Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters issue response after being rushed off stage in 'disrespectful' Oscars moment
They also won't be getting their own trophy each
The Oscars remains one of the most controversial nights of the year, and not just because Marty Supreme went home empty-handed. Over the 96-year history of the Oscars, we've had jaw-dropping moments like Marlon Brando's infamous 1973 award snub, Susan Sarandon being banned over her passionate HIV speech, Billy Crystal doing blackface in 2012, and that Will Smith slap.
2026 had its fair share of dramatics, with host Conan O'Brien making a pedophile joke in the aftermath of the Epstein files, Brigitte Bardo missing from the In Memoriam segment, and Kylie Jenner being snubbed by Pauline Chalamet.
Away from The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva giving us the seventh tie in the history of the Academy Awards when they were both named winners of Best Live-Action Short Film, there was controversy when the songwriters of KPop Demon Hunters' "Golden" were cut off mid-speech. The Netflix animated movie broke records for the streaming service, telling the story of a K-pop girl group that moonlights as demon hunters.
A sequel is already in development, while winning two Oscars for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song will only raise its profile further. During the acceptance speech, the group was cut off by the show's organisers. South Korean singer EJAE, who's real name is Kim Eun-jae, celebrated Academy Awards history when it became the first K-pop track to win an award. Eun-jae also sings on the track that she co-wrote with Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Name, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Teddy Park.
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There were complaints that each of the seven wouldn't get their own trophy, but as the speech went on, Lee was abruptly cut off. The Academy Awards is known to play people off if their speeches go on for too long, but with seven people to get through, it was always going to be a struggle for everyone to get their time in the spotlight.
A tearful EJAE said: "Growing up, people made fun of me for liking K-pop, but now everyone is singing our song and all the Korean lyrics,
“This award is not about success. It’s about resilience.”
When Lee started to speak, Deadline reports that the orchestra began playing, forcing the group to finish their acceptance speech behind the stage. Sonnenblick and Eun-jae tried to signal to production to let Lee finish, but the ceremony cut to an ad break instead.
Sonnenblick was seen jumping on the stage and trying to speak before being ushered off, eventually being able to speak afterward and saying: "Everybody [who] worked on this movie, all the animators, it was a real collaboration across the board.
“Part of the movie is about looking at someone that you had been taught to hate and to fear, and starting to trust, maybe love them.
“A movie is like a village, and we’re lucky to be up here right now, but there’s so many people who have made this what it is.”
EJAE praised her fellow vocalists, explaining: "Everyone was a part of it and we are just so happy that the hard work paid off. Also, I needed to thank Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna onstage, but I didn’t get to because they just cut us off. They killed it with their singing and they’re just incredible people and I love them so much.”
She seemed less than impressed by having the speech cut short, with many online agreeing that it was 'disrespectful'.
Sonnenblick said that if he'd been able to finish his words, he'd have thanked his family and his husband for their support.