The 83rd Golden Globes delivered a standout moment for music in film as “Golden”, the main theme from the animated hit Kpop Demon Hunters, claimed the award for Best Original Song, surpassing strong contenders such as Miley Cyrus’ “Dream As One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash.
The award was announced during the gala held at the Beverly Hilton, where the film —directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and backed by Netflix— was praised for its artistic vision and storytelling. The animated feature became one of the platform’s most talked-about releases of 2025.
The winning track was composed by Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Park Hong Jun, with lyrics by Kim Eun-jae (EJAE) and Mark Sonnenblick. Its rendition by the real-life group HUNTR/X (EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna) dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks —a rare achievement among Golden Globe winners.
Accepting the award on stage, EJAE delivered a heartfelt speech recounting her difficult journey through the K-pop industry. “I was told my voice wasn’t good enough, so I turned to songwriting to keep going. Today I stand here hoping to inspire children and people of all ages to overcome their challenges and embrace who they are,” she said.
In the Best Original Score category, Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson earned his second Globe in three years for his work on Sinners, cementing his status as one of the leading creative forces in film music. Both Sinners and “Golden” also won at the Critics Choice Awards, historically a strong indicator of future success at the Oscars.
Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22, with the ceremony scheduled for March 15.
