The animated Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters is not only making waves in streaming but also in the music industry. Its standout song, Golden, is set to be submitted for awards consideration. The track is also receiving a standalone release as an official single, with a three-track bundle, including instrumental and a cappella versions, launching on Friday, July 4.
The film, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, centres on a K-pop girl group, Huntr/x, who secretly battle soul-eating demons to protect their fans. Since its release on June 20, the soundtrack has rapidly climbed the charts, debuting at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest soundtrack debut of 2025.
An Alchemy of Cinema and K-Pop
Golden, performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, has been a particularly strong performer, tying as the highest-charting song by a female K-pop group in U.S. Spotify history (at No. 3). It also debuted at No. 81 on the Hot 100 and has seen a remarkable 2000% increase at Apple Music since its release day. The song was written by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick, and produced by 24, Ido, Teddy Park, and Ian Eisendrath.
Ian Eisendrath, the executive music producer for KPop Demon Hunters, spoke with Variety about the integration of music and story. “I find Kpop to be the most theatrical genre of music today, and that obviously lends itself to the story and the screen,” he explained. Eisendrath revealed that Golden was the sixth song written for its specific place in the film. “Our goal from day one was to have the songs double-function as songs that forward or comment on the action story, because I do not believe you can take up screen time and not have it do something for the story.”
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In the film, Golden plays a crucial role as Huntr/x attempts to seal the Golden Honmoon, a barrier designed to permanently shut demons out of their world. During the song’s emotional bridge, a key plot point is revealed: lead vocalist Rumi is part-demon, bearing marks along her arms. Eisendrath described this moment: “The bridge is totally a narrative character. It’s the moment that the conflict, in many ways, enters the story. It just has so much joy and reach and yearning and longing.”
Chart Dominance and Future Hopes
The film’s initial streaming performance has been robust. In its debut week, KPop Demon Hunters garnered 9.2 million views on Netflix, reaching the streamer’s Top 10 in all 93 countries tracked, and securing the No. 1 spot in 33 countries. Its second week saw an additional 24.2 million views, more than doubling its initial numbers.
Eisendrath expressed his astonishment at the soundtrack’s reception. While he “always believed in these songs,” he “hoped for like 2% of the reception that we’ve had, so it’s mind boggling.” He highlighted the collaboration between artists and the deep care for K-pop that infused the project. “That was the mission from day one, which started from top down leadership. We wanted to go to the people that have lived this music… It was so thrilling. We had so many meetings with The Black Label [Teddy Park].”
His hopes for the project extend beyond its current success. “I want Kpop — not that it hasn’t already — but I want it to crossover to everyone,” he said. “I want to see more films made this way. I want to see more musicals. I feel like this film has shown people that you can actually create a musical that speaks to the pop music culture and the universal audience at large.”
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He concluded by expressing a desire for all the artists involved in the soundtrack to gain further recognition, especially vocalists like Audrey Nuna, EJAE Kim, and Rei Ami (as Huntrix), and the members of Saja Boyz. He is particularly excited about Golden as the awards song, acknowledging the challenging process of aligning its emotional depth with the demands of a pop hit. “I think that melody that appears in the pre-chorus and the end of the chorus is so beautiful, and the production from The Black Label just makes me smile every time,” he shared.
