KPop officially crossed a historic Grammy threshold on Sunday as Huntr/x became the first K-pop act ever to win a Grammy Award.
The trio, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, took home Best Song Written for Visual Media during the pre-telecast ceremony for Golden, their standout track from Netflix’s breakout animated hit KPop Demon Hunters. The song was written by EJAE alongside Mark Sonnenblick, DO, 24, and Teddy and had entered the night with four nominations.
The win marks a major milestone not just for the artists but for the genre as a whole. While K-pop stars have earned Grammy nominations in recent years, including multiple nods for BTS and three high-profile nominations this year for Blackpink’s Rosé, Golden is the first K-pop song to convert that recognition into a Grammy win.
In the visual media category, Golden beat out songs by Nine Inch Nails, Elton John and Brandi Carlile, Jayme Lawson, Leonard Denisenko and collaborators, and Miles Caton. The track remains in contention for Song of the Year, which will be awarded during the main broadcast later tonight. It previously came up short in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Remixed Recording.
Although Huntr/x did not perform at the ceremony, the group has spoken openly about the weight of the nomination—and what visibility at this level represents. Audrey Nuna previously noted the impact of seeing Korean artists recognized on one of music’s biggest stages, particularly for younger audiences imagining their own futures.
The moment also carried individual significance for EJAE, who made history this year as the first Korean-American female songwriter ever nominated for Song of the Year.
The Grammy win arrives amid a staggering run for KPop Demon Hunters. Since debuting on Netflix in June, the film became the most-streamed movie in the U.S. in 2025. According to Nielsen’s year-end data, it amassed 20.5 billion viewing minutes domestically, equivalent to roughly 207 million full watches of the 99-minute film. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the movie topped year-end charts despite premiering halfway through the year and later received limited theatrical releases following its streaming surge.
Music has been central to that success. In addition to Golden, the original tracks Your Idol and Soda Pop have remained fixtures on the Billboard Hot 100, helping propel the film beyond the animation space and into full-on pop culture phenomenon territory.
Looking ahead, Golden is also nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards, where it’s widely considered a frontrunner. Huntr/x is slated to perform the song during the Oscars ceremony, alongside the team behind I Lied to You from Sinners.
From streaming dominance to awards-season history, Huntr/x’s moment has arrived, and with it, a long-awaited Grammy breakthrough for K-pop.
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