Sheridan graduate Maggie Kang wins Oscar for KPop Demon Hunters

Sheridan alumna Maggie Kang (Animation ’04) won her first Oscar on Sunday night, with her film KPop Demon Hunters taking home an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Kang co-wrote and co-directed the smash-hit movie, which originated from her own idea and has become a global sensation, quickly becoming Netflix’s most viewed film in the streamer’s history. It tells the story of a fictional K-pop group who also secretly battles demons, all backed by music that has gained massive popularity. The film also took home an Oscar for Best Original Song for Golden.

“We’re incredibly proud to see Maggie recognized with an Oscar – an honour that demonstrates a true commitment to excellence,” says Dr. Cindy Gouveia, Sheridan’s President and Vice Chancellor. “This is an inspiring moment for our entire Sheridan community, especially for our students to see how hard work, passion and dedication to telling authentic and inclusive stories can lead to global success.”

In winning, Kang edged out fellow Sheridan alumna Domee Shi (Bachelor of Animation ’11), co-director of Elio, which was nominated in the same category. Additionally, more than four dozen Sheridan graduates had credits on this year's Oscar nominated films, with 20 alone having worked on Zootopia 2, which was also nominated for Best Animated Feature, as well as several on F1 and Frankenstein, which were both up for Best Picture. Also nominated for work on Frankenstein was alumnus Brad Zoern (Media Arts ’92), who received the nod in the Sound category.

Sheridan College graduates have a long history of winning at the Oscars, including Shi, who most recently won best animated short for Bao in 2019 and was nominated in 2023 for Turning Red.

In addition to the Oscars, Sheridan alumni have received other top honours including the Golden Globes, Emmys and Canadian Screen Awards. The Faculty of Animation, Arts and Design (FAAD) is the top animation school in Canada and continues to respond to the needs of creative industries, helping students unlock innovation and success. Most recently, FAAD launched Canada’s first master’s in animation, games, and immersive experiences. Last year, Sheridan was named as an Apple Distinguished School, launched the Honours Bachelor of 3D Animation and Emerging Technologies (3DAET), and unveiled Nova, an interdisciplinary initiative designed to explore changes in creative industries.

— Photo by Arturo Holmes, Getty Images