AceShowbiz - At the 98th Annual Oscars held at the Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, a controversial moment unfolded during the acceptance speeches for the original song category. The team behind the hit K-pop song "Golden" from the Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters experienced an abrupt cutoff while delivering their speeches, sparking widespread criticism of the show's handling of the moment.

The songwriters, including EJAE, Yu-Han Lee, and others, were honored for their work on "Golden," which won the Oscar for Best Original Song, beating out competitors from films like Sinners, Viva Verdi!, Train Dreams, and Diane Warren’s Relentless.

During the ceremony, after EJAE finished her full speech, expressing pride in the song's resilience and the cultural impact of K-pop, co-writer Yu-Han Lee began his remarks but was suddenly drowned out by the orchestra playing over him. The production team quickly moved the group offstage, preventing them from completing their speeches live. The team visibly showed frustration and attempted to signal for the music to stop, but were ushered backstage where they were later allowed to finish their thank-yous.

The incident drew significant backlash from viewers and industry commentators, who labeled the move as disrespectful, especially given the historic significance of the win. "Golden" is the first K-pop song to receive an Oscar, marking a milestone for the genre and the film, which has already accrued numerous accolades since its release last summer.

In response to the controversy, Rob Mills, executive vice president of Walt Disney Television, spoke with Variety the day after the ceremony. Mills acknowledged the challenges the show faces in managing acceptance speeches within limited broadcast time.

“One thing, as we post mortem for next year, will be to look at how we're handling speeches,” Mills said. He emphasized the complexities of balancing time constraints with honoring winners’ moments onstage. “You win the Oscar, you know you go on stage, it could be one person, it could be five or six. Immediately you'll see the sort of allotted time we have for them.”

Mills suggested possible solutions may include designating a single spokesperson to deliver the speech on stage, with others continuing their thanks backstage or via social media feeds. “We look at everything and figure out what is the most elegant solution, because it is difficult, especially when you're cutting somebody off, and it's their one moment.”

He added, “I don't know what the most elegant solution is, but it's obviously something we should look really, really long and hard at.”

Despite the awkward ending to the live speeches, the moment remains historic. The Oscar win for "Golden" highlights the growing global influence of K-pop and the success of KPop Demon Hunters as a cultural phenomenon.

Additionally, the film’s vocalists, including EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, and REI AMI, are set to receive another landmark honor. For the first time, Billboard’s Woman of the Year award will be presented as Women of the Year, with the trio sharing the accolade during the Billboard Women in Music Awards scheduled for April.

The controversy at the Oscars has sparked conversations about how major award shows manage diverse and large winning teams, especially in an era of globalized entertainment. Fans and industry insiders alike await to see how future ceremonies will adapt to better respect and celebrate artists’ moments of recognition.