KPop Demon Hunters has added another milestone to its already unusual run, this time in the music industry. At the 2026 Grammy Awards, the film’s song “Golden” won Best Song Written for Visual Media, marking the first time a K-pop track has taken home a Grammy. The win places the animated Netflix release in rare territory, bridging mainstream Western awards recognition with a genre that has historically struggled for that level of institutional validation.
Released on Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters quickly became a breakout hit. The animated feature ended 2025 as the platform’s most-streamed title, accumulating an estimated 20.5 billion minutes watched. Given the film’s 99-minute runtime, that figure translates to roughly 207 million full views, an exceptional result even by Netflix’s standards. The scale of its audience helped push the film beyond its original streaming-only strategy, eventually earning it a limited theatrical release.
The Grammy-winning track “Golden” is performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, all of whom received their first Grammy with the win. EJAE also co-wrote the song alongside Mark Sonnenblick, DO, 24, and Teddy. In total, “Golden” earned four Grammy nominations, underscoring how far the film’s music traveled beyond its original context as part of an animated soundtrack.
The category itself was competitive, with nominees ranging from established industry figures like Elton John and Brandi Carlile to experimental acts such as Nine Inch Nails. That “Golden” emerged on top is notable not only for its K-pop roots, but also for coming from an animated film rather than a live-action prestige project, which has traditionally dominated the category.
The recognition did not stop with the Grammys. KPop Demon Hunters also received nominations from the Academy Awards and picked up wins at the Golden Globe Awards and the Critics’ Choice Awards. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film’s success reflects a growing appetite for animated features that blend global pop culture influences with genre storytelling.
Although the performers did not appear onstage at the Grammys, Audrey Nuna has previously spoken about what the nomination alone represented. Seeing three Korean artists recognized in a major awards category, she noted, carries weight beyond the trophy itself, particularly for younger musicians who rarely see themselves reflected at that level of the industry.
KPop Demon Hunters’ awards run highlights how streaming-era hits can now compete across film and music institutions once dominated by more traditional releases. While it remains to be seen whether similar projects will follow its path, the film’s Grammy win signals a shift in how animated features, K-pop, and global audiences intersect.
