Seoul: "Golden," a track from the animated U.S. film "KPop Demon Hunters," has achieved the remarkable feat of reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 main singles chart. Billboard announced on Monday (U.S. time) in a preview of its upcoming main singles chart that "Golden" ascended one spot to claim the top position, surpassing Alex Warren's "Ordinary" this week.
According to Yonhap News Agency, "Golden" set a new record by simultaneously topping both the Billboard chart and the British Official Singles Top 100, having secured the No. 1 spot on the latter chart on August 1. "'Golden' is the ninth song associated with Korean pop to conquer the Hot 100 -- and the first by female vocalists," noted Billboard.
The Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States across all genres, based on streaming, radio airplay, and sales data. During the latest chart tracking period, "Golden" amassed 31.7 million streams, a 9 percent increase from the previous week, along with 8.4 million radio airplay audience impressions, marking a 71 percent rise, and 7,000 copies sold, up 35 percent in the U.S. from August 1-7.
The song "Golden" features performances by Ejae, a composer who trained at SM Entertainment, along with Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, as the fictional girl group Huntr/x in the film. All three artists are Korean American, with Ejae and Rei Ami having been born in South Korea. Teddy and 24, known for their previous work with major K-pop agency The Black Label, are among the song's co-producers.
Since its debut at No. 81 early last month, "Golden" has shown a steady climb on the chart, progressing from No. 23 to No. 6, then No. 4, No. 2, and ultimately reaching the top position. Among K-pop acts, only the boy group BTS (with six songs including "Dynamite" and "Butter") and its members Jimin (with "Like Crazy") and Jungkook (with "Seven") have topped the chart.
"Golden" also stands out as the first song from an animation soundtrack to top the Hot 100 chart since "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from "Encanto" in 2022. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, a U.S. film studio, the Netflix original film "KPop Demon Hunters" tells the story of Huntr/x, who protect the human world from evil spirits.
The track has emerged as the biggest hit in this summer's K-pop market, a season otherwise lacking in standout songs, captivating audiences with its addictive melody and soaring high notes. It also sparked a "Golden Challenge" trend within the K-pop world, with many female stars participating. The song's high-note section has become a benchmark for vocal skill, drawing in participants such as Bada from the now-disbanded group S.E.S., Lee Haeri of Davichi, Solar of Mamamoo, Lily of Nmixx, Ahn Yu-jin of Ive, Sohyang, Ailee, and Kwon Jin-ah.
As the film and its soundtrack gained global attention, Seoul's iconic landmarks featured in the movie, such as Mount Nam, the Bukchon village, and the Han River, saw increased interest from international fans. The National Museum of Korea in Seoul, where visitors can explore traditional Korean heritage, along with its souvenir shop, experienced a surge in visitors. Additionally, the film's Korean tiger and magpie characters gained immense popularity.