K-Pop Anthem 'Golden' Tops Billboard Hot 100, Making History

Netflix's animated film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' has made waves with its OST 'Golden' reaching the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Previously ranked at No. 2, 'Golden' has now surpassed Alex Warren's 'Ordinary' to claim the top spot.

On the 11th (local time), Billboard announced in a chart preview article that 'Golden' had climbed one spot to reach No. 1. Billboard noted, "'Golden' is the ninth song associated with Korean pop to conquer the Hot 100, and it's the first No. 1 song performed by female vocalists." Previously, the only K-pop artists to achieve this feat were BTS (with six songs) and BTS members Jimin and Jungkook (with one song each).

During the chart's tracking period, 'Golden' saw a 9% increase in streaming, reaching 31.7 million streams. Radio airplay points surged by 71% to 8.4 million, and sales rose by 35% to 7,000.

The Hot 100 ranks songs based on U.S. streaming data, radio airplay points, and sales data.

'Golden' is performed by the fictional girl group Huntrix in the film, featuring Korean-American artists Lee Jae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami. Lee Jae and Rei Ami were born in Seoul, while Audrey Nuna hails from New Jersey. The track entered the Hot 100 at No. 81 early last month and climbed to the top in just seven weeks, riding the wave of the film's success and word-of-mouth buzz.

Additionally, 'Golden' has also topped the UK Official Singles Chart 'Top 100', achieving a rare feat of dominating both the U.S. and UK charts. In a summer where the K-pop market lacked standout summer songs, 'Golden' has secured its place as a major hit with its catchy melody and powerful high notes.

The high-note sections have become a new benchmark for vocal prowess, with numerous K-pop artists like Bada, Lee Haeri, Solar, Lily, An Yujin, Sohyang, Ailee, and Kwon Jinah participating in the 'Golden Challenge', sparking a viral trend on social media.

Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr