'KPop Demon Hunters' track Golden hits 5x platinum in seven months

The standout song Golden from the animated hit KPop Demon Hunters has surged to 5x platinum status worldwide, just seven months after the film's release.

Crafted by a powerhouse team—singer EJAE (voice of character Rumi), Mark Sonnenblick, and South Korea's The Black Label production trio IDO (Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, and Zhun)—the track blends classic K-pop flair with cinematic punch. Zhun, speaking through a translator, revealed how the process kicked off with a custom drum loop tailored to a precise 100-120 BPM range. "We built everything around that foundation," he said. Nam noted its structure stuck to K-pop roots: two voices, two verses, and a bridge.

Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans insisted on a soaring high note as the song's centrepiece, which EJAE nailed at A5. "We were stunned when we first heard it," Zhun admitted. "Notes that high push vocal limits—it's extraordinary."

Beyond Golden, IDO scored music for the film's all-female heroes Huntr/x and the deceptive Saja Boys. Zhun praised music producer Ian Eisendrath for shaping their contrasting sounds: sinister charm for the villains, raw heroism for the protagonists. "His input tied the tracks perfectly to the visuals."

Lyricist Yu Han Lee pinpointed "I'm done hiding, now I'm shining" as the emotional core, mirroring Rumi's transformation. Nam and Zhun beamed with pride over global fans chanting the Korean lyrics: "Seeing that is deeply moving."

Golden underscores K-pop's rising global clout and The Black Label's knack for fusing genre traditions with storytelling magic.