Who was listed first for KPop Demon Hunters' Animated Feature Oscar?

Maggie Kang was listed first among KPop Demon Hunters’ winners for the 2026 Oscar for Best Animated Feature. She shared the award with Chris Appelhans and Michelle L.M. Wong.

Kang co-directed the film with Appelhans and helped shape its central blend of K-pop performance, Korean cultural imagery and supernatural fantasy. The Netflix film follows Huntrix, a fictional girl group whose members secretly protect their fans from demons while competing with the rival Saja Boys.

KPop Demon Hunters was released for streaming on Netflix on June 20, 2025. Its Oscar win capped a broad awards run that included victories at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards, as well as a ten-award haul at the Annie Awards. The film also won Best Original Song for “Golden,” making it one of the night’s most visible musical successes.

A common mix-up is to treat the listed names as a ranked order. They are co-winners, and the question specifically asks for the first-listed recipient. Kang’s name appears first even though Appelhans was also a co-director and Wong was among the credited producers.