Oscars 2026: 11 Asian stars who lit up the red carpet

The half-Korean star of Heated Rivalry made a flawless Oscars debut in an impeccably tailored all-black Balenciaga suit—a masterclass in monochromatic restraint. By removing the visual interruption of a white shirt, Williams forced the eye to focus entirely on the suit’s knife-edge construction. A single diamond Bulgari Serpenti brooch provided the sole, spectacular punctuation against the inky tailoring.

Rei Ami mastered proportion and surprise, wearing a geometric beaded Rahul Mishra micro-mini dress—a rarity at the Academy Awards—almost entirely enveloped by a sweeping black overcoat adorned with large-scale gold-embroidered birds. A structural top knot with face-framing bangs and emerald drop earrings balanced the look’s theatrical grandeur with a youthful, decisive pop-star edge.

South Korean actor Ahn Hyo-seop, who voiced the demon character Jinu in KPop Demon Hunters, arrived with his signature refined aura firmly intact. In a flawlessly cut, razor-sharp Tom Ford double-breasted tuxedo, Ahn demonstrated that style in menswear is communicated through exact fit—a grounding, authoritative counterpoint to the maximalism of his castmates.

Nominated for Best Director for Hamnet, Chloe Zhao delivered the evening’s most conceptually daring look. Her dramatic black ruffled gown with sweeping bell sleeves was paired with a sheer black veil that partially obscured her face—a breathtaking visual extension of Hamnet’s themes of grief and mourning. Near-bare make-up heightened the look’s austere, almost ecclesiastical power.

Arden Cho, who voices Rumi in KPop Demon Hunters, created a resonant statement in a black lace mermaid gown by Korean designer Miss Sohee. The undisputed centrepiece: an opulent, oversized, vibrant green silk stole—intricately embroidered with delicate florals—was draped over her shoulders as sculptural sleeves, a masterful homage to traditional Korean folk art aesthetics.

The voice of Mira in KPop Demon Hunters, May Hong leaned fully into gothic glamour in a sheer black off-the-shoulder gown with dramatic, architectural ruffles. The defining move: a sleek, boyish pixie cut worn against the overwhelmingly feminine volume of the gown, creating an arresting visual tension. Long drop earrings provided the perfect finishing punctuation.

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Ejae, who performed the Oscar-winning track “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, arrived in a strapless gold sequined column gown by Dior, designed by Jonathan Anderson. Delicate black floral appliqués tied her look to her bandmates’ colour palette, while kinetic fringe accents ensured the gown moved brilliantly on camera. Bespoke Swarovski jewels completed a silhouette of luminous, updated old-Hollywood glamour.

Making history as the first woman and Filipino-American to win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for Sinners, Autumn Durald Arkapaw delivered a sartorial statement. She eschewed the traditional gown entirely for a Thom Browne menswear-inspired ensemble: a crisp white shirt, black tie, floor-length textured tailored coat and classic two-tone block heels—authoritative elegance perfectly matched to a victory that shattered the glass ceiling.

Ji-young Yoo, who voices Zoey in KPop Demon Hunter, delivered a modern take on cinematic royalty in a strapless two-tone Carolina Herrera ballgown. A plunging pale blue bodice transitioned sharply into a dramatic navy skirt, cinched by an oversized, asymmetrical black bow. A sleek chin-length bob, delicate diamond accessories and nails painted to match the bodice completed a look that evoked Hollywood’s golden age with precision.

In a scarlet off-the-shoulder gown, its surface constructed from pleated fabric cascading into a mermaid train, Maggie Kang made history at the Oscars. As co-director and writer of KPop Demon Hunters, she became the first South Korean to win the Best Animated Feature, delivering an emotional acceptance speech dedicating the historic win to “Koreans everywhere”.

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