'KPop Demon...': 'Golden' tops UK charts, first since 'Gangnam Style'
What's the story
The song Golden, by the fictional K-pop group HUNTR/X, has claimed the No. 1 position on the UK Singles Chart for a fourth consecutive week. The track is from the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters and is the first K-Pop song to achieve this feat since PSY's Gangnam Style in 2012. The group's music has found mammoth success through soundtrack releases and social media buzz.
Film synergy
'KPop Demon Hunters' boosts 'Golden's success
The film KPop Demon Hunters, which features HUNTR/X as demon hunters, has contributed to the song's success. The film's record-breaking viewership on Netflix, reportedly the platform's most-watched movie to date, has boosted the visibility of its OST. This, in turn, created a feedback loop that continues to drive chart momentum for Golden.
Success
Makers' opinion on the popularity
Sustained streaming and community support are behind the song's ongoing dominance, and the track is expected to do even better in the coming weeks. Gushing over the movie's success, co-director Chris Appelhans recently told The Wrap, "We have this weird phenomenon with the cast, the voice and the singing cast, where they really feel like the characters." "The movie is all about this music as this connective thing, and then it's happening in real life in this unprecedented way."