Writing a New Chapter in K-POP History with a Grammy Win for “Golden”

A new chapter has been added to K-POP history. The theme song “Golden” from the Netflix animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” won the Best Song for Visual Media award at the 68th Grammy Awards, making it the first K-POP act to receive a Grammy win. Performed by the virtual band Huntr/x, this song was also nominated for Song of the Year, further elevating its significance.

The success of “Golden” was not an accidental outcome but rather the result of over 10 years of effort by the K-POP industry. In 2012, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” became the first video to reach 1 billion views on YouTube, drawing global attention, yet it failed to win a Grammy. Later, BTS was first nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance in 2020 with “Dynamite,” bringing K-POP’s entry into the Grammy arena into reality. BTS continued to increase K-POP’s profile by being nominated for Album of the Year with “Butter” (2021), “Yet To Come” (2022), “My Universe” (2021) a collaboration with Coldplay, and as a featured artist on Coldplay’s album “Music of the Spheres” (2021), though they never secured a final win.

“KPop Demon Hunters” achieved remarkable success since its release in June of last year. It became the most-watched Netflix original film ever, with over 480 million views, and its catchy soundtrack reached the top of the Billboard chart for the first time in four years since Disney’s “Encanto” in 2022. The Black Label, a K-POP producer, also contributed to the production of “Golden.”

Winning a Grammy is a sign of international recognition for the cultural and commercial influence of Korean popular music. In fact, the Recording Academy implemented structural changes last August by including artists, producers, and songwriters who have contributed to the development of the K-POP industry as voters. Among the newly added voters are prominent K-POP artists such as Seventeen’s Woozi, Enhypen’s Jungwon, and LE SSERAFIM’s Huh Yunjin.

This award demonstrates that K-POP has risen from being merely a genre to becoming a central force in global popular culture. Behind “Golden’s” place in Grammy history and its first win after a decade of waiting are the support of fans worldwide and the relentless innovation of South Korea’s music industry.