Korean-American Maggie Kang Breaks Through at the Oscars... Park Chanwook Misses Out

"K-Pop Demon Hunters" Nominated for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song
K-pop and Korean Sensibilities Resonate in Mainstream Hollywood
Park Chanwook's New Film Fails to Make Final Nominee List

Reuters Yonhap News

The global phenomenon of K-pop has joined forces with Hollywood animation to break through to the doorstep of the Oscars. The Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters," directed by Korean-American director Maggie Kang, has achieved the remarkable feat of being nominated in two categories at the Academy Awards, the largest film festival in the United States.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced the final list of nominees for the 98th Academy Awards on January 22 (local time). "K-Pop Demon Hunters" proudly secured nominations for both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (Golden), surpassing traditional powerhouses such as Disney and Pixar. This once again demonstrates that Korean sensibilities and the theme of K-pop have universal appeal within the mainstream Hollywood system.

On the other hand, director Park Chanwook's highly anticipated film "No Other Choice" fell short. Although it was initially included among the fifteen shortlisted films for the International Feature Film category and raised hopes for a final nomination, it ultimately did not make it into the final list of five nominees announced that day.

The Academy Awards, which attract the attention of filmmakers worldwide, will open in grand style at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles (LA), United States, on March 15. All eyes are on whether director Maggie Kang will lift the Oscar trophy and once again showcase the prowess of Korean filmmakers, following in the footsteps of "Parasite" and "Minari."