The 2026 Oscars were not without their controversies. Some viewers were unhappy, particularly with how some of the award recipients were treated on stage.
Keep reading to know more.
The Netflix animated film, K-Pop Demon Hunters, was perhaps one of the biggest hits of last year. The song “Golden” from the film was nominated for Best Score at the 2026 Oscars and won.
The song, which has been a massive hit, won the 2026 award for Best Score. The win, however, was overshadowed by how viewers perceived the recipients of the award were treated on stage, with their speech being cut off.
Kim Eun-jae (known as Ejae) gave an emotional speech about how she grew up loving K-Pop and was looked at unkindly for it; however, now not only is K-Pop incredibly popular, but she ended up winning an Oscar for it.
When songwriter Yu-Han Lee began speaking, his portion was cut off, with Ejae motioning for more time with his hands but being ignored as the ceremony moved on.
One person wrote on X, “The Academy took one last swipe at Demon Hunters The only group to get cut off completely and abruptly Just Like How Sony treated them too”
Another wrote, “Barely giving them time for their speech, playing music over them, turned out the lights and went to commercial. NO ONE else tonight got that mistreatment. Honestly sly and distasteful. Cutting off a man where English isn’t his first language too mind you!!!!”
Another person added that it was unfair others were given more time when something ‘historic’ was cut short, writing, “They should have cut down on some of the presenters “jokes” to give history making moments like these the light it deserves.”
The song writer was able to later thank those he wanted to address in the Press Room, he said, “I would like to thank our families, and 24, and our fellow IDO members. This is an incredible honor.”
The movie also won the award for Best Animated Feature Film, where Maggie Kang, co-writer and co-director, said in her acceptance speech, “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. That means the next generations don’t have to go longing.”
She ended with, “This is for Korea and Koreans everywhere.”
The winners of ‘Golden’ for Best Score at the Oscars have made history, as the song is the first K-Pop track to win in the category.
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