It was a night of mixed fortunes for Korean cinema at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards. While acclaimed director Park Chan Wook’s thriller No Other Choice went home empty-handed, the Netflix animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters made history with two major wins.
The ceremony, held on January 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in California, serves as a key predictor for the upcoming Academy Awards.
Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters took home the trophies for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. The action-fantasy film follows K-pop superstars Liumi, Mira and Joy, who lead double lives as secret heroes protecting the world.
In the Best Animated Feature category, K-Pop Demon Hunters triumphed over stiff competition, including Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, Zootopia 2, and Pixar’s Elio. This marks the first time an animated film directed by a Korean-American filmmaker has won a Golden Globe.
Director Maggie Kang gave an emotional acceptance speech, expressing her gratitude to everyone who believed that a film deeply rooted in Korean culture could connect with audiences worldwide. She shared her desire to portray female characters as they truly are: strong, confident, occasionally comical or quirky, with a love for food and sometimes a thirst for adventure.
Congrats to KPop Demon Hunters! The Best Animated Motion Picture at the 83rd Annual #GoldenGlobes! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/wbeIV9Zi2s
— Golden Globes (@goldenglobes) January 12, 2026
The film also took home the award for Best Original Song for its hit track “Golden.”
Singer and co-writer EJAE shared her personal journey on stage, becoming visibly emotional as she spoke. Reflecting on her past, she explained how, as a young girl, she worked tirelessly for ten years to achieve her dream of becoming an idol, only to face rejection because her voice wasn’t considered good enough. To heal from that disappointment, she turned to singing and music, and now, she stands before the audience as a singer and composer.
She ended her speech with a shoutout in Korean: “Mom, I love you!”
Meanwhile, Park Chan Wook’s No Other Choice failed to secure a win despite three nominations. The film was up for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language and Best Actor – Musical or Comedy for star Lee Byung Hun.
>>Lee Byung Hun Earns Golden Globe Nomination as ‘No Other Choice’ Snags 3 Major Categories
The top prize in the Musical or Comedy category went to Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, while Secret Agent won Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language. Timothée Chalamet took home Best Actor for Marty Supreme, edging out Lee Byung Hun.
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