What's Inside?
- Ahn Hyo-seop’s voice performance as Jin-woo in KPop Demon Hunters is drawing widespread acclaim and awards season chatter.
- Critics call KPop Demon Hunters a vibrant, genre-defying celebration of K-pop, ranking No. 1 in over 40 countries globally.
- The viral soundtrack, led by Ahn’s theme song Free, has exploded online, fueling speculation of historic Oscar recognition.
It was a genuine surprise for this year’s awards season buzz, actor Ahn Hyo-seop is putting in serious consideration as a voice actor from Netflix original crush of the season KPop Demon Hunters. With the movie exploding in popularity and criticism alike, many are now posing the question: could Ahn end up getting an Oscar nomination as a result of his dubbed performance?
Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is not your average animated film
Co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and produced by Sony Pictures Animation, KPop Demon Hunters follows a K-pop girl group that moonlights as demon slayers—blending stylish animation, dazzling choreography, and high-energy musical numbers into an unapologetically loud and proud celebration of Korean pop culture. Since its premiere, the film has dominated Netflix’s global charts, ranking in the Top 10 in over 90 countries and hitting No. 1 in more than 40.
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ is one of the biggest contenders for Best Animated Feature at the 2026 Oscars. pic.twitter.com/HWW003mAry
— Cartoon Base (@TheCartoonBase) July 4, 2025
Critics have enthusiastically embraced the film, praising its colorful visuals, strong female-led storytelling, and genre-defying energy. Variety described it as “a dynamic, color-saturated musical journey that fuses animation aesthetics with K-pop energy,” and on Rotten Tomatoes, the film boasts a stellar 97% approval rating.
Ahn Hyo-seop’s voice acting as Jin-woo is earning major awards buzz
Although the colorful girl group in the film dominates, Ahn Hyo-seop becomes the center of attention as Jin-woo, the glamorous grim reaper, and the boy band group leader Saja Boys are all mere fiction. His character work is more than a voice-over, though, as he gives Jin-woo dangerous stature, voice talen,t and resonance.
American critics have taken notice, with some calling his performance “flawless” and noting that Ahn “embodies Jin-woo’s intellect and charisma to perfection.” His rendition of the theme song Free has also gone viral, with a YouTube cover video crossing 10 million views in just one day. The film’s original soundtrack itself has become a pop phenomenon, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and sending the single Your Idol to the top of Spotify’s U.S. chart.
Could Ahn Hyo-seop make Oscar history?
KPop Demon Hunters may become the first film that will be awarded the K-pop genre at the Academy Awards owing to its irresistible force. And that breakthrough can have a face, and that face can be the already popular actor in the Korean drama circuit, Ahn Hyo-seop.
He will just have to keep up the buzz with his performance, and the Academy might be pressed to reach outside Hollywood to pick up one of the most exciting voice roles in recent animation film history.
