KPop Demon Hunters has made history by winning Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.

The Netflix animated film took home the trophy at the 98th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 16 (Korea time).

Historic Oscar Win

The film triumphed over strong competitors, including Arco, Elio, Little Amelie, and Zootopia 2, which were also nominated in the category.

Director Maggie Kang walked onto the stage in a bright red dress as the film's theme song "Golden" played, heightening the emotional moment.

Holding back tears, Kang said, "I'm so sorry it took this long for us to see ourselves in a film like this. But now it's real."

She added, "This means the next generation won't have to wait anymore to see themselves represented. I dedicate this honor to Korea and to Koreans everywhere."

Global Impact of the Film

KPop Demon Hunters is an action-fantasy animation released on Netflix on June 20 last year. Although produced in the United States, the film's story and cultural tone are deeply rooted in K-pop and Korean culture. Maggie Kang herself is a Korean Canadian filmmaker.

The film achieved another major milestone by surpassing 300 million cumulative views on Netflix, becoming the platform's most-watched title across both films and series.

It has also dominated the awards circuit leading up to the Oscars. The film previously won at the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards, taking home two trophies including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

At the Producers Guild Awards, producer Michelle Wong won Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures.