First K-Pop Female Singer to Top Billboard Chart…“KPop Demon Hunters” Track “Golden” Dominates Charts in U.S. and UK

“The Golden” from Netflix’s original animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” simultaneously reached the top spot on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart Top 100. This achievement set multiple records in K-Pop history. “Golden” climbed to number one on the UK chart on the 1st, followed by a victory on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on the 11th. It marked the first time a K-Pop female singer has topped the Hot 100 and the first instance where a K-Pop-related song has dominated both major charts in the United States and the United Kingdom. Psy’s “Gangnam Style” reached number one on the UK chart in 2012 but only finished in second place on Billboard, while BTS and its members Jimin and Jung Kook reached the top of Billboard but failed to claim number one in the UK. This is also a significant milestone for female groups. It was 24 years since a female group of three or more members topped the Hot 100, with Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills” achieving that in 2001. Additionally, it is the first time a virtual idol has reached number one on the Hot 100, as well as the first time a song based on a fictional premise has done so. It is the third time an animated series OST has topped the chart, following “Aladdin” in 1993 and “Encanto” in 2022. During the tracking period from August 1 to 7, “Golden” recorded 31.7 million streams, 8.4 million radio plays, and 7,000 album sales. It particularly excelled in streaming metrics, differing from previous K-Pop songs that relied heavily on fan-driven album purchases. “Golden” remained the most streamed song for six consecutive weeks, demonstrating its widespread popularity. The song is performed by the virtual K-Pop trio group HUNTR/X in the Netflix animated series released in June. The vocals are provided by American-Korean singer IJae, Audrey Nuuna (from New Jersey), and Lay Aimi (from Seoul), all of whom were former Trainees at SM Entertainment. The composition was handled by Teddy-24 from The Black Label and IJae. Thanks to “Golden’s” success, several other tracks from the same OST also entered the top ranks of the charts. “Your Idol” by Lion Boyz reached number 8, with a total of nine tracks—including “Soda Pop,” “How It’s Done,” and “Take Down”—making it onto the Hot 100. On Spotify’s U.S. Top 50 chart, six tracks from “KPop Demon Hunters” OST also placed within the top 10. Dan Lin, Netflix’s head of original films, told The Hollywood Reporter, “Netflix is proud of this series’ success and is eager to explore future stories for HUNTR/X.” He added, “If a sequel is made, we will invest time and effort to preserve the uniqueness and charm of the first installment.” IJae expressed her joy on her social media by saying, “I’m at a loss for words. Tears all I can do.” She also thanked everyone who showed their support.