K-pop breaks Grammy barrier with ‘Golden’ win

Feb 03, 2026, 08:01 am

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The song “Golden” from the Netflix animated film K-pop Demon Hunters wins Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 68th Grammy Awards. / Yonhap

The original soundtrack song “Golden” from the Netflix animated film K-pop Demon Hunters has set a new milestone in K-pop history by winning a Grammy Award.

“Golden” took home the Best Song Written for Visual Media award at the 68th Grammy Awards during the Premiere Ceremony held on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles. The category honors songwriters, making contributors EJAE, Teddy, 24, and IDO (Lee You-han, Kwak Joong-kyu, Nam Hee-dong) the first Grammy winners in the K-pop genre.

The Grammy Awards are widely regarded as the most prestigious honors in the U.S. music industry. Until now, Korean winners had largely emerged from classical music. Soprano Sumi Jo won a major classical category in 1993, while cellist Kim Ki-hyun earned a Grammy in 2011 as part of the Parker Quartet. In 2012 and 2016, Hwang Byung-joon of Sound Mirror Korea also won Grammys for classical recordings. In K-pop, BTS received multiple nominations between the 63rd and 65th ceremonies but did not secure a win.

Released in June last year, “Golden” became the main OST of K-pop Demon Hunters and achieved unprecedented success, topping both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart Top 100 — a first for K-pop. Riding on this momentum, the song also won honors at the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globe Awards, and its Grammy victory has further raised expectations for a possible win at the upcoming Academy Awards.

Despite the historic achievement, some disappointment lingered. Alongside “Golden,” the duet “APT.” by Rosé and pop star Bruno Mars failed to win in the top categories of Song of the Year and Record of the Year. In addition, three K-pop tracks — “Golden,” “APT.” and “Gabriela” by Cat’s Eye — were nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, but none secured a win.

Rosé nonetheless commanded attention with a high-profile opening performance alongside Bruno Mars, underscoring her global presence even without taking home a trophy.

Some critics argued that the Grammy Awards remain conservative in their selections. Cultural critic Park Song-ah said, “While K-pop has moved to the center stage, the Grammys still appear strongly influenced by traditional U.S. pop and legacy artists. There remains a gap between recognizing global trends and translating that into institutional rewards.”

Another pop culture critic, Jung Deok-hyun, noted that breaking into the Grammy’s top categories will require continued focus on musical excellence. “The Grammys ultimately prioritize the completeness of the music itself. That is an area K-pop must continue to refine,” he said.

#K-pop #Golden #K-pop Demon Hunters #Grammy Awards #Best Song Written for Visual Media