Netflix Animation “KPop Demon Hunters” Wins Two Awards at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards

Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” claimed two awards at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, which took place on the 11th (local time) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, USA. The film won both the Best Animated Feature award and the Best Original Song award.

Director Maggie Kang, a Korean-Canadian filmmaker, received the Best Animated Feature award. Lee Jae-eun, the singer of the theme song “Golden” and one of its co-writers and composers, stepped onto the stage in tears of joy as she accepted the award. Co-writer Mark Sonenblick, along with composers from The Black Label such as Kwak Jung-kyu, Lee Yu-han, Nam Hee-dong (IDO), Seo Jung-hun (24), and Park Hong-jun (Teddy), were also listed among the award recipients.

“KPop Demon Hunters” follows a group of girl group members known as HUNTR/X—specifically Rumi, Mira, and Joy—who are demon hunters battling a male group called Sazaboyz. Since its release in June of last year, the series has set a new streaming record for Netflix, accumulating over 500 million views and becoming one of the most successful Netflix films ever.

It is notable that the film won the corporate trophy in the Best Animated Feature category, overcoming competition from globally acclaimed titles such as “Zootopia 2,” “Demon Slayer: The Infinity” movie, “Arco,” “Elio,” and “Little Amelie.” “Zootopia 2” became Disney Animation Studios’ highest-grossing film to date, earning $1.46 billion worldwide just five weeks after its release. “Demon Slayer: The Infinity” was the first Japanese film to surpass 100 billion yen in global box office earnings.

The film deeply incorporates Korean history, culture, and traditions. Elements such as instant noodles, kimbap, public baths, and traditional Korean medicine clinics are vividly portrayed. It also features various cultural references including Musok beliefs, the concept of Juseongsaja, tiger and magpie characters inspired by Joseon-era folk art, as well as iconic locations like Myeongdong Street and Namsan Seoul Tower. The soundtrack includes songs like “Golden,” “Soda Pop,” and “Your Idol,” all crafted using K-pop musical styles.

The theme song “Golden” became the first K-pop track to top both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart last year. Billboard cited the impact of the “KPop Demon Hunters” OST on music charts as one of the symbolic moments of 2025.

“KPop Demon Hunters” previously won two awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, at the Critics’ Choice Awards hosted by North American critics groups on the 4th. “Golden” is also nominated for five categories at next month’s Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year. It has been pre-nominated for the Best Original Song award at the prestigious Academy Awards to be held in March.

With this victory, Director Maggie Kang became the first Asian woman to win a Golden Globe Award for animation and the second Asian winner overall. This marks the first time an Asian director has received this award since Hayao Miyazaki won it in 2023 for “The Boy and the Swan.”