The Oscars opened with a bang. A funny monologue from Conan O’Brien, and then one of the first Oscars given out was for best animated film. “KPop Demon Hunters” won, solidifying their cultural dominance.
“KPop Demon Hunters,” the winner of the Oscars 2026 for best animated film, was directed by Maggie Kang and Christopher Applehans. The film was produced by L.M. Wong. The film stars the voices of Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Lee Byung-hun.
“KPop Demon Hunters” Plot
The plot of “KPop Demon Hunters,” the Oscars winner for best animated film, follows a KPop girl group, HUNTR/X, who lead double lives as demon hunters. These girls face off against a rival boy band, called the Saja Boys, whose members are demons. “KPop Demon Hunters” came from Kang’s (the director) desire to create a story that drew on her Korean heritage, drawing on elements of mythology, demonology, and K-pop to craft a visually distinct and culturally rooted film. She succeeded in creating a cultural monster, now backed up by a 2026 Oscar.
Acceptance Speech
In her acceptance speech, director Maggie Kang said, “For those of you who look like me, I’m so sorry that it took so long to see us in a movie like this, but it is here, and that means that the next generations don’t have to go longing.” She also said, hurriedly, “We were courageous, determined, and willing to make this movie as amazing as it is. We are very happy.” It was clear she was rushing as the production crew was keen to have the early winners move along quickly.
Reaction
The win was not all that surprising with the global recognition “KPop Demon Hunters” has received. Probably the biggest competition was from Zootopia 2. This is the first win for Kang and crew, but the Oscar 2026 for her is probably not her last.
Parting Shots
“K-Pop Demon Hunters” was nominated for two Oscars 2026 this evening. The other was for Best Original Song (which they also won). This is the 98th Oscars. They were hosted by Conan O’Brien from Los Angeles.
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