CHRIS TORRES / EFE
Just a few hours ago, the 98th Academy Awards took place on a night marked by major figures who captured everyone’s attention from the very start, whether for positive or negative reasons. But without a doubt, one of the most anticipated moments of the ceremony was the presentation of the award for Best Original Song, which went to ‘Golden,’ the theme song from ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters.’
Since the Netflix film premiered, its immediate success propelled the song to the top of global charts and broke several records, so it came as no surprise to anyone that it was the winner of the night. However, during the acceptance speech, something happened that did not go unnoticed on social media and brought to light the gala’s strict rules regarding the winners’ speaking time.
EJAE, the song’s lead vocalist, accompanied by the rest of the team, took the stage visibly nervous and emotional. “Thank you so much to the Academy for this award. Oh my God, I’m sorry. People used to make fun of me for liking K-pop, but now everyone is singing our song and the lyrics in Korean. I’m so proud. This award isn’t about success; it’s about resilience,” she said through tears as everyone in the audience applauded.
After that, she wanted to thank, one by one, all the people who had helped her on this journey to success. It was a long list that inevitably left no time for her colleague Yu Han Lee, one of the songwriters. Just as he was about to speak to express his gratitude, the music interrupted the live broadcast to signal that the allotted time had been exceeded, creating an awkward moment on stage and an image that will go down in the ceremony’s history.
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ also won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film
But nothing can dampen the team’s joy, especially since KPop Demon Hunters also won the second award it was nominated for: Best Animated Film. The fact that it is one of the most acclaimed films of the past year—having quickly gone viral and won over millions of children worldwide—led to them taking home the coveted statuette, thus fulfilling all expectations.
But this film also starred in another highly anticipated moment on a dreamlike night. Its soundtrack was chosen as one of the evening’s standout performances. Rei Ami, EJAE, and Audrey Nuna—the singers who voice Golden—took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to perform the song that had brought them worldwide fame, delivering a burst of energy that brought the entire audience to its feet.
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