KPop Demon Hunters “Golden” Hits Number 1 on Billboard Hot 100

The world is obsessed with Netflix’s new “KPop Demon Hunters” film, and I can’t blame them. It is a fun movie with songs that slap. Now the film boasts a number 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. It has broken some other records as well.

“Golden” has reached the top of the charts and has been up there for seven weeks.

The song was performed by the film’s imaginary group Huntr/x. In reality, the performers are EJAE (Rumi), Audrey Nuna (Mira), and REI AMI (Zoey).  EJAE also has the distinction of being a co-writer for the song itself.

At number one on the charts, Billboard says the song has nearly 32 million streams, 8.4 million radio airplays, and 7,000 sales.

“Golden,” on Visva/Republic Records, tallied 31.7 million official streams (up 9% week-over-week), 8.4 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 71%) and 7,000 sold (up 35%) in the United States Aug. 1-7.”

It has been 24 years since another all-women group has hit the top spot in the Hot 100. Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious” was the last one, back in 2021. This group isn’t even a real group; they are animated film characters.

“Golden” is the second animated film song to reach the number one spot in the last three years. 

Previously, the spot was held by Encanto’s song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from 2022.

KPop Demon Hunters has become a global sensation and highlights the United States’s love for South Korean culture

In South Korea, various performers are doing their own takes on the songs, and many male singers/dancers are doing the Saja Boys “Soda Pop” dance for their fans.

Across social media, many people are recreating the dances from “Golden” and “Your Idol.” Cosplayers are hitting the conventions and doing photo shoots as characters from the film with Rumi and Jinu being the most popular.

Besides the fantastic songs, this film is winning over audiences in the United States with little initial promotion from Netflix. 

It has grown this big by word-of-mouth.

South Korean “Kpop” groups and “Kdrama” shows have been growing in popularity over the last few years. Now you can find Korean music group CDs and records at Walmart stores. All the streaming services are offering Kdrama shows and are even paying for production themselves.

I am thrilled as a long-time Kdrama fan. My daughter has been a Kpop fan for years and has even purchased discontinued CDs from groups that no longer exist. This is a solid win in my book!

Congrats to Kpop Demon Hunters Huntr/x for the win.

If you haven’t seen the film, you need to. Be warned, the songs will stay in your head for days!

What is your favorite song from the film? Mine is “What it Sounds Like.”