Singer Lee Jae, who won the Oscar for best original song for "Kedheon," shared a romantic kiss with her fiancé.
On the 15th (local time) at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California, the unofficial afterparty for the 98th Academy Awards, the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar party, was held.
At the event, Lee Jae, who won the best original song award for "Golden," the OST of the Netflix animated film "K-pop Demon Hunters" (hereafter "Kedheon"), and her fiancé Sam Kim attended. Producer Sam Kim is a Korean American, and the couple plans to hold their wedding on Nov. 7. Lee Jae recently posted photos of her proposal on her social media.
At the afterparty, Lee Jae and Sam Kim affectionately kissed, showing their affection, and Lee Jae waved her hand as if embarrassed by the attention. During this moment, a sparkling ring on the fourth finger of her left hand was also spotted, drawing attention. Lee Jae also held the glorious Oscar trophy in one hand with an emotional expression.
When "Golden," the OST of "Kedheon," was announced as the winner of the best original song award, Lee Jae, in tears, went on stage as one of the composers representing the Hunt Rix. He thanked the Academy for giving such a wonderful award, saying, "Growing up, people teased me for liking K. Now we are all singing songs with Korean lyrics. I am truly proud."
She continued, "I realized this award is not about success but about resilience. I thank my team. Thank you for being by my side. I also thank the "Kedheon" cast and producer Maggie King and Michelle Wong," giving the honor to others.
The "Golden" performance at the awards began with a reaper-like performance reminiscent of a scene from the film, followed by performances featuring Korean traditional instrument playing, pansori, and dancers in hanbok, filling the Academy Awards venue with the splendor of Korean culture.
Immediately following, Lee Jae, Audrey nuna, and Ray Ami's live performance of "Golden" and the sight of Hollywood stars such as Emma Stone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Gwyneth Paltrow waving light sticks to the music evoked a scene from a K-pop performance, underscoring the overwhelming popularity and power of "K-pop Demon Hunters," which has captivated the global stage.
After finishing all the performances, Lee Jae told Korean fans backstage at the Academy, "I am so grateful to fans in Korea. It is truly an honor, and I dedicate this song and film to Korea. Thank you so much."
About performing on the Academy stage, she said, "I was very nervous, but it is an honor to perform on such an incredible stage as the Academy. I am only grateful. Especially as a Korean American woman to stand on this stage and have our culture and traditions experienced this way is truly amazing. The introduction included Korean traditional music, and that makes me particularly proud. As a Korean American who grew up in the U.S., I used to hide aspects of being Korean for fear of being bullied over food or culture. But now I am truly proud of my Korean identity. Even during rehearsals I could genuinely connect with our roots, and I am just so thankful," she said.
When asked how it felt to stand here as an Academy winner, she added, "I am so thankful, honored and still can't believe it. Everyone worked really hard, and this song is the result of true collaboration. I want to thank Maggie Kang and director Chris Apelhans for creating a beautiful film. Everyone, including the directors, participated in the process of making this song, and I am so happy that everyone's efforts have borne fruit. I also want to thank Audrey nuna and Ray Ami."
The global mega-hit "Kedheon" enjoyed the honor of winning two awards, including best animated feature and best original song.
[Photo] ©Gettyimages (unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited)
[OSEN]