KPop Demon Hunters star says chart success doesn't feel real

A new K-pop sensation is lighting up the charts — and it's not from a real-life group. Meet HUNTR/X, the fictional girl band from the animated film KPop Demon Hunters, whose track "Golden" just made history.

According to the Official Charts Company, Golden is the first K-pop single to top the UK charts since PSY's "Gangnam Style" back in 2012 — and fans are loving it.

The girl group HUNTR/X, made up of animated characters Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, faces off against the demon boyband Saja Boys in the movie. But in real life, their music is making serious waves. Their single Your Idol also cracked the UK top 10, landing at number 10 this week.

🎤 Meet Ejae: The Voice Behind the Magic

K-pop singer and songwriter Ejae, who provides the singing voice for Rumi, performs several songs on the movie’s soundtrack and co-wrote three standout tracks: Your Idol, How It's Done, and The Hunter’s Mantra.

Ejae tells Newsbeat that getting to perform on the final recordings was an “organic process.”

"I've been singing all the demos while writing the songs," she explains.
"I guess we got used to me singing it. And they were like: 'Hey, do you want to sing?' I was just like: 'Why not?'"

The response to her voice and performance has been massive — she's gained nearly 100,000 Instagram followers in just a month, and she’s learning to embrace the spotlight after years behind the scenes.

🌟 Why Is Golden So Popular?

Ejae believes the song’s hopeful energy resonates deeply with listeners today:

“I think we're in a time right now where we need hope... and this song is very hopeful. It just lifts your voice and it’s very powerful.”

🏆 A New Era for Animated Soundtracks?

The last time an animated film soundtrack hit No. 1 in the UK was Disney’s Encanto with “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — which stayed at the top for seven weeks in 2022.

Could Golden have the same kind of staying power?

Carl Smith, editor at the Official Charts Company, says it's possible:

“It could possibly be the song of the summer. I think its popularity transcends generations.”

🔥 A Big Win for K-pop Fans in the UK

Katy, who runs the K-pop site Hallyu Doing, says the success of KPop Demon Hunters is thrilling for the UK K-pop community:

"I'm seeing people who are not K-pop fans that have seen the movie and are now looking into real K-pop artists they want to see."

🎵 Elsewhere in the Charts

• Drake & Central Cee’s "Which One" debuted at number 4 — the week’s highest new entry.

• Following Ozzy Osbourne’s funeral in Birmingham, his music climbed the charts:

  • Paranoid by Black Sabbath jumped 12 spots into the Top 20.

  • Ozzy’s solo hit Crazy Train also re-entered the charts.