Animated Film KPop Demon Hunters Wins Historic Grammy Award

Netflix’s animated musical phenomenon, KPop Demon Hunters, has achieved a historic milestone by winning a Grammy Award. The film’s song “Golden,” performed by the fictional girl group HUNTR/X, took home the trophy for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 68th Grammy Awards, becoming the first K-pop song to win in the category’s history.

This victory caps a remarkable awards season run for the film’s soundtrack, which had already secured Best Song honors at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. The Grammy win adds to the movie’s cultural impact, which includes a chart-topping soundtrack that has amassed 10 billion global streams.

2026 Grammy Awards Triumph

The win for “Golden” was against strong competition from tracks featured in major films like Tron: Ares and Sinners. The song is performed by the animated characters Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, who are voiced by real-life artists EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami. KPop Demon Hunters had received four Grammy nominations for its soundtrack, highlighting the significant musical achievement of the project.

Continued Success and Oscar Nominations

The film’s success extends beyond music awards, as it has also been nominated for two Oscars at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. This gives “Golden” another opportunity for recognition on cinema’s biggest stage. The film was met with widespread critical acclaim and became the most-streamed movie of 2025 on Netflix.

Sequel Confirmed for 2029

Netflix has officially announced a sequel to KPop Demon Hunters, with directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans expected to return. The next installment is planned to explore deeper character lore and address unanswered questions from the first film. However, fans will need to be patient, as the intensive animation production process means KPop Demon Hunters 2 is not scheduled for release until 2029.

The Power of K-pop and Animation

The film’s unique combination of K-pop music, groundbreaking animation, and demon-slaying action proved to be a recipe for international success. This fusion helped propel four songs from the soundtrack into the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, demonstrating the project’s massive cultural reach.

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