Lead: At the pre-telecast ceremony on Sunday afternoon, the song “Golden,” from Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation’s KPop Demon Hunters, won Best Song Written for Visual Media. Performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami and written by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, DO, 24 and Teddy, the track marks the first time a K-pop song has received a Grammy. The victory follows the film’s runaway streaming success and multiple charting originals, and the song remains a contender for Song of the Year on the main telecast. Huntr/x and the film’s creative team have seen the project translate streaming dominance into major awards recognition.
Key Takeaways
- “Golden” won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the Grammys during the pre-telecast on Sunday, becoming the first K-pop song to win a Grammy.
- The track was performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami and credited to songwriters EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, DO, 24 and Teddy; it entered the Grammys with four nominations.
- At least three of KPop Demon Hunters’ original songs — “Golden,” “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop” — have been regulars on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Netflix data cited by media reports shows the film amassed 20.5 billion viewing minutes in the U.S. in 2025; at the film’s 99-minute runtime this equals about 207 million full movie views.
- “Golden” remains nominated for Song of the Year on the evening telecast; it lost pre-telecast nominations in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Remixed Recording.
- EJAE became the first Korean-American female songwriter ever nominated for Song of the Year.
- Other nominees in the visual media category included songs by Nine Inch Nails, Miles Caton, Elton John & Brandi Carlile, Jayme Lawson and the team behind “Sinners.”
Background
KPop Demon Hunters debuted on Netflix in June 2025 and rapidly became a cultural phenomenon. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and distributed primarily via Netflix streaming, the film climbed streaming charts and prompted limited theatrical windows after its initial platform success. Industry-tracking data cited in coverage lists the film as the most-streamed movie in the U.S. for 2025 with 20.5 billion viewing minutes, an outsize figure for a mid-year release.
The film’s soundtrack played a central role in its profile: multiple original songs entered mainstream charts and radio playlists, a rare feat for animated features. Those chart placements and the soundtrack’s creators drew attention from awards bodies across music and film, culminating in multiple Grammy nominations and at least one Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Historically, K-pop artists have received Grammy nominations — for example, Rosé earned three nominations for “APT” (with Bruno Mars) this year — but no K-pop song had won a Grammy until “Golden.”
Main Event
The Recording Academy presented Best Song Written for Visual Media during Sunday’s pre-telecast, where “Golden” emerged as the winner. The ceremony recognized the performers EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami and acknowledged songwriters EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, DO, 24 and Teddy. The track had been shortlisted in four Grammy categories entering the weekend.
In securing the visual-media songwriting prize, “Golden” prevailed over nominees including “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” (Nine Inch Nails), “I Lied to You” (Miles Caton), “Never Too Late” (Elton John and Brandi Carlile), “Pale, Pale Moon” (Jayme Lawson) and “Sinners” (Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green and Travis). The win represents a first for K-pop at the Grammys — a milestone explicitly noted by industry coverage.
Although the group did not perform on the Grammys telecast, Huntr/x have become closely associated with the film’s awards push. “Golden” remains in contention for Song of the Year on the main, nighttime telecast, and the song is also an Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song; Huntr/x are scheduled to perform during the Oscars ceremony alongside another nominated team from the same category.
Two of the song’s Grammy nominations — Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Remixed Recording — were not converted into wins during the pre-telecast. Still, the combination of chart performance, cross-platform streaming impact and multi-body nominations has heightened industry focus on the song and on K-pop collaborations tied to major studio releases.
Analysis & Implications
Symbolically, this Grammy win is significant for K-pop’s institutional recognition, shifting the narrative from nomination-only visibility to award success in a domain historically dominated by Western pop and film music. A first Grammy-winning K-pop song opens doors for both Korean and diaspora artists seeking placement in major film projects and original soundtracks tied to global streaming releases. The recognition also validates a commercial path where streaming traction translates into awards momentum.
Economically, the film’s streaming numbers — 20.5 billion U.S. viewing minutes in 2025 — illustrate how a blockbuster streaming hit can create a multiplier for soundtrack songs. When soundtrack singles chart on Billboard and gain radio play, they generate additional revenue streams and visibility for songwriters and performers beyond soundtrack sales, potentially boosting future sync and licensing opportunities for K-pop creators.
Awards success at both the Grammys and Oscars (with “Golden” nominated for Best Original Song) could further normalize non-English and hybrid-language works in major U.S. awards categories, encouraging studios to invest in diverse creative teams. For K-pop industry players, the event may accelerate collaborations with Hollywood composers, producers and animation studios — a closer blending of K-pop production values with large-scale international media franchises.
However, one win does not guarantee systemic change: broader industry inclusion will depend on sustained chart performance, continued placements in prominent projects, and how awards voters respond to future submissions. The immediate effect is heightened attention and likely short-term commercial gains; the long-term structural impact will require repeated successes and institutional shifts in nomination and voting patterns.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. viewing minutes (2025) | 20.5 billion | Year-end industry estimate cited in coverage |
| Film runtime | 99 minutes | Used to calculate equivalent full views |
| Equivalent full views | ~207 million | 20.5 billion ÷ 99 minutes ≈ 207M |
| Grammy nominations for “Golden” | 4 | Included pre-telecast and evening categories |
The table places the film’s streaming footprint beside the song’s awards trajectory to show how large-scale platform exposure can yield both commercial and awards outcomes. Billboard chart presence for multiple soundtrack tracks further demonstrates the soundtrack’s crossover into mainstream single-driven markets, not just film audiences. These figures help explain why awards bodies and studios are paying attention to soundtrack strategies tied to major streaming releases.
Reactions & Quotes
Members of the creative team and observers emphasized the moment’s representational significance and the pipeline from streaming success to awards recognition.
“It’s our moment,”
Huntr/x (statement to media)
This succinct remark captured the team’s framing of the win as both personal and generational. Media coverage and social responses framed the Grammy as a milestone for visibility in global music awards.
“You’re going to see three Korean faces. To think about the kids who are going to see that…is the stuff that is giving me chills up my spine,”
Audrey Nuna (earlier comments on nomination)
Nuna’s comment, made before the ceremony, highlighted the symbolic impact on younger audiences and the potential for expanded aspirations among Korean and Korean-American youth pursuing music careers.
Unconfirmed
- Whether the Grammy win will materially affect “Golden”‘s chances at the Academy Award remains uncertain; awards bodies do not coordinate outcomes.
- Short- and long-term sales uplift figures for the soundtrack following the Grammy win have not been released publicly.
- Any formal deals or increased studio investment tied directly to this award win have not been announced.
Bottom Line
“Golden”’s Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media is a landmark: the first Grammy win tied specifically to a K-pop song, and a sign of how global streaming hits can translate into major awards recognition. The victory underscores the commercial logic of integrating high-profile musical acts into film soundtracks and the capacity of streaming platforms to amplify a song’s reach into awards-caliber territory.
Looking ahead, the most important signals will be sustained chart and streaming performance, follow-up industry investments, and whether awards recognition becomes a recurring outcome for non-English and cross-cultural soundtrack projects. For artists, songwriters and studios, the moment signals new opportunities — but also sets a bar for repeatable success rather than a one-off milestone.
Sources
- Variety (entertainment news coverage of Grammys and film performance)