Asian and Pacific Islander excellence in entertainment took centre stage in Los Angeles this weekend as Character Media and GoldenTV hosted the 2026 Unforgettable Awards — an annual celebration spotlighting achievements across film, television and culture.
Held at the Fairmont Century Plaza, the evening brought together a cross-section of creative heavyweights and rising stars. Among the night’s honourees were Hamnet director Chloé Zhao, Butterfly star Daniel Dae Kim, Saturday Night Live alum Bowen Yang, and voice actors Arden Cho and Ji-young Yoo from the animated hit KPop Demon Hunters.
GoldenTV CEO Takashi Cheng opened proceedings before the awards kicked off in earnest. Actor Charles Melton — who stars in the upcoming second season of Beef — presented Zhao with the Global Icon Award.
In an emotional introduction, Melton recalled a conversation with Zhao about Shakespearean prose, reflecting on the director’s impact as a storyteller.
“We need her films. We need her voice. We need her way,” he told the crowd.
“Chloé Zhao for president,” he joked, drawing cheers from the audience. Zhao embraced Melton after taking the stage. “You are an incredible human being and artist,” she told him.
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During her acceptance speech, Zhao spoke about identity, creativity and the role storytelling plays in shaping human experience.
“I am so proud to be Chinese,” she said, reflecting on the path that led her to filmmaking.
“It is the birthright of every human being to use their creativity to alchemize their life experiences, no matter how difficult they are,” she said. “It is not a hobby. It’s not a job. It is a birthright.”
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“I want to thank everyone of you who exercised that birthright to experience the luminous and to connect with your own inner divinity, and thank you for helping others remember that too.”
Elsewhere, Yang took home the Actor in Film Award for his performance in The Wedding Banquet, presented by comedian Atsuko Okatsuka.
“Wow, I cannot believe that I beat out Jackie Chan in The Karate Kid for this,” Yang quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Reflecting on the oddities of the acting profession, he added: “Look, acting is so weird because you basically stand on a piece of tape, you say some stuff, maybe you’re wearing a toupee like I did in Wicked, and you’re supposed to cry on cue after someone’s offered an Altoid [mint].”
“Then six months later, a flight attendant will bring it up and call you brave while you’re stepping into the lavatory.”
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Yang also spoke candidly about the experience of Asian and Pacific Islander visibility in Hollywood.
“Step into rooms and you were very aware of yourself immediately. You were noticed but maybe not in the way you would want to be. Be seen but maybe too seen, too flattened, too misunderstood,” he said.
“That makes you move through life in the third person too,” he continued. “I’m so, so happy and lucky that it’s starting to change now because of rooms like this.”
The animated film KPop Demon Hunters was awarded the Vanguard Award, with Yoo and Cho accepting on behalf of the cast. The actors described the film as a love letter to Korean culture and music, as well as a broader celebration of community.
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Additional honours went to acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Director Award), who shared video messages after being unable to attend in person.
The night also recognised emerging voices and industry innovators. Lawrence Shou received the Breakout in Film Award, while Te Ao o Hinepehinga took home Breakout in Television. The Writer Award went to Lloyd Lee Choi, Digital Influencer to Leenda Dong, and Culinary Excellence to chef Jet Tila.
Performances were interspersed throughout the evening, including appearances by singer Eric Nam, magician and mentalist Kevin Li, singer Peng Peng and singer-songwriter Sinéad Harnett.
The 2026 selection committee was co-chaired by Simu Liu and Cheng, and included a roster of prominent names across entertainment — from Awkwafina and Celine Song to Ken Jeong and Randall Park.
The 2026 Unforgettable Gala will stream as a special on GoldenTV on March 13.
