In one of the most bittersweet moments of the 98th Academy Awards, the songwriting team behind Golden — the Best Original Song winner from KPop Demon Hunters — was cut off mid-acceptance speech as the Oscars broadcast switched to a commercial break.
The audience at the Dolby Theatre audibly booed. It was an awkward, uncomfortable moment on what should have been pure celebration — and the team made sure to say everything they couldn’t on stage, afterwards.
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Table of Contents
Golden — Oscar-Winning Songwriting Team
| Songwriter | Role / Note |
|---|---|
| EJAE | Lead vocalist; the only one who got to speak on stage |
| Yu Han Lee | Was mid-speech when cut off by commercial break |
| Mark Sonnenblick | Did not get to speak on stage at all |
| Joong Gyu Kwak | Part of the award-winning team |
| Hee Dong Nam | Part of the award-winning team |
| Jeong Hoon Seo | Part of the award-winning team |
| Teddy Park | Part of the award-winning team |
What Happened on Stage — and What They Said Backstage
Golden made history as the first K-pop track to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The entire songwriting team — seven people — walked onto that stage together, which was beautiful in itself. But as they gathered around the microphone, the broadcast abruptly cut away. Only EJAE had managed to speak before the interruption.
Backstage, the team spoke their hearts out. EJAE expressed gratitude on behalf of the group, calling it a deeply collaborative effort and thanking the film’s directors. She also made a point of recognising fellow Golden vocalists Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna.
Yu Han Lee, who was mid-sentence when the cut happened, shared his thanks to family and fellow Idol members. And Mark Sonnenblick, who didn’t get a single second at the microphone, delivered perhaps the most poignant moment of the evening — paraphrasing the song itself to emphasise that this win wasn’t about any one person. The spirit of Golden is “we’re going up, up, up,” and he made clear that the fans who loved the film made this victory what it was.
The audience’s booing during the cut-off was a small but telling sign — even in that room, people felt the unfairness of the moment. This was a historic win, and every person on that team deserved their thirty seconds.
KPop Demon Hunters also won Best Animated Feature at the same ceremony, and a sequel has already been confirmed for 2029.
Stay updated with all Oscars 2026 and K-pop news at TechnoSports.
❓ FAQs
Q: Why were the Golden songwriters cut off at Oscars 2026?
The live broadcast switched to a commercial break while the songwriting team was still delivering their Best Original Song acceptance speech, cutting off most of the team mid-sentence with the audience booing in response.
Q: What did the Golden songwriters say after being cut off at the Oscars?
The team completed their speeches backstage — EJAE thanked collaborators and vocalists, Yu Han Lee thanked his family and Idol members, and Mark Sonnenblick quoted the song itself, crediting the fans for making the win possible.
