“Golden” From “KPop Demon Hunters” Wins Best Original Song at the Oscars

“Golden,” from the animated musical film KPop Demon Hunters, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 98th Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026. The song, performed by the fictional group Huntr/x, previously won in the same category at the Grammys, Golden Globes, and Critics Choice Awards. KPop Demon Hunters also took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

The Winning Team

The award was presented to EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon, and Teddy Park, the team behind the global hit. This was the first Oscar nomination and win for all seven members.

A Historic Night for K-Pop

“Golden” is the first K-pop song to win an Oscar in the Best Original Song category. During her acceptance speech, EJAE expressed that the award was “not about success, it’s about resilience.”

Diane Warren’s Continued Pursuit

The song beat out four other nominees, including Diane Warren, who was recognized for “Dear Me” from the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless. This marked Warren’s 17th Oscar nomination without a win, making her the most nominated person to never receive an Academy Award. She previously tied with sound mixer Greg P. Russell, but Russell’s 17th nomination was rescinded due to campaigning rule violations in 2017.

Warren’s Legacy

Despite not winning an Oscar, Diane Warren is a highly acclaimed songwriter with nine #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” She has also received 16 Grammy nominations, winning once for “Because You Loved Me” performed by Celine Dion in 1997.

About KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters is a Netflix animated musical film about a fictional K-pop girl group tasked with saving the world by defeating demons. Netflix reports that it is the platform’s most-watched film of all time, garnering hundreds of millions of hours viewed worldwide and producing the highest-charting soundtrack of 2025, with eight songs landing on the Billboard Hot 100.

Other Nominees

The other nominees in the Best Original Song category were:

• Nicholas Pike – “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from Long Live Verdi!
• Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson – “I Lied To You” from Sinners
• Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner – “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams