Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” OST “Golden” Claims UK No. 1 for First Time in 13 Years in K-Pop History

“The Golden” from Netflix’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” has reached No. 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart for the fourth consecutive week, marking the first time in 13 years that a K-Pop song has topped this chart since Psy’s “Gangnam Style” in 2012. Released on August 29 (local time), the track was performed by the animated girl group HUNTR/X, featuring composer Lee Jae trained by SM Entertainment, American-Korean singer Audrey Nana, and American artist Ray Aimi of Korean descent. “Golden” also demonstrated significant strength on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. After holding the No. 1 spot for one week, it remained at the top for a second week, surpassing Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” which had dominated the chart for 28 weeks prior. This achievement is particularly historic as it marks the first time in 24 years since Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious” in 2001 that a girl group song has reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Just two months after its release on Netflix on June 20, the movie became the most-watched film in streaming service history, amassing 236 million views and overtaking its previous record holder, “Red Notice,” with 230.9 million views. Its dominance in music streaming charts is even more striking, as seven out of the top 10 songs on the Billboard Streaming Songs chart are from “KPop Demon Hunters,” accounting for 70% of the chart. This share is nearly unattainable even for top artists like Taylor Swift, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar. In addition to “Golden,” other soundtrack tracks such as “Your Idol,” “How It’s Done,” “Soda Pop,” “What It Sounds Like,” “Free,” and “Take Down” also occupied high positions on the charts. The influence of “KPop Demon Hunters” was evident even on the UK chart, where songs by the film’s villain group, the Lion Boys, reached No. 4 and No. 6. TWICE’s “Take Down” and “Strategy” placed at No. 27 and No. 39 respectively, while BLACKPINK’s “JUMP” ranked at No. 29 and STRAY KIDS’s “Ceremony” at No. 37, showing a complete dominance of K-Pop songs across the UK chart. On the Billboard Top Movie Songs chart, “KPop Demon Hunters” held an absolute advantage as well. In the July 2025 chart, eight out of the 10 songs were from this film’s soundtrack, with all seven top positions occupied by its tracks. “Golden” alone generated 189 million streams and 17,000 downloads throughout July. This success demonstrates that the combination of a K-Pop phenomenon and an animated series can create powerful synergy. The movie grew through word-of-mouth and fan-driven promotion without extensive marketing, following a pattern similar to the success of “Frozen.” Preparations for a sequel are currently underway, with plans to expand the fan base through theater sing-along screenings and official merchandise releases. In Belfast, UK, special K-Pop dance classes have been held thanks to the popularity of “KPop Demon Hunters,” with local university K-Pop clubs playing a key role in promoting Hallyu culture. Fans express their awareness of the genre’s global growth by saying, “Back in 2015, almost no one was interested in K-Pop, but now there are even dedicated stores.”