K-Pop Star EJAE Reveals Cut Oscars Speech After Historic Best Original Song Win
EJAE, the South Korean singer and star of Netflix's animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters, has disclosed what she intended to say before her Oscars acceptance speech was abruptly terminated during a historic victory at the 98th Academy Awards. The film's hit track "Golden" secured the award for Best Original Song on Sunday, 15 March 2026, marking the first time a K-Pop song has won this category in the ceremony's 96-year history.
Historic Milestone for K-Pop at the Oscars
Kim Eun-jae, known professionally as EJAE, made Oscars history when "Golden" triumphed as Best Original Song. The track, which she co-wrote with collaborators including Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Name, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Teddy Park, became a global sensation following the film's Netflix debut last year, topping charts in over 30 countries. EJAE also performs vocals on the song, adding to its widespread appeal.
During her emotional acceptance speech, EJAE expressed pride in the cultural shift, stating, "Growing up, people made fun of me for liking K-pop but now everyone is singing our song and all the Korean lyrics. I'm so proud. I've realised the song and the award is not about success, it's about resilience." She thanked the Academy, her family, and the K-Pop Demon Hunters team before passing the microphone to Yu Han Lee.
Abrupt Cut-Off and Backstage Revelations
As instrumental music began to play, prompting the winners to exit the stage, both Sonnenblick and EJAE signaled to production to allow Lee to finish his speech. However, the programme cut to an abrupt advertisement break, leaving their remarks incomplete. Speaking backstage to press later, EJAE revealed the unspoken parts of their planned speech.
According to reports from Deadline, EJAE said, "We feel very grateful and very honoured. We all worked so hard and this is such a collaborative effort, we just need to thank our directors. They created a beautiful film. Everyone was a part of it and we are just so happy that the hard work paid off." She added that she had intended to thank fellow singers Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna onstage but was unable to do so due to the cut-off, praising them as "incredible people" who "killed it with their singing."
Additional Unspoken Thanks and Film Details
Yu Han Lee, who was cut off during his speech, noted he would have thanked all their families, his fellow Idol members, and Teddy Park. Mark Sonnenblick, also denied a chance to speak, stated he would have expressed gratitude to his family, including his husband who attended the ceremony, and highlighted the collaborative nature of the film. He emphasized, "It's a movie where part of the movie is about looking at someone that you have been taught to hate and to fear and starting to trust, maybe even love them. And that's part of what the movie is about."
K-Pop Demon Hunters, which follows the K-Pop group Huntrix as they balance music careers with secret demon-hunting roles, also won the award for Best Animated Feature at the ceremony. The film features speaking voices by Arden Cho, May Hong, and Ji-young Yoo, with singing performances by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami. Co-director Maggie Kang dedicated the win "for Korea and Koreans everywhere," underscoring the film's cultural significance.
