A fictional K-pop girl group from a Netflix animated film has achieved what few real-world acts have managed – conquering both sides of the Atlantic.
Golden, the lead track from KPop Demon Hunters, ranked No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 this week, toppling Alex Warren’s Ordinary after a steady six-week climb.
Billboard said Golden is the ninth song associated with Korean pop to reach the Hot 100 summit, and the first performed by female vocalists to do so.
Rumi, the main vocalist of Huntr/x, performs Golden during a concert in the film KPop Demon Hunters (Courtesy of Netflix) Previous chart-toppers came exclusively from Korean boy band sensation BTS and its members Jimin and Jungkook.
The track, performed in the film by virtual girl group Huntr/x, was written and sung by Korean American artists – former SM Entertainment Co. trainee and songwriter EJae, singer Audrey Nuna and Rae Ami.
Since debuting at No. 81 last month, Golden has risen relentlessly, helped by the film’s growing global audience.
Huntr/x, a female superstar band in the Nextflix film KPop Demon Hunters (Courtesy of Netflix) CULTURAL TOUCHSTONE
The runaway success of Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters – widely known in Korea as the title’s abbreviation, Kedehun – has become a cultural touchstone far beyond its original entertainment audience, analysts said.
In the latest tracking week, streams rose 9% to 31.7 million, radio airplay soared 71% to 8.4 million impressions and sales jumped 35% to 7,000 copies.
Its chart-topping feat follows an earlier milestone: Golden reached No. 1 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart on Aug. 1, making it one of the rare tracks – fictional or otherwise – to simultaneously top the US and UK charts.
Saja Boys, demons in disguise, are arch rivals of Huntr/x, a female superstar band in the Nextflix film KPop Demon Hunters (Courtesy of Netflix) For K-pop, Golden’s runaway success marks an expansion of the genre’s global footprint beyond its superstar boy bands and girl groups, analysts said.
In the streaming era, the K-pop track’s success underscores how compelling storytelling – whether on stage or screen – can turn a song into a worldwide hit, according to industry experts.
Write to In-Soo Nam at isnam@hankyung.com Jennifer Nicholson-Breen edited this article.
