<K-Pop Demon Hunters> directors Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang, and producer Michelle Wong attend the 98th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA, on the 15th (local time). Reuters Yonhap News

The Netflix film <K-Pop Demon Hunters> clinched Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards (Oscars), the most prestigious film awards in Hollywood.

<K-Pop Demon Hunters> was announced as the winner of Best Animated Feature at the 98th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA, on the 15th (local time). It prevailed over Disney’s <Zootopia 2>, Pixar’s <Elio>, and the French films <Arco> and <Little Amelie>.

The Korean Canadian director Maggie Kang took the stage, saying, “This award is for Korea and Koreans around the world,” and added, “I am sorry it took so long for people who look like me (East Asians) to see people who look like us in films. But the next generation will not have to wait any longer.”

Chris Appelhans, who co-directed with Kang, said, “Music and stories have the power to connect us beyond cultures and borders,” and added, “To young filmmakers, artists, and musicians, I want to say, ‘Tell your story. Sing in your own voice. The world is waiting.’”

<K-Pop Demon Hunters> is a musical animated film about a K-pop girl group that protects the human world from evil spirits through song. By adding a universal arc that moves from self-loathing to self-affirmation to its fresh premise, it has resonated worldwide. <K-Pop Demon Hunters> is also among the leading contenders for Best Original Song at the Oscars that day.