy Awards turned controversial after the acceptance speech for the Best Original Song winner was abruptly cut off during the live ceremony.
The song “Golden” from the animated film KPop Demon Hunters secured the award at the event held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, marking the first time a K-pop track has won an Oscar.
During the acceptance speech, singer-songwriter EJAE thanked the academy and spoke about her journey with K-pop, highlighting how the genre had grown from a niche interest into a global cultural force.
However, the moment turned awkward when co-writer YuHan Lee stepped forward to speak. The orchestra music suddenly rose, his microphone was cut off and the broadcast quickly moved to a commercial break. EJAE briefly requested that Lee be allowed to finish, but the ceremony proceeded without returning to the stage.
The interruption triggered a wave of reactions online, with many viewers criticising the academy for ending the speech prematurely. Several social media users described the moment as disrespectful and argued that the winners deserved more time to acknowledge their collaborators.
Later backstage, EJAE continued her remarks, expressing gratitude to the film’s creative team and performers including Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna, whom she said she had intended to thank during the televised speech.
Despite the controversy, the achievement of “Golden” remains notable. The track became the first K-pop song to win the Oscar for Best Original Song and the first in the category credited to more than four writers. It also enjoyed strong commercial success, spending several weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
The film also secured the award for Best Animated Feature, accepted by directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans along with producer Michelle LM Wong.
Other major honours at the ceremony included Best Actress for Jessie Buckley for Hamnet and Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan for Sinners. The night’s top award, Best Picture, went to One Battle After Another directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
