Animated K-Pop Group Huntr/x Tops UK Chart for Fifth Week

Maia Jemmett — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 19:21:22 +0000

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.

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Svalbard Release New Single And Animated Video For ‘How To Swim Down’

Glenn Hamilton — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 12:28:12 +0000

Bristol post-hardcore band Svalbard have released a new single and video for “How To Swim Down.” The song is set to feature on the group’s upcoming fourth studio album titled, The Weight Of The Mask.

Our new single How To Swim Down is out now, alongside an incredibly moving music video directed and animated by Boy Tillekens.

Watch here: https://t.co/L3xl29kMWJ” pic.twitter.com/HKciGko1rR

— Svalbard (@Svalbardband) August 15, 2023

“How To Swim Down” is the third single Svalbard have shared in anticipation of the album’s release, after previous sharing “Following Eternal Spirits” (a song written in tribute of ex-Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison) and “Faking It.” The song presents frontwoman Serena Cherry opting for a complete clean vocal performance and, for the first time, guitarist Liam Phelan featured on violin. The song represents a departure in sound for what the band are usually known for and offers a perfect glimpse into what The Weight Of The Mask has to offer.

Svalbard have also released a beautifully animated video created by Boy Tillkens to accompany the new single. Cherry has stated that the animation captures the emotions of the song delicately and is a moving creative piece to watch.

Speaking of the song, Cherry said, “this song is about the exquisite pain and sorrowful beauty of unrequited love. I think it’s the saddest, most heartbreaking song we’ve ever written. Lyrically, the starting point of the verse is about concealment of adoration, before the chorus gives way to realising and accepting a fate of loving someone quietly from afar.”

Never a band to shy away from challenging the parameters of their genre, Svalbard have nonetheless ventured into parts unknown with “How To Swim Down,” with Phelan taking a starring turn on violin for the first time in the band’s 12 year history. Cherry’s is also a notable performance on the song, as the singer decided to abandon the harsh screams for a more straight forward clean approach.

Cherry explains, “musically, ‘How To Swim Down’ saw us dive into uncharted waters with Liam adding many layers of mournful violin parts onto the track. Finally, violins-for the first time in Svalbard history! It feels so exciting to have new instruments on a song. Another first is that ‘How To Swim Down’ features only clean vocals, no screams….It’s a private, selfless love song, where only the listener knows of my heartache.”

Svalbard were formed in Bristol in 2011 and quickly made a name for themselves, blending the ferocity of hardcore and metal with existential reflections of black metal and shoe-gaze. The band will release The Weight Of The Mask on 6 October via Nuclear Blast Records and will feature on October’s Cult Of Luna’s Beyond The Redshift Festival. Tickets can be purchased here. Pre-orders of the new album can be found here.

Svalbard Tour:

13/10/2023 – Soulcrusher – Nijmegen, Netherlands
15/10 – Helios 37 – Cologne, Germany
16/10 – Urban Spree – Berlin, Germany
17/10 – Chemiefabrik – Dresden, Germany
18/10 – Stummsche Reithalle – Neunkirchen, Germany
19/10 – O’Sullivan’s Backstage by the Mill – Paris, France
21/10 – The Key Club – Leeds

mxdwn.co.uk » Animation

Animated K-Pop Group Huntr/x Tops UK Chart for Fifth Week

Svalbard Release New Single And Animated Video For ‘How To Swim Down’