Gat, Pansori, and Traditional Dance... The "K-Pop Demon Hunters" Craze That Had Spielberg and DiCaprio Waving Light Sticks (Comprehensive)

"K-Pop Demon Hunters" Wins Both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song
A Stage Featuring Dancers in Gat Hats, Drums, and Traditional Korean Dance

An unusual scene unfolded at the Academy Awards in the United States, with Hollywood stars waving light sticks in support from the audience.

On March 16, Yonhap News reported that at the 98th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the theme song "Golden" from the Netflix animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters" graced the stage.

At the 98th Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA, the theme song "Golden" from the Netflix animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters" graced the stage. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

In the second half of the ceremony, there was a special performance of "Golden," the animated film’s theme song. During the performance, Hollywood stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Steven Spielberg were seen waving light sticks from the audience and enjoying the stage, which drew attention.

The performance opened with the powerful melodies of pansori. Male dancers dressed in black hanbok and wearing gat appeared alongside samulnori musicians playing the buk drum, followed by a female pansori singer in hanbok performing a section of pansori. The scene then shifted to female dancers in jangsam, performing a traditional dance with white cloth, creating the atmosphere of a Korean cultural showcase. The performance began with the sound of daegeum and kkwaenggwari from the samulnori ensemble, emphasizing the traditional aesthetics of Korea. The stage direction incorporated the movements of shamanic rituals and talchum, in line with the film’s setting of hunting evil spirits.

During the performance, Hollywood stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Steven Spielberg were seen waving light sticks from the audience, enjoying the stage, which attracted attention. OCN

Next, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, who provided the vocals for the in-film girl group "Huntress," took the stage and delivered a passionate rendition of the theme song "Golden." Dancers waving golden flags filled the stage, heightening the excitement of the performance. The background screen displayed modern interpretations of dancheong patterns and traditional Korean landscape paintings, while dancers in gat and hanbok added a distinct Korean flair to the stage. The lyrics, including the Korean phrase "unchanging forever," resonated throughout the Dolby Theatre. This was a rare moment at the Academy Awards, a predominantly "local" ceremony where even Korean acceptance speeches are seldom heard.

The audience’s response was enthusiastic. Just like the scene in the movie where fans wave light sticks during Huntress’s performance, attendees at the ceremony also raised their light sticks and enjoyed the show. According to NBC News, the commemorative gift bags given to attendees that day included cheering items such as light sticks.

During the performance, Hollywood stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Steven Spielberg were seen waving light sticks in the audience, enjoying the stage, which drew attention. OCN

Korean film critic Lee Dongjin commented on the performance, saying, "This single stage alone is reason enough to watch the Academy Awards," and added, "It’s remarkable to have delivered a performance that would be difficult to create even if the Korean government tried to buy it."

Local media outlets also praised the stage, calling it "a performance that proved the most Korean of themes has achieved universal global appeal."

The stage opened with a traditional Korean performance. Male dancers dressed in black hanbok and wearing gat appeared with samulnori musicians who played the buk drum, followed by a female pansori singer in hanbok performing a section of pansori. OCN

Meanwhile, "K-Pop Demon Hunters" won both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the ceremony, taking home two awards. The animated film tells the story of the girl group "Huntress," who hunt evil spirits and face off against the sinister boy group "Saja Boys," who prey on people's souls. Released in June last year, it has surpassed 500 million cumulative global views and is recognized as the most successful title among Netflix content.

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