The Netflix animated film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' (hereafter referred to as KDH) achieved the remarkable feat of winning 2 Oscars at the 98th Academy Awards. However, during the acceptance speech of the Asian production team, an unprecedented incident occurred when the microphone was forcibly turned off, leading to a fierce controversy over racism.
KDH simultaneously won the Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (Golden) at the awards ceremony held on the 15th (local time) at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA. The work, which prominently features Korean culture, swept major categories at the world's most prestigious film festival, proving the overwhelming power of K-content.
The controversy arose immediately after winning the Best Original Song. On stage were several production team members, including singer Lee Jae. Lee Jae, with tears, expressed, "I was teased for loving K-culture as a child, but now I am proud that the whole world sings in Korean," conveying overwhelming emotion.
The problem occurred at the moment Lee Jae was about to pass the microphone to another colleague after finishing his speech. The organizers suddenly cut off the microphone power and played background music urging them to exit. Despite the production team trying to continue their speech, the music continued, and the broadcast screen switched to a full shot of the stage, effectively prompting a forced exit.
Interpreter Ahn Hyun-mo, who was conducting the live broadcast, expressed deep regret, stating, "While sufficient time was given to other category winners, the acceptance speech of the 'KDH' team, which had many winners, was hastily concluded." Viewers around the world who witnessed this also raised their voices in criticism, deeming it a clear rudeness and racist act towards the Asian production team.
Meanwhile, 'KDH' has led a global syndrome with its unique worldview where K-pop idols save the world from evil spirits. The song 'Golden' topped the Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart for 8 weeks and has been recognized for both popularity and artistic quality, having triumphed at the Golden Globe and Grammy Awards, and now the Academy Awards.
