Ahn Hyo-seop walks Oscars red carpet as K-Pop Demon Hunters star Jinwoo

▲ South Korean actor Ahn Hyo-seop poses for red carpet photos at the 98th Academy Awards held March 15, 2026 (local time), at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (EPA=Yonhap)

SEOUL, March 16 (Yonhap) -- Actor Ahn Hyo-seop, who voiced the character Jinwoo in the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” walked the red carpet at the Academy Awards, the most prestigious awards ceremony in the U.S. film industry.

Ahn appeared on the red carpet at the 98th Academy Awards held Sunday (local time) at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, drawing enthusiastic reactions from attendees.

It marked the first time the actor has walked the Oscars red carpet since making his debut in 2015.

An official from his agency, The Present Company, said Ahn attended the ceremony upon an official invitation from the Academy.

▲ South Korean actor Ahn Hyo-seop poses for red carpet photos at the 98th Academy Awards held March 15, 2026 (local time), at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (EPA=Yonhap)

Dressed in a black tuxedo, the actor appeared relaxed as he stepped onto the red carpet under the spotlight.

“KPop Demon Hunters” is an animated film that tells the story of the girl group Huntrix, who double as demon hunters, battling the evil boy band Saja Boys to save the world. The film has sparked a global craze.

Ahn drew international attention by voicing the male lead Jinwoo, a member of the Saja Boys.

The film won best animated feature and best original song at the Golden Globe Awards in January. Last month, it also won best song written for visual media at the Grammy Awards, marking the first time a K-pop genre work received the honor.

At Sunday’s ceremony, the film also won the Oscar for best animated feature, taking home the Academy Award trophy.

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved