Netflix Anime “KPop Demon Hunters” Wins Two Golden Globe Awards; “Golden” Surpasses 1 Billion YouTube Views

Netflix’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” claimed two awards at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, winning both the Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song titles. At the ceremony held on the 11th (local time) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the series defeated strong competitors such as Disney·Pixar’s “Jupiter’s Legacy” and “Elio,” as well as the Japanese anime “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train,” to secure the Best Animated Feature award.

Director Maggie Kang, who appeared on stage to accept the awards, expressed her joy by saying this was proof that a film rooted in Korean culture could connect with audiences worldwide. She also revealed her intention to create strong and confident female characters.

The theme song “Golden” also won the Best Original Song award on the same day. It surpassed tracks from acclaimed films like “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Wicked: For Good” to claim the trophy. Singer and songwriter EJAE shared her thoughts on winning, describing her musical journey in a sincere tone and conveying the message that “Rejection is Redirection.” She also expressed gratitude to her family by saying “Mom, I love you” in Korean.

Of particular note is EJAE’s past. She was once a Trainee at the major agency SM Entertainment but failed to make her Debut, enduring nearly 10 years in obscurity. When this background became public, overseas fans reacted enthusiastically. Comments on YouTube included phrases like “SM rejected her? That’s a loss for them” and “Rejection and being labeled as having a ‘weak voice’ may leave lifelong scars, but sometimes those scars lead one to find a bigger stage. She has now become part of legend.”

“Golden” achieved rapid global success. Released in June, “KPop Demon Hunters” quickly surpassed 300 million views, setting a new record for the highest viewership among Netflix series to date. The theme song “Golden” reached 1 billion YouTube views in less than 7 months and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 weeks. This represents a relatively fast achievement of a milestone that typically takes many songs over 10 years to reach, with “Golden” being the only track to accomplish this since its release.

EJAE, who sang “Golden,” delivered an emotional acceptance speech, saying it felt like a dream coming true to know that the song was helping other girls, boys, and people of all ages overcome their challenges and accept themselves.

This double award victory carries more meaning than simply winning trophies. It is almost unprecedented for Korean content to receive recognition in both animation and music categories at the Golden Globe Awards, which are chosen by major Hollywood critics and award experts. This is seen as evidence that Korean cultural elements, when placed at the core of a work, can gain strong resonance in global markets.

Meanwhile, “Golden” has been nominated for the Best Original Song category, and the final list of nominees for the 98th Academy Awards will be released on the 22nd. Overseas fans are eagerly hoping that it will win an Oscar as well.