‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Fans Defend Songwriters After Oscars Cut Speech Off: ‘Disrespectful and RUDE’

“KPop Demon Hunters” fans were not thrilled with the 98th Academy Awards telecast after the songwriters, accepting a history win for Best Original Song, were played off stage mid-speech.

“Oscars habit of cutting people off while they’re speaking is so disrespectful and RUDE,” one commentator wrote on X. “It shows a lack of respect for those who worked hard and are simply asking for a few minutes to dedicate the award to the entire team behind it. It shouldn’t be done, it feels unprofessional.”

#Oscars habit of cutting people off while they’re speaking is so disrespectful and RUDE. It shows a lack of respect for those who worked hard and are simply asking for a few minutes to dedicate the award to the entire team behind it. It shouldn’t be done, it feels unprofessional.

— SancheMou (@sanchemou) March 16, 2026

K-pop star and “Golden” co-writer EJAE tearfully accepted the award with five of her colleagues onstage. (She shared the win with co-writers Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park.)

“People made fun of me for liking K-pop, but now everyone’s singing our song and all the Korean lyrics,” EJAE said. “I’m so proud.”

Then when Lee went to the microphone, the Oscars’ orchestra began playing them off after he said, “I would like to thank.”

It marked a mild pattern through the three-and-a-half-hour telecast, which also saw others’ speeches cut short.

The audience inside the Dolby theater can be heard booing at the “Golden” slight, and naturally social media wasn’t having it.

Watch the moment below:

EJAE accepting her first #Oscar for Best Original Song for "Golden"

"People made fun of me for liking Kpop, but now everyone’s singing our song and all the korean lyrics. I’m so proud” pic.twitter.com/yxNyeMEQKL

— EJAE News (@Ejaenews) March 16, 2026

“That is so f–king disrespectful, people don’t wanna hear Marvel or comedians’ bits, we wanna hear the MOVIE winners, who are so fucking excited and emotional about get their awards, talk about said movies and winnings ffs,” wrote one viewer on X.

that is so fucking disrespectful, people don't wanna hear marvel or comedians bits, we wanna hear the MOVIE winners, who are so fucking excited and emotional about get their awards, talk about said movies and winnings ffs #oscars

— sabri (@mopisriver) March 16, 2026

“What the hell is going on with the timing for the Oscars winners? They’ve been cutting everyone short all night, don’t they have like a band on-site? People are still thanking their families, ffs!!” another X user added.

What the hell is going on with the timing for the #Oscars winners? They've been cutting everyone short all night, don't they have like a band on-site? People are still thanking their families, ffs!! #lettheoscarwinnerstalk

— Diego Quintero Peña (@quinterop_diego) March 16, 2026

“Cutting off people of color giving speeches, Jesus Christ,” another lamented.

cutting off people of color giving speeches jesus christ #Oscars

— Patrick ★ (@NOthisispatrck) March 16, 2026

“No im sorry im still raging about how they cut off that guy’s speech over the ‘Golden’ ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ win, that was just unkind,” said another.

no im sorry im still raging about how they cut off that guys speech over the golden kpop demon hunters win that was just unkind #oscars

— lucie ⸆⸉ (@luluxtaylor) March 16, 2026

“Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” became the first K-pop song to win the Oscar for Best Original Song. Propelled by the record-breaking popularity of the Netflix hit — which just confirmed a sequel is coming with original directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans attached — the single hit No. 1 on the music charts and won the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

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