K-POP’s First Grammy Victory… History Made by ‘Golden’ from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ OST

‘Golden,’ the original soundtrack for Netflix’s animated film ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ won the ‘Best Song Written for Visual Media’ award at the 68th Grammy Awards, marking a new chapter in K-POP history. The victory was announced during a pre-Grammy event held in Los Angeles, USA, on the 1st (local time), making it the first time K-POP creators have stepped onto a Grammy stage.

‘Golden’ is a song performed by the female trio group ‘HUNTR/X’ in the film, and its sweet and energetic melody dominated global charts. It became the first K-POP track to simultaneously top both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart Top 100, and it also received a nomination for the top award, ‘Song of the Year.’

EJAE, Teddy, 24, and IDO — who contributed to ‘Golden’ — all became Grammy winners as a result. Producer 24 said in his acceptance speech, “I dedicate this honor to Teddy, the pioneer of K-POP.” Although engineer Hwang Byung-jun and singer Cho Su-mi have previously won Grammys, this is the first time K-POP creators have received such an award.

This victory is seen as proof of K-POP’s cultural and commercial influence within the global music industry. The film ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ became Netflix’s most-watched movie ever since its release in June, surpassing 480 million views. Its soundtrack album also topped the Billboard charts for the first time since Disney’s animated film ‘Encanto’ in 2022, drawing significant attention.

Meanwhile, BLACKPINK member Rosé was nominated in three categories, including ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Record of the Year,’ for her solo song ‘APT’ at the awards ceremony on the 1st. Rosé and Bruno Mars’s performance of ‘APT’ opened the Grammy show, marking the first time a K-POP singer has performed as the opening act at the Grammys.