Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Falls Short of BAFTA Nomination; What About Oscar Chances?

Netflix’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” was excluded from consideration for a BAFTA nomination. The BAFTA Film Committee ultimately decided not to include the show in the lineup for its 79th British Academy Awards ceremony, scheduled for February next year, on the grounds that it failed to meet the requirements for theatrical release. BAFTA’s criteria for eligibility require a film to be commercially shown at least 10 times over a minimum of 7 consecutive days in the UK. “KPop Demon Hunters” held event screenings in 264 theaters across the UK on August 23 and 24, and it was also shown in 528 theaters from October 31 to November 2 during the Halloween season. However, BAFTA determined that these screenings did not satisfy the requirement of 7 consecutive days. Additionally, the fact that the series was first released via Netflix before going into theaters two months later was viewed as a negative factor. Netflix appealed to BAFTA, but its request was denied. The company requested leniency given the special circumstances surrounding the event screenings, but the BAFTA Film Committee applied the rules strictly. As a result of this rejection, Netflix plans to pursue a BAFTA nomination for the animated feature “In Your Dream,” directed by American-Chinese filmmaker Alex Wu and set to release on the 24th. Nevertheless, there are concerns that “KPop Demon Hunters” being excluded from BAFTA could affect its chances at an Oscar award. The North American media outlet Deadline noted that “since the introduction of the animated feature category at both BAFTA and the Oscars, no film has won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature without first receiving a BAFTA nomination.” Yet, most industry experts still consider “KPop Demon Hunters” to be one of the strongest contenders in this year’s Oscar season. The series is an animation centered around the K-pop girl group HUNTRIX, telling a story set in Seoul as they fight against evil spirits. The film’s theme song, “Golden,” was recently nominated for three awards at the Grammy Awards, while OST tracks such as “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop” continue to chart on Billboard’s Hot 100. It has become one of Netflix’s most-watched titles ever and has recently seen the confirmation of two sequels. To qualify for Oscar consideration, it was shown in theaters in three U.S. cities—San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York—from June 20 to 26, with screenings beginning on the same day as its streaming release.