KPop Demon Hunters’ ‘Golden’ Is Going Up, Up, Up To The Grammys

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 2196 — Pictured: (l-r) Musical guests Rei Ami, Ejae, and Audrey Nuna of “KPop Demon Hunters” perform on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 — (Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images

Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters have another reason to celebrate – they’ve received three Grammy nominations for their hit song, “Golden.”

“Golden,” performed by Huntr/x (EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami), is up for Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Song Written for Visual Media. The song’s remixed version, “Golden – David Guetta REM/X,” by David Guetta, has been nominated for Best Remixed Recording. The film’s soundtrack is also nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Their nominations make history as the first K-pop girl group to be nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group, joining BLACKPINK’s Rosé as the first K-pop solo artist nominated for her song “A.P.T.” with Bruno Mars. Rosé and Bruno Mars are also nominated for Song of the Year.

EJAE, Nuna, and Ami reunited on Zoom from their respective locations to watch the nominations presented live this morning on the Recording Academy’s YouTube page, then stayed for a few interviews.

“We were on Zoom [together] and saw the [nominations],” EJAE beams, shortly after the nominations were announced. They all screamed in excitement as “Golden” was announced for the three categories.

Nuna laughs, “All of us were making really weird noises together.”

Ami, who was visibly tearful, has been crying on and off since the announcements, and every time she begins to talk about the nominations in detail, the tears start to flow again.

“It’s just an emotional time,” says Ami, as she continues to wipe her tears. “As an artist, I don’t create art for the validation of others. I don’t. I do it for myself, but it’s really nice when the people you respect and admire for their work recognize you as a peer. And, to be able to step into these rooms that I dreamt of stepping into that I thought were so far away – it’s right there.”

It had been an emotional journey for the three artists, all of whom were propelled into the spotlight together nearly six months ago. KPop Demon Hunters has become the most popular Netflix film of all time, with the soundtrack hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums list, and their now Grammy-nominated song “Golden” to make history as the first female K-pop group to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for several weeks.

Although they recorded their vocals separately, the success of the film and soundtrack brought them together for multiple scheduled performances, already appearing on the MTV Video Music Awards, Saturday Night Live, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

For the three, it’s empowering to have Korean American women be the faces of this global phenomenon. Their voices and how they made the audience feel are what they’re remembered for, which echoes through this awards season. Nuna reveals, “It feels validating.”

“I’m just proud,” EJAE cheers. “I’m just so proud to be a part of that. To everyone – all of us – you did a good job!”

As Korean American women who are all so different in their own artistry and personality, they’re proud to showcase the many other facets and sides to Korean and Asian women. Ami shares, “We are not this one-dimensional thing. We are layered. We have so many things that make us who we are, not just our Korean heritage or that we’re women, but there’s so much more that goes into that. This opportunity has allowed a lot of young girls who look at us and are like, ‘Wow, I can be that. I don’t have to choose. I can be the opposite. And I feel super cool for that.”

Having written “Golden” with writing partner Mark Sonnenblick (and THEBLACKLABEL’s 24, IDO, and Teddy), EJAE is the first Korean American female songwriter to be nominated for Song of the Year.

Rosé, who is the first Korean Australian to be nominated for the same category, has been on EJAE’s dream collaboration wishlist. EJAE is so excited and proud that they’re both recognized for their talent and hard work.

“I just feel proud of her, too,” EJAE smiles. “I love her. She’s amazing. She’s so nice. I’m just proud, and she deserves it. We all do too. I’m just really honored to be alongside her in these nominations.”

While the nominations are still fresh, anticipation has been building for the film’s soundtrack as awards season approaches. However, despite all the talk and achievements, it didn’t occur to Nuna that this could actually happen until moments before the nominations were read.

“Everything about this experience has been so surreal and has happened so quickly,” Nuna explains. Granted, we are individual artists and songwriters who have been working in this field for a long time. There’s an idea of making yourself smaller at times or feeling a bit adverse to taking up space sometimes. It feels validating to be able to say, ‘You know what? Hell yeah! We worked our asses off and should be able to enjoy this moment.’ [This feeling] comes very delayed for me. We’re living this real, surreal dream.”

Ami admits she’s been feeling imposter syndrome throughout this time in her life. It’s why, when it was announced they were nominated for “Song of the Year,” she felt a mix of sadness and grief.

“I felt like I was grieving so much of myself, then this nomination represents this new chapter for me, personally,” she shares. “I felt like all of that work, suffering, and rejection was worth it because it got me here. That’s why I felt so sad because I should be happier and prouder. I should be screaming from the roof. Why do I feel so sad?”

EJAE and Nuna are quick to comfort Ami, understanding her feelings, as they’ve all been on this voyage together. What was an interview turned into a therapy session, as they explored their feelings about the nominations. EJAE tells her, “[You’re sad] because you’re letting go and saying goodbye to your older self.”

Nuna references Erykah Badu’s comments, telling Ami, “In order to grow and change, people don’t realize when there’s a birth of something new, it always comes with mourning the death of something [or someone] you were. Whether it was good for you or not, you were so intimately connected to these ideas of ourselves, which can be limiting. We tend to limit ourselves. Weirdly, sometimes as liberating as the process is, moving away from that, there’s equally a very human sadness of letting go of something that you’re so used to. I think that makes sense.”

“Oh yeah, girl,” EJAE says in support. “It does.”

The trio is excited about their upcoming plans, which now include attending the Grammys. Nuna is ready for her red carpet wisecracking jokes. While EJAE and Ami shared the expectation of lots of smiling and crying, Nuna kept a straight face, saying she’s been experiencing “emotional constipation,” unable to shed any tears or cry the entire KPop Demon Hunters experience.

“Honestly, it’s a lot because I feel it and it’s almost painful,” Nuna admits. “I can’t release this, though, it’s just there. It’s all there.”

EJAE and Ami are counting the days, waiting for Nuna to feel something – anything! Ami says, “I’m excited to see Audrey’s emotional constipation disappear!”

The possibility of KPop Demon Hunters winning a Grammy may help with Nuna’s emotional predicament. She pleads, “Please. Please liberate me from this internal, emotional prison.”

The Grammy Awards air on February 1, 2026, on CBS.