Netflix’s animated feature KPop Demon Hunters, directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang, has earned major recognition at the Academy Awards, scoring two Oscar nominations. Meanwhile, Park Chan Wook’s latest film once again fell just short of a final nod.
According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), KPop Demon Hunters was nominated for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards, with the shortlist announced yesterday.
In the Best Animated Feature category, the film will compete against Zootopia 2, Elio, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Arco. For Best Original Song, it faces off against tracks from Sinners, Train Dreams, Viva Verdi, and Diane Warren: Relentless.
KPop Demon Hunters enters the race with strong momentum. The film previously won Best Animated Feature at the Golden Globe Awards, beating out both Zootopia 2 and Elio, making it a serious contender for another major win. The Original Song category is also shaping up to be a tight race, particularly against fellow frontrunner Sinners.
Park Chan Wook’s dark comedy No Other Choice did not advance to the final five nominees for Best International Feature Film, despite making the initial shortlist of 15 announced last December. The final nominees in the category include It Was Just an Accident, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, The Voice of Hind Rajab, and Sirat.
This marks yet another near-miss for Park Chan Wook at the Oscars. In 2023, his film Decision to Leave also reached the international feature shortlist but failed to secure a final nomination.
U.S. entertainment media reacted with visible disappointment. Deadline commented, “The Park Chan Wook-directed dark comedy kinda had Oscar bait written all over it. Sadly, and once again for the South Korean filmmaker, Academy voters made the choice to leave it off the Best International Feature menu.”
Variety echoed the sentiment, noting that while No Other Choice generated strong buzz and box office performance, the competition was unusually fierce. “Park Chan Wook’s dark social satire was buzzy, doing well at the box office and well-loved by critics, but it was a crowded category this year — in part because Neon brought so many good titles to the table,” the outlet reported.
The 98th Academy Awards will be held on March 15th at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
>> Maggie Kang Calls ‘K-pop Demon Hunters’ The ‘New Sailor Moon’ + Impact on Korean Culture
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