Turns out the heroines of “KPop Demon Hunters” can slay more than just demon boy bands — now they’re coming for awards-season competition.
The musical fantasy created by Korean-Canadian director Maggie Kang earned three Golden Globes nods on Monday, including one for best animated feature.
Netflix’s cultural juggernaut is also nominated for best cinematic and box office achievement, and its Billboard hit “Golden” is up for best original song.
In a statement, Kang said she’s “beyond thrilled and incredibly humbled” by the recognition of the film she co-directed about a K-pop girl group that moonlights as demon slayers. “The global cultural impact of this film is something we are still getting used to, and we are so thankful to the fans who fell in love with Rumi, Mira, Zoey, the Saja Boys, and of course Derpy Tiger and Sussie,” she said, listing the movie’s popular characters.
It’s been a career-defining year for Kang, who told the Canadian Press in July that it felt “pretty wild” to witness her film’s success after spending her childhood hiding her love of K-pop as a Korean immigrant growing up in 1990s Toronto.
Netflix says “KPop Demon Hunters” is the streaming giant’s most popular film of all time, racking up more than 236 million views.
Its soundtrack also made history this year, becoming the first movie soundtrack to land four songs in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10 simultaneously in the chart’s 67-year history.
The film will compete in the animation category against Toronto’s Domee Shi, who co-directed Pixar’s fantasy adventure film “Elio.”
Among this year’s other Canadian contenders, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s cringe comedy “The Studio” made a big splash, earning a nod for best comedy or musical series.
The Vancouver-born Rogen is also up for best actor in a TV musical or comedy for his role in the Apple TV Plus show as the frazzled boss of a struggling Hollywood studio, juggling corporate pressures with his dream of making genuinely good movies.
He’ll square off against fellow Canadian Martin Short, who got a nod for his role as a struggling theatre director in Disney Plus’ “Only Murders in the Building” for the fifth year in a row.
Rogen’s “The Studio” co-star, Toronto’s Catherine O’Hara, earned a nomination for best supporting actress on TV for her turn as a veteran studio executive navigating the fallout after being pushed out of her position.
Canadian-American actor Will Arnett became one of the first nominees for the Golden Globes’ inaugural best podcast award, earning a nod for his program “Smartless,” which he hosts with Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes.
Toronto’s Graham Yost got a nod for best drama series as executive producer of Apple TV Plus spy thriller “Slow Horses.”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s action thriller “One Battle After Another” emerged as the Golden Globes’ front-runner with nine nominations spanning best score, best supporting male actor, best screenplay, best director and more.
In the TV categories, HBO dramedy “White Lotus” led the pack with six nominations, including best TV drama series, and best supporting actor/actress nods for Walton Goggins, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey and more.
The 83rd annual Golden Globes will air Jan. 11, 2026.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2025.
