Image: Netflix Tudum / X (Twitter)
For the second time in history, after a 13-year gap following PSY’s viral success with ‘Gangnam Style’, a K-pop single has climbed to the Number 1 spot on the UK charts. The difference this time, however, is that the group behind the chart-topping track does not exist.
Huntr/x, the animated girl group at the heart of Netflix’s original film KPop Demon Hunters, have taken the UK by storm. Their breakout single ‘Golden’ has now spent five consecutive weeks at Number 1, marking a historic achievement not only for K-pop but also for fictional, animated acts in the music industry.
Huntr/x’s chart run comes at a time when K-pop has been steadily rising in global influence over the past decade. Groups like BTS, BLACKPINK, and Twice have headlined stadium tours, topped Billboard charts, and brought the genre firmly into the Western mainstream. Acts such as Stray Kids and NewJeans are also helping expand K-pop’s reach, drawing in new audiences with each release.
Released in June, KPop Demon Hunters quickly became Netflix’s most-watched animated film of all time, ranking as the platform’s fourth most-streamed film across all genres. The movie follows Rumi, played by Arden Cho of Teen Wolf, Mira (Kim Hong), and Zoey (Yoo Ji-yeon) as they balance life as international pop stars with a secret identity as demon hunters battling supernatural forces. Within the narrative, Huntr/x share the stage with their fictional rivals, boy band Saja Boys, whose track ‘Your Idol’ currently sits at Number 3 in the UK charts.
Much of this success reflects the changing landscape of music consumption. Where chart dominance once relied heavily on radio play, today’s trends are shaped by streaming platforms and the viral momentum of TikTok. ‘Golden’ currently boasts over 575m streams, and a remix by David Guetta has added further fuel to its global reach.
Behind the fictional facade of Huntr/x are some of the biggest real-world names in pop production. Teddy Park of THEBLACKLABEL — known for his work with BLACKPINK — and Grammy Award-winning producer Lindgren, who has collaborated with John Legend, Dua Lipa and BTS, crafted the tracks. Vocals are provided by Korean singer-songwriter Ejae, whose credits include Red Velvet and EXO, alongside American-Korean artists Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, both known for genre-bending projects and collaborations with the likes of Jack Harlow and Aminé.
This is not the first time a virtual band has made waves in the charts. Gorillaz pioneered the concept of a fictional band with real-world impact in the early 2000s, while the novelty hit ‘Axel F’ by Crazy Frog reached Number 1 in the UK in 2005. Yet Huntr/x’s success feels distinct, arriving at a moment when digital culture, streaming platforms and global fandoms are more powerful than ever.
K-pop has always emphasised carefully crafted idols, and Huntr/x take that idea a step further. As animated characters, they cannot age or stray from the image fans expect, which only adds to their appeal. In today’s streaming-driven music world, where digital culture and fandom shape the charts, their success shows how fictional acts can now compete with — and even surpass — real artists.
KPop Demon Hunters is more than a film soundtrack. It represents a full-fledged transmedia phenomenon, blurring the line between reality and fiction while reshaping the possibilities of what it means to be a global pop act.
