'K-Pop Demon Hunters' OST Dominates Charts with 7 Tracks
Idol Groups SajaBoys and Huntrix Gain Global Popularity
'Golden' Submitted for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards
It is no longer unusual to see foreign fans singing along to K-pop songs in Korean. At recent concerts by Blackpink and BTS member J-Hope, overseas fans could be heard singing in Korean even more fluently than local fans. Jenny Zhu, 25, whom we met at the scene, said, "Traveling to Korea, eating gimbap, and listening to K-pop are now considered cool."
The global success of the Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' is a clear indication of how much the status of K-pop has changed. The original soundtrack (OST) performed by the idol groups in the film has dominated the Billboard and Spotify charts, and is expected to be nominated for an Oscar.
Released on June 20, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' ranked No.1 in the Netflix film category in more than 40 countries. It entered the Top 10 in over 90 countries, and, even after two weeks since its release, it has maintained its global No.1 position, continuing an unprecedented box office run.
'Your Idol,' performed by the boy group 'SajaBoys' in the film, reached No.1 on Spotify's US 'Daily Top Songs' chart, becoming the first K-pop group to top the chart. The previous highest record was BTS's 'Dynamite,' which reached No.3. Other OST tracks also swept the top ranks: 'Golden' took No.2, 'How It's Done' ranked No.8, and 'Soda Pop' came in at No.10.
Unprecedented results were also seen on the US Billboard charts. Seven OST tracks entered the main singles chart, the 'Hot 100,' at the same time. 'Golden' ranked No.23, 'Your Idol' No.31, followed by 'How It's Done' (No.42), 'Soda Pop' (No.49), 'What It Sounds Like' (No.55), 'Free' (No.58), and 'Takedown' featuring Twice (No.64), making a total of seven songs on the chart. The OST album reached No.3 on the 'Billboard 200,' making it the highest-charting animated soundtrack since Disney's 'Encanto' in 2022.
Netflix plans to submit the OST track 'Golden' for the Best Original Song category at the 96th Academy Awards. The Academy showed an unusual response by mentioning on its official social media account, "Huntrix (the girl group in the film) not only saved the world, but also saved my Spotify." US film media Variety commented, "'K-Pop Demon Hunters' is a cultural celebration combining animation aesthetics and K-pop elements," and evaluated that "it is more than worthy of being considered not only for Best Original Song, but also for Best Animated Feature."
The composer of 'Golden,' EJAE (real name Kim Eunjae), is a former SM trainee and a talented songwriter who created Red Velvet's 'Psycho' and aespa's 'Armageddon.' Billboard reported, "If Kim Eunjae is nominated, she will become the second Korean nominee for Best Original Song, following Karen O, a Korean-American musician who contributed to the OST of the 2013 film 'Her.'"
All the music in the film, which has been described as "even more K-pop than K-pop," was created by Korean creators. The SajaBoys' representative songs 'Your Idol' and 'Soda Pop' were completed through the collaboration of Kevin (formerly of U-KISS), singer-songwriter Andrew Choi, Danny Jung of The Black Label, and samUIL Lee, who has worked on albums for Seventeen and Riize. The songs for Huntrix also featured K-pop producers led by Teddy.
Korean culture was also vividly recreated. The film is structured as a showdown between the girl group Huntrix, who fight evil spirits on stage, and the boy group SajaBoys, who have a grim reaper concept, all set against the backdrop of a K-pop concert. The performances, where shamanistic rituals and concerts, shamans and fandoms coexist, are densely packed with traditional Korean elements such as the four-sided ceremonial sword, Irworobongdo screen, dancheong patterns, and folk art characters like tigers and magpies.
Co-director Maggie Kang, a first-generation K-pop fan, traveled to Korea herself before production to thoroughly research stage design, costumes, traditional attire, and locations. Real locations in Seoul, such as Namsan Tower, Naksan Park, Jamsil Main Stadium, and public bathhouses, were meticulously recreated, and even Korean food culture, including gimbap, cup noodles, and table etiquette, was delicately reflected. The New York Times praised the film, saying, "Although it was produced in the United States, it perfectly captures the sensibility and spirit of Korea."
The idol groups in the film have formed actual fandoms. Fans combine character names to create couple names like 'Roo Jinwoo' and 'Joy Stery,' and actively produce secondary creations such as fan fiction and fan art. Real K-pop idol groups like Monsta X and Riize have posted 'cover videos,' further expanding the fandom culture.
In this way, K-pop has gone beyond being just a popular genre and has now established itself as a mainstream force leading global popular culture. Jim Roppo, CEO of Republic Records, said in an interview with Billboard, "'K-Pop Demon Hunters' is no longer just a K-pop phenomenon, but a pop culture phenomenon," adding, "It is attracting viewers to the platform who previously did not consume K-pop."
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