Tag: K-Pop Demon Hunters

I would have been surprised if K-Pop Demon Hunters did not win these categories because no other movie has had the cultural impact as this movie and its music has had over the past year:

Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” capped its awards run Sunday (U.S. time) by taking Oscars for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

The sensational hit clinched a victory in Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song with “Golden” from its original soundtrack during the 98th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The dual Oscar wins follow earlier successes at the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards in January, where the animated film swept the same categories. Last month, “Golden” also made history at the Grammy Awards as the first work in the K-pop genre to win Best Song Written for Visual Media.

As the movie’s theme song “Golden” played, co-director Maggie Kang took the stage to accept the Best Animated Feature award in a red dress, alongside co-director Chris Appelhans and producer Michelle L.M. Wong, her voice breaking with emotion.

“For those of you who look like me, I’m so sorry that it took us so long to see us in a movie like this,” said Kang, a Korean Canadian filmmaker. “But it is here, and that means that the next generation don’t have to go longing. This is for Korea and for Koreans everywhere.”

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Considering how I heard this song everywhere over the past year it is good to see it won at least one Grammy:

Korean American songwriter Ejae (L) attends the 68th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 1, 2026, to receive a trophy for Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Golden” in this AFP photo. (Yonhap)

“Golden” from the soundtrack of Netflix’s animated sensation “KPop Demon Hunters” won a historic first Grammy for the K-pop genre.

Rose of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, however, missed out on a trophy, although she was nominated in three categories, including two major ones — Song of the Year and Record of the Year — with “APT.,” her hit collaborative single with U.S. pop star Bruno Mars.

“Golden” received Best Song Written for Visual Media during the premiere ceremony of the 68th Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday (U.S. time). 

While South Korean recording engineer Hwang Byeong-joon and Korean American artist Yungin have previously won Grammys, “Golden” represents the first time K-pop producers or songwriters have taken home the award. The songwriters recognized as the official winners include Korean American artist Ejae, as well as Teddy, 24 and Ido — producers at the South Korean music label The Black Label.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but APT was another song I heard repeatedly over the past year so it is a bit surprising it didn’t win at least one Grammy.

K-Pop Demon Hunters should have been nominated for best picture besides best animated film and song. Instead the best picture will likely go to a movie that pushes some kind of left wing narrative. There is hope though, F1 did get nominated for best picture and it is excellent if you haven’t seen it yet:

Netflix’s hit animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” has received two Oscar nominations.

The animated sensation, co-directed by Korean Canadian filmmaker Maggie Kang and American director Chris Appelhans, earned nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Golden,” according to the announcement of the 98th Academy Awards nominees, livestreamed Thursday.

Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film centers on Huntr/x, who live a double life, balancing their music careers with their duties as warriors who protect the world from demonic spirits, like the overlord Gwi-Ma and the soul-stealing Saja Boys.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It is pretty amazing the staying power the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack has had:

The soundtrack for Netflix’s hit animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” has surged back into the top tiers of the Billboard 200 albums chart. 

Billboard said in a preview of this week’s chart Sunday (U.S. time) that the soundtrack jumped seven spots to No. 3.

The Billboard 200 ranks the most popular albums of the week in the United States, measured by equivalent album units, comprising physical album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).

Despite an 18 percent dip in weekly consumption, the soundtrack earned 51,000 equivalent album units, fueled by steady streaming numbers.

Global pop star Taylor Swift’s latest studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” logged its 12th non-consecutive week at No. 1, further cementing Swift’s status as a chart juggernaut.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but the K-Pop Demon Hunters movie continues to have major staying power as well continuing to rank in the Netflix Top 10 movies list.

It is kind of surprising considering how famous their music is that this group has never performed live before:

Audrey Nuna didn’t realize how far “KPop Demon Hunters” had traveled until she visited Korea. “I went to Korea a few weeks after the film started taking off,” she told Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show” that aired Tuesday evening. “I got off at Dongdaemun Station and this cute little grandpa was doing a street performance of ‘Golden’ on this Korean traditional instrument. He was so swagged out. I had to do a double take.”

The 26-year-old Korean American singer, who voices one of the leads in the hit animated film, said the moment stayed with her. (…..)

On Tuesday evening, the singers behind the characters — EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — brought “Golden” to life for the first time on “The Tonight Show.” The performance zoomed close to 4 million views within 12 hours, adding another milestone to the film’s rapid crossover from animation to real-world pop culture.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.