KATSEYE’s “Golden” Wins Grammy, Becoming First K-Pop Song to Receive Award

“Golden,” the OST for Netflix’s animated series *KPop Demon Hunters*, won the “Best Song Written for Visual Media” award at the 68th Grammy Awards. This marks the first time a K-Pop composer and producer has secured a trophy in a Grammy’s official category, as well as the first time a song from the K-Pop genre has received an award from the Grammys.

The announcement was made during the pre-show portion of the 68th Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles, USA, on the 1st (local time). At the ceremony taking place at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, EJAE, Teddy, 24, and IDO — who collaborated on composing “Golden” — accepted the award as a team.

This category evaluates songwriters based on the quality and achievement of songs created specifically for visual media such as films and dramas. It is a field where both artistic merit and technical proficiency must be recognized to win. Shortly after winning, 24 expressed his gratitude by saying, “I dedicate this honor to my mentor and colleague, Brother Teddy, who has been with me throughout this entire process.”

Most of the key production staff behind “Golden” belong to Teddy’s team, best known for their work with BLACKPINK, and are affiliated with The Black Label. Although it is an animated theme song produced with American funding, it is praised for carrying a distinct K-Pop creative DNA.

“Golden” also achieved outstanding results on global charts. It set a record by simultaneously reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the UK Official Singles Chart Top 100, establishing itself as one of the most prominent global hits of 2025.

However, it failed to win in major categories. Both “Golden” and “APT.” performed by Rosé and Bruno Mars were nominated for major awards such as Song of the Year but did not win. The “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance” award went to the duo of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who performed “Defying Gravity” from the film *Wicked*.

Rosé’s “APT.” made history at this Grammy by being nominated in three categories, representing an exceptional achievement for a K-Pop solo artist. The girl group KATSEYE, a collaboration between HYBE and Geffen Records, was also nominated in two categories: “New Artist” and “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.”