Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters is proving its power on the music charts. The movie’s main song Golden by HUNTR/X keeps climbing on the Billboard HOT 100.
According to Billboard’s latest update on July 15 (KST), HUNTR/X’s track Golden jumped to No. 6 on the HOT 100 with 18.8 million streams, 950,000 radio plays, and 3,000 sales. This reflects a 39% streaming surge. Golden also topped other Billboard charts as well, Global 200 and Global 200 Excl. US.
Another song, TAKEDOWN, from the KPop Demon Hunters, also entered the prestigious chart this week. TAKEDOWN, performed by TWIC’s Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung, debuted at No. 86 on HOT 100. This is the first time some TWICE members have charted as a unit. Twice’s group songs The Feels and Moonlight Sunrise previously reached No. 83 and No. 84.
HUNTR/X, the K-pop girl group that stars in the movie, made their HOT 100 debut with Golden on July 1 (KST) at No. 81. The song climbed 58 spots in its second week to reach #23. In its third week, it broke into the Hot 100 Top 10 and peaked at No. 6.
HUNTR/X’s “Golden” is now the highest-charting song by a female K-pop group on the HOT 100, beating BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez’s “Ice Cream.” It’s also the first fictional act since Hannah Montana to break into the Top 10.
Earlier this month, other tracks from the KPop Demon Hunter soundtrack entered the chart. What It Sounds Like entered the chart at #55. How It’s Done came in at #42.
Another fictional group, Saja Boys, featured in the film, also continues to break records. Their song, Your Idol, debuted at No. 77 on HOT 100 for the week ending July 5.
With Your Idol peaking at No. 2 on US Spotify, Saja Boys became the highest-charting male K-pop group on the platform, surpassing BTS. Not long after, HUNTR/X overtook Saja Boys, passing BLACKPINK’s record too. To date, only five K-pop acts have ever reached No. 1 on US Spotify: Jungkook, Jimin, Rosé, HUNTR/X, and Saja Boys.
KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack album is also making history. It climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard 200, which is its highest rank yet. Since 2020, only four soundtracks have made the Top 2, K-Pop Demon Hunters, Wicked, Bobby, and Encanto.
K-Pop Demon Hunters mixes K-pop with fantasy action. The movie follows Rumi, Mira, and Joy, three K-pop superstars. On stage, they perform for huge crowds.
Off stage, they secretly fight demons to protect people from dark forces. The film also shows Korean landmarks like Namsan Seoul Tower, traditional hanok houses, and folklore elements like grim reapers.
The film was made by Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Big names like Ahn Hyo Seop and Lee Byung Hun voiced the characters. Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung of TWICE joined the soundtrack to add more K-pop star power.
Director Maggie Kang, who is Korean-Canadian, shared that the movie is a love letter to her roots. In an interview, Kang said she grew up watching films set in various Asian cultures but always wanted an animated movie that shows Korean culture.
KPop Demon Hunters dropped worldwide on June 20. Since then, it has topped Netflix’s global chart for more than ten days straight, according to FlixPatrol. Strong streaming, chart records, and fan love prove one thing: HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys aren’t done yet.
