South Koreans are celebrating after “Golden,” from the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” claimed K-pop’s first Grammy Award, a milestone that critics say highlights the genre’s global appeal and signals broader acceptance in the American

“We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment,” proclaim virtual girl band Huntr/x in their hit song “Golden.” And the lyrics couldn’t have been more apt as the song from Netflix megahit “Kpop Demon Hunters” made history Sunday by claiming K-Pop’s first-ever Grammy.

The breakout song from “KPop Demon Hunters” won best song written for visual media on Sunday, ending a drought for the powerhouse global genre.

The 'Kpop Demon Hunters' Hot 100 hit won best song written for visual media at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Watch AP’s live show from the 2026 Grammys red carpet in Los Angeles. Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with nine total. Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Clipse, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA and Tyler, the Creator are also nominated.

With two nominations for the popular girl group, KATSEYE, it seems like a good reminder that they should be celebrated as a global pop group, not K-pop.