US Academy Awards Viewership Drops 58% Due to COVID-19 Impact

On the 25th (local time), at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony held at Union Station in Los Angeles (LA), California, USA, actress Youn Yuh-jung (74) is holding her trophy after winning the Best Supporting Actress award. She became the first Korean actor to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Soon-ja in the American independent film "Minari."
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Youn Yuh-jung (73) made headlines in South Korea as the first Korean actor to win the Best Supporting Actress award at the American Academy Awards, but the ceremony recorded its lowest viewership in 10 years.

According to foreign media including the BBC on the 26th (local time), 9.85 million Americans watched the 93rd Academy Awards held on the 25th at Union Station in Los Angeles (LA), USA.

This represents a 58% decrease compared to the previous year (23.6 million). It is also the lowest level in the past 10 years since 2012.

The relatively small number of blockbuster competitors and the cancellation of celebratory performances due to the impact of COVID-19 are interpreted as factors influencing this decline.

The British daily The Telegraph pointed out, "This year's ceremony was exaggerated but lacked emotion, and was boring and predictable," adding, "It was a good opportunity to remind audiences of the magic of movies."

The arts review magazine ArtsDesk also said, "I felt drained throughout watching the ceremony," and "I don't understand why the winners were allowed to talk nonstop." Critic Dave Nemetz harshly criticized the ceremony, saying, "It was slow and uninteresting, mixed with lengthy speeches and endless celebrations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.