K-pop Demon Hunters wins two Golden Globes

(AFP/Yonhap)

K-pop Demon Hunters, directed by Korean American filmmaker Maggie Kang, won two awards at the Golden Globe Awards, taking home trophies for best animated feature and best original song.

The film claimed the best animated feature prize at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards ceremony held Monday (KST) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. It beat out competitors including Zootopia 2, Elio, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, Arco and Little Amélie.

Accepting the award, Kang joked that the trophy was “heavy,” before thanking supporters who believed that a film deeply rooted in Korean culture could resonate with a global audience. She said the film aimed to depict women as they truly are — strong and bold, really silly and weird, hungry for food and sometimes a little thirsty.

K-pop Demon Hunters also won best original song for “Golden,” defeating nominees from films such as Avatar: Fire and Ash, Sinners, Wicked: For Good and Train Dreams.

(AP/Yonhap)

Singer-songwriter EJAE, who performed the winning song, said she had once spent years chasing her dream of becoming a K-pop idol, only to be rejected along the way. Those setbacks, she said, ultimately led her to a new path as a singer and songwriter.

“Rejection is redirection,” EJAE said, encouraging young people not to give up. “It’s never too late to shine like you were born to be.” She also thanked her family and fiancé, ending her speech in Korean with, “Mom, I love you.”

The film was also nominated in the cinematic and box office achievement category, though the award went to Sinners.

K-pop Demon Hunters follows a K-pop idol group that battles evil spirits and protects the world through music. Since its release on Netflix in June, it has become one of the platform’s most-watched titles. Its theme song “Golden” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks, highlighting the film’s global popularity.

The Golden Globe wins come after the film swept best animated feature and best original song at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards, further boosting expectations for a strong showing at the Academy Awards.

Meanwhile, director Park Chan-wook’s film “No Other Choice” was nominated in three categories — best musical or comedy film, best actor for Lee Byung-hun, and best foreign-language film — but failed to secure any wins. Best actor in the musical or comedy category went to Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, while best musical or comedy film was awarded to One Battle After Another. The best foreign-language film prize went to The Secret Agent.