‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Wins Best Animated Feature at Critics’ Choice Awards, Strengthens Oscar Campaign

KPop Demon Hunters grabbed two trophies at the 31st Critics' Choice Awards on Sunday. It won Best Animated Feature and Best Song for "Golden." The Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation project defeated Disney's Zootopia 2, Pixar's Elio, and several other contenders in the animation race.

The victories signal a shift for the movie as it moves toward the Academy Awards on March 15. Oscar nominations drop on Jan. 22.

EJAE, who provides the singing voice for main character Rumi and co-wrote "Golden," accepted the Best Song award with co-writer Mark Sonnenblick. "When writing this song, I found myself living vicariously through my character Rumi," said EJAE to The Hollywood Reporter. "The song needed to be an expression of hope to convince herself that she could write and reach for her dreams."

Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans brought the voice and singing cast on stage to accept the animation award. Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, the other singing voices of the fictional K-pop girl group Huntrix, joined them.

The movie has become Netflix's most popular title ever. Its soundtrack spent several weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart, and "Golden" hit the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100.

The Hollywood Reporter reported in August that a sequel movie is in talks at Netflix and Sony Animation, and the directors and studio later confirmed their deals with the streamer for the next installment.

"The movie's journey started seven years ago as a personal love letter to my Korean culture, to the power of music, and to anybody who is trying to juggle and balance the person who they are really on the inside with who the world wants them to be," said Kang, according to Yonhap.