Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters Song “Golden” Tops Billboard Hot 100, Outselling Real K-Pop Giants

In a plot development worthy of fiction, Netflix’s animated musical KPop ‘Demon Hunters’ has done what most of the artists in the real world only dream of. A song by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami in the fictional girl group “Huntr/x”, titled Golden, has jumped to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week of August 17, 2025.

This isn’t a chart milestone: it is a shockwave in culture. It is now the first-ever Hot 100 No. 1 by female vocalists in K-pop, with zero BTS members, in K-pop history alone, as well as the first K-pop song to reach No.1 on the Hot 100 in the United States, something that K-pop powerhouse girl groups like BLACKPINK and TWICE have yet to do. The last girl group to have a No. 1 was Destiny’s Child with Bootylicious nearly two decades ago, and Huntr/x is not even a band.

Fact Beats Fiction

The Fandom has been in a shocked state: an animated cartoon band has beaten world-dominating K-pop stars, such as BTS and BLACKPINK, in its appearances on the charts. Although members of BTS and BLACKPINK have managed to take control over the Hot 100 rankings in both solo and collaborative efforts, neither has had an opportunity to accomplish this particular landmark in history. Now it belongs to Huntr/x, born on storyboard and driven by the energy of Netflix marketing and worldwide fandom.

It is not Just One Hit on the Billboard Hot 100

Not the only fiction to rattle the industry is Huntr/x. KPop Demon Hunter rival boys band- Saja Boys opened on the Hot 100 at No. 8 with their song, Your Idol. The combined efforts of the two fictional bands have taken the soundtrack of such a film to a real-world pop titan.

Global Domination of KPop Demon Hunters

Outside the U.S., “Golden has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and holds the top position in Australia, Germany, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UK. The success of the song appeared to cross the boundaries of fiction and reality as it became obvious that, in the streaming age, a good plot, powerful visuals, and catchy music can serve as a winning competition to the largest companies in the industry.

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