LOS ANGELES — In a historic night for the global music industry, the South Korean music scene has finally broken the “Grammy glass ceiling.” On February 1, at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony in Los Angeles, “Golden,” the powerhouse anthem from the Netflix original animation K-Pop Demon Hunters, was crowned the winner of Best Song Written for Visual Media.
This victory marks a monumental milestone: it is the first time K-pop songwriters and producers have ever been honored with a Grammy Award. The prestigious trophy was awarded to the creative masterminds behind the track, including EJAE, Teddy, 24, and the production trio IDIO (Lee Yu-han, Kwak Jung-gyu, and Nam Hee-dong). While Korean-born engineers like Hwang Byeong-joon and Korean-American mixers have won in technical categories previously, this win recognizes the core creative force of the K-pop sound on the world’s most elite stage.
The success of “Golden” is inextricably linked to the global phenomenon of K-Pop Demon Hunters. The film has not only captured the hearts of audiences worldwide but has also been officially shortlisted for Best Animated Feature at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. As the film’s lead single, “Golden” rewrote the record books by becoming the first K-pop-related track to simultaneously top both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the U.K. Official Singles Chart.
Major international outlets were quick to highlight the significance of the win. The New York Times hailed the achievement, noting that the hit song from K-Pop Demon Hunters has “finally quenched the long-standing thirst of a global genre that carries immense cultural influence,” by securing a win in the visual media category.
Despite the celebratory mood, the night saw fierce competition in other categories. In the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category—where BLACKPINK’s Rosé (with “APT.”) and KATSEYE (with “Gabriela”) were strong contenders—the award went to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for their rendition of “Defying Gravity” from the Wicked soundtrack. This category remains a highly coveted “fortress” for K-pop, having previously seen nominations for the global icons BTS.
However, the win for “Golden” serves as a definitive statement: the K-pop production machine is no longer just a regional trend, but a premier force in global songwriting. As the industry looks toward the Oscars, all eyes remain on the “Demon Hunters” to see if they can continue their golden streak in Hollywood.
