Netflix Animated Series ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ OST “Golden” Reaches No. 2 on Global Charts

“The Golden” theme song from Netflix’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” has dominated the global music market in 2025, setting a new trend for the music industry ahead.

According to Luminate’s 2025 year-end music report, “Golden” accumulated approximately 2.43 billion streams from January 3, 2025, to January 1, 2026, ranking it second among the most-streamed songs globally. “Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars topped the list with 2.858 billion streams, while Rosé’s “APT.” came in fourth at 2.326 billion streams, demonstrating strong performance by Korean music on global charts.

In terms of music video views, “Golden” ranked fourth with 1.146 billion views, behind “APT.” which held second place with 1.43 billion views. Even Pinkfong’s long-popular “Baby Shark” remained in ninth place, highlighting the ongoing global influence of Korean content.

“The Golden” continued its success on video music charts as well. It stayed in the top tier for 30 consecutive weeks on YouTube’s weekly music chart (January 9–15, 2026), ultimately ranking first globally. In key Western markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, it recorded high views—8.56 million in the U.S., 1.77 million in the UK, 1.33 million in Germany, and 1.6 million in France.

EJAE, the singer-songwriter who contributed to the track, received the award for Best Original Song at the American Cinema Editors Art Honors ceremony, where he shared insights into its creation process. He explained that around his mid-20s, after giving up his dream of becoming a K-pop idol, K-pop producers approached him asking if he would write a song. After completing the track on a theme of heartbreak, he added that it provided deeper healing than talking to friends.

“The Golden” has already won awards for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe Awards and Critics’ Choice Awards, and it is currently nominated in the same category at the Academy Awards. EJAE stated that after the movie’s release, he received messages from fans worldwide saying, “Your song ‘Golden’ saved me.”

Commercialization strategies have also followed closely behind. Netflix partnered with Mattel and Hasbro to release dolls, plush toys, and board games based on the series. In line with the “blind box” trend, it introduced mystery box pins featuring characters from “KPop Demon Hunters.” Sold on Amazon and Hot Topic, these mystery boxes include six different pins for characters such as HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, and REI AMI. A limited edition “Chase variant” of Jinwoo in a glow-in-the-dark design is particularly popular. These products released by Funko have generated significant attention on social media due to unboxing videos, often selling out quickly.

The film has also served as a catalyst for strengthening the global influence of Korean culture. At the 2026 Korea Image Awards, “KPop Demon Hunters” won two awards. The K-pop agency The Black Label, which led the soundtrack production, received the Korea Image Bridge Award, while the traditional hanbok hat worn by the character Sajaboy in the film won the Korea Image Spark Award. Jeong Gyeong-in, CEO of The Black Label, said at the award ceremony, “An animated series featuring Korean culture has generated worldwide interest, introducing Korean music to a broader audience.”