Maggie Kang, the Korean-Canadian director behind Netflix animation "KPop Demon Hunters," and Kim Jee-woon, director of "Cobweb," are expected to gain voting rights for the U.S. Academy Awards (Oscars).
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which organizes the Oscars, the most prestigious event in American cinema, announced Thursday that it has invited 529 people as new members this year, including directors Maggie Kang and Kim Jee-woon.
Since "KPop Demon Hunters" won two awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, at the 98th Academy Awards in March this year, co-director Chris Appelhans and producer Michelle Wong were also named on the list, alongside Kang.
EJAE, the singer who voiced lead character Rumi and wrote and composed the theme song "Golden" in "KPop Demon Hunters," along with co-lyricist Mark Sonnenblick and editor Oren Yacobi, were also invited as new members.
Kim Woo-hyung, who handled cinematography, and Lee Kyoung-mi, who wrote the screenplay for director Park Chan-wook's film "No Other Choice," were also invited.
Among other directors, Kim Jee-woon, who made "I Saw the Devil" and "Cobweb," stands out, while among actors, Korean-American Kenneth Choi, who appeared in "The Wolf of Wall Street" and the "Spider-Man" series, is notable.
If they accept the Academy's invitation, they will be able to exercise voting rights for the Academy Awards as official members.
Academy members qualify as judging candidates if they are nominated for that year's Academy Awards, and are selected only through recommendation rather than application.
Meanwhile, the 99th Academy Awards will be held on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
