KPop Demon Hunters’ “Golden” Wins Song of the Year at the 2026 American Music Awards

“Golden” turned the 2026 American Music Awards into a historic night for K-pop crossover music, with the breakout anthem from KPop Demon Hunters winning Song of the Year at Monday’s ceremony in Las Vegas.

The track — performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami as the fictional idol group HUNTR/X — beat out nominees including songs by Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Bruno Mars, according to Billboard and the AMAs’ official winners list.

Released as part of Netflix’s animated fantasy-musical phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters, “Golden” became one of the biggest global songs of the past year, fueled by TikTok choreography trends, streaming success and the movie’s passionate fandom. The song previously made headlines after becoming the first K-pop track to win both an Oscar and a Grammy earlier this year.

During the acceptance speech, the trio thanked fans of the film and dedicated the win to “everyone who saw themselves in HUNTR/X.” Rei Ami also praised the creative team behind the film, calling the project “a crazy dream that somehow became real.”

The AMAs themselves leaned heavily into K-pop this year. BTS won Artist of the Year, Best Male K-pop Artist and Song of the Summer for “Swim,” while KATSEYE picked up New Artist of the Year and Music Video of the Year.

Outside the K-pop categories, Sabrina Carpenter won Album of the Year, Cardi B swept several hip-hop awards, and Billy Idol received the ceremony’s Lifetime Achievement honor.The victory capped another massive milestone for KPop Demon Hunters, which has expanded far beyond its original streaming release. Netflix recently confirmed that a sequel is officially in development alongside a planned world concert tour inspired by the fictional HUNTR/X group.