KPop Demon Hunters ignited more online debate after its fictional girl group, HUNTR/X, reached a career milestone that even top real-life acts have yet to achieve.
Billboard confirmed that the movie’s hit track GOLDEN claimed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The fictional K-pop group – voiced by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – has joined BTS in the elite ranks of K-pop acts topping the Billboard Hot 100. The song becomes the ninth K-pop–related track to hit #1. With this milestone, Golden also became the first song by a female K-pop act to claim the top spot.
In a broader context, HUNTR/X also became the first girl group of any genre to reach #1 since Destiny’s Child. They have surpassed the records of well-known acts like Pussycat Dolls, Fifth Harmony, and Little Mix.
The Future of Music
While the announcement thrilled fans of the movie and its music, it also fueled criticism. Many international fans voiced concern about what this could mean for the music industry’s future, noting that HUNTR/X exists only as an animated, fictional group.
Some argued that this breakthrough might pave the way for more virtual acts to dominate. This can cut into opportunities for human performers. Others lamented that real-life girl groups had spent decades chasing this exact achievement, only for an animated act to claim it first.
Supporters of the film pushed back, emphasizing that real people. Voice actors, singers, and producers have worked hard to bring HUNTR/X and its music to life and deserve recognition. Others compared it to the supergroup Gorillaz, where real people create the music but present it through animated characters.
Chart Toppers On and Off Screen
The soundtrack isn’t the only record-breaker. KPop Demon Hunters now ranks as the fourth most popular movie on Netflix of all time. The animated adventure follows Huntrix, a fictional K-pop girl group that battles demons with the power of music. Their biggest challenge? A rival boy band called the Saja Boys – who turn out to be demons themselves.
As the debate rages on, KPop Demon Hunters and its music division remain in the spotlight. Hailed by some as a groundbreaking triumph and criticized by others as a troubling sign of where the industry may be headed.
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