‘Golden’ from ‘K-pop Demon Hunters’ Hits No.1 on Billboard Hot 100
Aug 12, 2025
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According to Billboard on the 11th (local time), Netflix's animation 'K-pop Demon Hunters (hereinafter referred to as K-de-Hun)' OST 'Golden' topped the main single chart 'Hot100'.
'Golden' is the theme song of Huntrix, a fictional girl group in 'Kedeheon'. 'Golden' earlier topped the UK's official single chart top 100, which is considered one of the world's two biggest pop charts along with Billboard. It was the first time in 13 years since Psy 'Gangnam Style'. On top of that, he topped the world's two biggest pop charts, singles, and topped the chart with 'Hot100'.
'Hot100' is considered a measure of popularity of a song by calculating the ranking by summing up music streaming, radio broadcasting scores, and sales data.
'Golden' recorded 31.7 million streams from the 1st to the 7th, up 9% from the previous week. Radio broadcasting scores rose 71 percent to 8.4 million, and sales rose 35 percent to 7,000. As a result, 'Golden' has steadily risen to 23rd, 6th, 4th, and 2nd since its debut on 'Hot100' at 81st place last month, and eventually reached the top spot in the 7th week.
It is the first time in two years that a K-pop song has risen to the top in 'Hot100', and it is the first time that a K-pop song, especially a female singer, has topped the list except for a BTS.
BTS topped the chart for the first time in K-pop artists' history with their first English song 'Dynamite' in 2020, followed by 'Life Goes On', 'Butter', 'Permission to Dance', 'Savage Love', and 'My Universe'. On top of that, solo songs such as Jimin's 'Like Crazy' and Jungkook's 'Seven' also topped the chart, holding a total of eight 'Hot100' number one songs. 'Golden' became the ninth K-pop song to top 'Hot100' after BTS.
It is the first time in three years that a song sung by an animated virtual character has topped 'Hot100' since the 2022 Disney animated film 'Encanto: The Wizarding World' OST 'We Don't Talk About Bruno'.
The meaning of this 'Golden's 'Hot100' first place conquest is different.
The singers of 'Golden' are all of Korean descent. Teddy and other producers from The Black Label participated in the composition arrangement. Lee Jung participated in the choreography. The fact that such 'Golden' gained popularity locally means that K-pop, which was classified as a mania culture based on a huge fandom, has risen to the mainstream in recognition of its quality.
Lee Jae, a former SM Entertainment trainee who participated in writing and composing the lyrics of 『Golden" and sang the role of Huntrix Rumi, `I can't think of anything to say. All I can do is cry. Thank you to everyone who sent love..."
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