"K-pop Demon Hunters" has been expected to make history as the first K-pop winner of an Oscar trophy, and the curtain has risen on the 98th Academy Awards.
This morning (on the 16th at 8 a.m.; local time 7 p.m. on the 15th) the 98th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The event will be broadcast live exclusively to Korean movie fans through domestic cable TV OCN, adding to its significance.
The Academy Awards are the United States' largest film awards presented by American film professionals and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a nonprofit. Because the trophy is called an "Oscar," the event is often referred to as the Oscar race, and it is regarded as the most prestigious film awards in the United States.
In 2020, at the 92nd Academy Awards, director Bong Joon-ho's film Parasite swept four awards—best picture, best director, best original screenplay and international feature film—since then, the entry of Korean cinema into the Academy and its achievements have continued to attract attention. Although no Korean work was officially nominated at this year's Academy Awards, attention is focused on whether the Netflix animation set in Korea "K-pop Demon Hunters" (abbreviated KDH) and the Hollywood remake of the Korean film Save the Earth, titled Bugonia, will make an impact.
In particular, KDH is being mentioned as a strong contender in the original song category. The film features singers Lee Jae, Audrey nuna and Ray Ami as vocalists of the fictional girl group Huntrix, and they will even perform KDH's OST "Golden" live at this ceremony, raising expectations further.
Last year, Blackpink member Lisa became the first K-pop artist to perform at the Academy Awards. At the time, after the tribute to the 007 film series concluded, Lisa sang the soundtrack "Live and Let Die" from 007: Live and Let Die and received cheers. Following them, the KDH team's performance as the second K-pop stage at the Oscars is arousing curiosity.
Also at today's Academy Awards, "Census: Sinners" set a new record for most nominations by being nominated in 16 categories, from best picture to best screenplay. The rivalry for awards is heightened by the two-power structure of that film and "One Battle After Another," which received nominations in 13 categories.
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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