Netflix's 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' Wins Oscar for Best Animation
Discover how 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' made history at the 98th Academy Awards and learn the meaning of 'μ₯νΈ μ λλ©μ΄μ '.
Discover how 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' made history at the 98th Academy Awards and learn the meaning of 'μ₯νΈ μ λλ©μ΄μ '.

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EN brief: λ·νλ¦μ€ βμΌμ΄ν λ°λͺ¬ νν°μ€β μμΉ΄λ°λ―Έ μ₯νΈ μ λλ©μ΄μ μ (culture) + 1 glossary term.
In a historic moment for global animation, the Netflix original film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' has secured the award for Best Animated Feature at the 98th Academy Awards. The ceremony, held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, saw the film overcome stiff competition from major studios like Disney and Pixar.
Director Maggie Kang accepted the award in an emotional speech, dedicating the victory to Koreans both in their homeland and across the diaspora. She expressed a heartfelt message to the next generation, noting that it took a long time for a film featuring characters who 'look like her' to take center stage.
Since its release last June, the film has become a cultural phenomenon, surpassing 500 million cumulative views. This milestone allowed it to overtake 'Squid Game' as the most-watched content in Netflix history, proving the massive global appetite for K-pop-themed storytelling.
The film's success at the Oscars follows a string of prestigious accolades earlier this year. It previously took home honors at the Golden Globes and made history at the Grammys as the first K-pop-related work to win in the Best Song Written for Visual Media category.
The animated feature, known colloquially in Korea as 'Ke-De-Heon' (an abbreviation of its title), follows the story of a fictional K-pop girl group named 'Huntriss.' While they appear to be idols by day, they are actually secret demon hunters who protect human souls from an evil boy group known as the 'Saja Boys.'
During the 98th Academy Awards on March 15 (local time), the film was officially called to the stage as the winner of the Best Animated Feature category. Director Maggie Kang ascended the stage in a striking red dress as the film's hit theme song 'Golden' played throughout the hall. Her voice trembled with emotion as she apologized to the audience that it took so long for a story like this to exist, promising that the next generation of creators won't have to wait as long.
'K-Pop Demon Hunters' faced a challenging path to the trophy, competing against Disney's 'Zootopia 2' and Pixar's 'Elio.' Industry experts noted that the film's win signifies a shift in the Academy's recognition of diverse, genre-blending narratives that incorporate specific cultural elements like K-pop into universal storytelling frameworks.
The commercial performance of the movie has been equally impressive. With over 500 million views, it has cemented its place as a flagship title for Netflix. The article notes that the film's momentum began building last year and peaked during the winter awards season, culminating in this Oscar win which many see as the ultimate validation of its artistic and commercial value.
In Korean news reports about cinema, you will frequently see the term μ₯νΈ μ λλ©μ΄μ
jangpyeon aenimeisyeon (jang-pyeon a-ni-me-i-syeon). This refers specifically to a "Feature-length Animation" or "Animated Feature Film." The word μ₯νΈjangpyeon (jang-pyeon) means long-form or full-length, as opposed to λ¨νΈdanpyeon (dan-pyeon), which means a short film.
μ΄ μνλ μμΉ΄λ°λ―Έ μ₯νΈ μ λλ©μ΄μ
μμ λ°μμ΅λλ€.i yeonghwaneun akademi jangpyeon aenimeisyeonsaeul badatseupnida. β This movie won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
κ·Έλ μλ‘μ΄ μ₯νΈ μ λλ©μ΄μ
μ μ μ μ€μ
λλ€.geuneun saeroun jangpyeon aenimeisyeoneul jejak juipnida. β He is in the middle of producing a new feature-length animation.