“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters Makes History, Wins Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media
“Golden,” the hit track from KPop Demon Hunters, has won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 2026 Grammy Awards. While the song is performed by HUNTR/X artists EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the Grammy officially honors the songwriters: EJAE, Park Hong Jun (a.k.a. Teddy), Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Mark Sonnenblick.
The song triumphed over a star-studded lineup, including:
“As Alive as You Need Me to Be” from Tron: Ares (Nine Inch Nails; Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross)
“I Lied to You” by Sinners (Miles Caton; Ludwig Göransson & Raphael Saadiq)
“Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late (Elton John & Brandi Carlile; Brandi Carlile, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Andrew Watt)
“Sinners” from Sinners (Rod Wave; Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green, Travis Harrington, Tarkan Kozluklu, Kyris Mingo & Darius Povilinus)
During the acceptance, producer Jeong Hoon Seo (aka 24) delivered a speech in English and Korean, giving a special shoutout to “Pioneer of K-Pop, Teddy”.
Teddy Park (Park Hong Jun) is a K-pop/rap icon turned prolific producer, widely credited with shaping South Korea’s global music crossover over the past two decades. His notable contributions include hits for BIGBANG, G-Dragon, PSY, 2NE1, Sunmi, CL, Jeon Somi, BLACKPINK, and solo tracks for Rosé, Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa.
The win is also a milestone for EJAE, who trained for a decade to become a K-pop star but never debuted. She shifted focus to songwriting and producing, now becoming the first artist from the K-pop training world to win a Grammy.
At the time of the announcement, “Golden” was also nominated for Song of the Year, which honors the songwriters. However, it did not win in other categories:
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance went to “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical went to Gesaffelstein for his remix of Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra”, beating David Guetta’s “Rem/x” of “Golden.”
This historic Grammy win marks a major milestone for K-pop’s global recognition, highlighting the genre’s growing influence in the international music industry.
1. What is “Golden”?
“Golden” is a hit track from KPop Demon Hunters, performed by HUNTR/X artists EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami.
2. Which Grammy did “Golden” win?
It won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
3. Who officially receives the Grammy for this category?
The Grammy goes to the songwriters: EJAE, Park Hong Jun (Teddy), Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Mark Sonnenblick.
4. Who performed the song?
The song was performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, under the HUNTR/X label.
5. Which songs did “Golden” compete against?
It competed against:
“As Alive as You Need Me to Be” (Tron: Ares, Nine Inch Nails)
“I Lied to You” (Sinners, Miles Caton)
“Never Too Late” (Elton John: Never Too Late)
“Sinners” (Sinners, Rod Wave)
6. Who accepted the Grammy on behalf of “Golden”?
Producer Jeong Hoon Seo (aka 24) accepted the award and delivered a speech in English and Korean.
7. Did Jeong Hoon Seo mention anyone special in the speech?
Yes, he gave a special shoutout to Teddy Park, calling him a “Pioneer of K-Pop”.
8. Who is Teddy Park?
Teddy Park (Park Hong Jun) is a K-pop/rap icon turned music producer, credited with helping South Korea’s music crossover globally.
9. What are some of Teddy Park’s notable works?
Teddy has produced hits for:
BIGBANG, G-Dragon, 2NE1, PSY, Sunmi, CL, Jeon Somi, BLACKPINK, and solo tracks for Rosé, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa.
10. Why is this win significant for EJAE?
EJAE trained for a decade to become a K-pop star but never debuted. She focused on songwriting and producing and is now the first artist from K-pop training to win a Grammy.
11. Was “Golden” nominated in other Grammy categories?
Yes, it was nominated for Song of the Year, which also honors the songwriters.
12. Did “Golden” win any other categories?
No, it lost in other categories:
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance went to “Defying Gravity” by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical went to Gesaffelstein for his remix of Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra”.
13. Why is this Grammy win historic?
It marks a major milestone for K-pop’s global recognition, highlighting the genre’s influence on the international music industry.
14. What makes “Golden” special in the context of K-pop?
The song demonstrates K-pop’s growing presence in global awards and its ability to compete with Western music in prestigious categories like the Grammys.
15. Who are the key contributors to the success of “Golden”?
Songwriters: EJAE, Teddy Park, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Mark Sonnenblick
Performers: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami
Producer: Jeong Hoon Seo (24)
