'Kedeheon' Likely Attendee - Ahn Hyo-seop to Attend... D-Day for the U.S. Academy Awards... Award Status 'on edge'

The 98th Academy Awards will be held on the 15th (local time; the morning of the 16th in Korea) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA. The Academy Awards are a prestigious American film awards ceremony organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

This year’s ceremony is expected to see competition from Ryan Coogler’s 'Sineus: The Sinners' (nominated in 16 categories) and Paul Thomas Anderson’s 'One Battle After Another' (13 nominations across 12 categories). Also in the running for Best Picture are Timothy Chalamet’s 'Marty Supreme' and Guillermo del Toro’s 'Frankenstein'.

Although no Korean films were directly nominated this year, the Netflix animation set in Korea 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' was named as a nominee for Best Animated Feature and for Best Original Song ('Golden'). The film drew attention after winning Critics' Choice and Golden Globe awards and then becoming the first K-pop genre winner at the Grammy Awards.

Lee Jae, Audrey Nuna, and Ray Ami, who provided the HUNTRIX vocals in the film, are scheduled to perform the theme song 'Golden' on stage at the ceremony, and Ahn Hyo-seop, who voiced the male lead Jin-woo, has been officially invited and will attend.

Jang Joon-hwan’s film 'Save the Green Planet!' served as the source for the Hollywood remake 'Bugonia', which has also attracted attention by being nominated in four categories including Best Picture and Best Actress.

Meanwhile, according to local media reports, the FBI has obtained intelligence that Iran may carry out a drone attack targeting the U.S. West Coast in retaliation for U.S. military action. As a result, a top-level security system will be put in place around Los Angeles where the ceremony is being held, and the organizers said they are strengthening safety measures in cooperation with the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department.