K-pop Demon Hunters: A Musical World Where Dreams Come Alive at the Grammys and Oscars
Ian Eisendrath's orchestra played the final flourishes of KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack, bringing tears to his eyes. "I never thought it would be like this," he said with a laugh, marveling at the film's phenomenal success.
The animated movie, Huntr/x, which tells the story of a Korean girl band fighting soul-hungry demons through song, was released in June 2024 and became Netflix's most-watched title ever. The soundtrack, featuring hits from real K-pop heavyweights, became platinum-rated and broke records with four tracks hitting the US Top 10 simultaneously.
The film has already won a Golden Globe and is nominated for best international song at the Brit awards. If "Golden" wins both the Academy award for best song and the Grammy for song of the year, it will be the first original song from an animation to achieve this historic feat.
Executive music producer Ian Eisendrath credits an unusual collaboration process and K-pop's innate theatricality for the song's appeal. "K-pop is larger than life," he said, describing how something can change musically in just eight measures. The soundtrack demanded thrilling, radio-friendly hits that pushed the story forward with every beat.
Songwriter Danny Chung co-wrote one of the tracks, "Soda Pop," a bubbly and catchy hit that became platinum-rated despite not being The Black Label's signature sound. Eisendrath asked Chung to sing as one of the characters in the soundtrack, but she needed convincing, admitting that performing has always been scary for her.
Chung describes working on the film and voicing the character as a "dream come true" and an engaged process he never anticipated. The challenge was putting character arcs before musical taste or trends. When Eisendrath asked Chung to write for the soundtrack, she drew inspiration from Korean culture, including the use of bells and voices in traditional shamans' rituals.
The film's lead singer, Ejae, was born in Seoul but raised in New Jersey. She connects with Rumi, the character she voiced, saying that they share similar struggles with identity and perfectionism. Performing as Rumi came naturally to Ejae, who admitted that it brought her a sense of spiritual connection.
The film's success has been overwhelming for Huntr/x, with their popularity supercharging the profiles of Ami and Nuna, who gained tens of millions of listeners after being part of the soundtrack. The soundtrack's success has also contributed to The Black Label gaining almost $68m in investment ahead of a rumoured IPO stock launch.
Ejae is now slowly releasing her own solo material, after years of writing for others. "I'm so grateful," she said softly. A dream she had shelved for a long time is finally open, bringing her joy and confidence. The KPop Demon Hunters' story serves as a testament to the power of collaboration and the reach of music beyond borders and genres.
Ian Eisendrath's orchestra played the final flourishes of KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack, bringing tears to his eyes. "I never thought it would be like this," he said with a laugh, marveling at the film's phenomenal success.
The animated movie, Huntr/x, which tells the story of a Korean girl band fighting soul-hungry demons through song, was released in June 2024 and became Netflix's most-watched title ever. The soundtrack, featuring hits from real K-pop heavyweights, became platinum-rated and broke records with four tracks hitting the US Top 10 simultaneously.
The film has already won a Golden Globe and is nominated for best international song at the Brit awards. If "Golden" wins both the Academy award for best song and the Grammy for song of the year, it will be the first original song from an animation to achieve this historic feat.
Executive music producer Ian Eisendrath credits an unusual collaboration process and K-pop's innate theatricality for the song's appeal. "K-pop is larger than life," he said, describing how something can change musically in just eight measures. The soundtrack demanded thrilling, radio-friendly hits that pushed the story forward with every beat.
Songwriter Danny Chung co-wrote one of the tracks, "Soda Pop," a bubbly and catchy hit that became platinum-rated despite not being The Black Label's signature sound. Eisendrath asked Chung to sing as one of the characters in the soundtrack, but she needed convincing, admitting that performing has always been scary for her.
Chung describes working on the film and voicing the character as a "dream come true" and an engaged process he never anticipated. The challenge was putting character arcs before musical taste or trends. When Eisendrath asked Chung to write for the soundtrack, she drew inspiration from Korean culture, including the use of bells and voices in traditional shamans' rituals.
The film's lead singer, Ejae, was born in Seoul but raised in New Jersey. She connects with Rumi, the character she voiced, saying that they share similar struggles with identity and perfectionism. Performing as Rumi came naturally to Ejae, who admitted that it brought her a sense of spiritual connection.
The film's success has been overwhelming for Huntr/x, with their popularity supercharging the profiles of Ami and Nuna, who gained tens of millions of listeners after being part of the soundtrack. The soundtrack's success has also contributed to The Black Label gaining almost $68m in investment ahead of a rumoured IPO stock launch.
Ejae is now slowly releasing her own solo material, after years of writing for others. "I'm so grateful," she said softly. A dream she had shelved for a long time is finally open, bringing her joy and confidence. The KPop Demon Hunters' story serves as a testament to the power of collaboration and the reach of music beyond borders and genres.
i mean what's not to love about a movie that combines Kpop with demon hunting? it's like a dream come true for any music lover! the fact that the soundtrack broke records and won awards is just incredible 
and i have to say, i'm loving the idea of kpop artists pushing their musical boundaries and collaborating with other creatives. it's so cool to see ami and nuna get all that recognition after being part of the soundtrack - they're proof that music can bring people together 
I mean, can you even believe how far K-pop has come? From being this super niche thing to dominating the Grammys and Oscars now 
. The fact that Huntr/x's soundtrack is breaking records left and right is insane, but what's even more amazing is the way it brought together artists from different backgrounds and genres.
. It's no wonder that Huntr/x is becoming this global phenomenon, with their music connecting people across borders.
. The KPop Demon Hunters' success is a testament to the power of collaboration and the reach of music beyond genres 
. It's going to be super interesting to see how this all plays out with The Black Label's IPO stock launch 
.
i'm so down for more music from huntr/x and the black label - it's amazing how they've been able to reach a whole new audience with this project 
This Kpop Demon Hunters thing is wild! I mean, who would've thought that an animated movie about a Korean girl band fighting demons through song would become a global phenomenon? 
. The fact that K-pop's innate theatricality played a huge role in its appeal is so true 
. I mean, have you seen Huntr/x? It's like nothing you've ever seen before 
.
That's what makes this film truly special - how they were able to combine their talents to create something so magical 
. And I love that Ejae got to connect with her own experiences as a Korean-American girl in music through Rumi's character 
. This just goes to show that music has the power to bring people together across borders and genres 
. I'm so grateful for this film and its talented cast - it's definitely a game-changer in the music industry 
, I'm so tired of all these "breakthrough" moments on Netflix... like they just magically appear out of thin air? Newsflash: it takes more than 8 measures to create something magical. And can we talk about how the soundtrack is basically just a greatest hits collection for K-pop fans who already know and love their artists? It's not like Huntr/x created anything new or innovative... I mean, sure, they got lucky with some catchy tracks, but it's still just the same old pop songs.
. Can't we just enjoy the music without the cringeworthy behind-the-scenes stories?
, and I'm not surprised to hear Ian Eisendrath got chills playing the final notes. Maybe we should start calling him the K-pop conductor 
I guess you could say their music is 'out of this world'...or should I say, out of Huntr/x 
.
The fact that real K-pop heavyweights got featured on the soundtrack is just icing on the cake 
. And can we talk about how inspiring it is for Ejae to finally release her own solo material after years of writing for others? It's like, the ultimate comeback 
! I'm also loving how the film's success has brought K-pop into the mainstream and supercharged The Black Label's profiles 
!
- that's a record! And "Golden" has already won Golden Globe, now it's up for Oscar & Brit award 
! The songwriters & producers are all saying K-pop's innate theatricality & collaboration were key to the success. 
That's 
I'm totally obsessed with "Soda Pop" - it's like nothing I've ever heard before 
The way Danny Chung drew inspiration from Korean culture is so cool 
how did they even do it? they took real k-pop heavyweights like The Black Label and blended them with some crazy epic soundtrack magic 
and grammys 
The film's soundtrack is a masterclass in blending music, storytelling, and cultural fusion... it's no wonder that "Golden" has become an anthem of sorts 
. Ian Eisendrath's production genius is undeniable 
... it just goes to show that music has the power to bridge cultures and break down boundaries. Can't wait to see what Huntr/x does next! 
they're breaking records globally with their unique sound and style, and now they're even inspiring Oscar-worthy songs 
and the fact that it's from an animation is just wild 
I'm loving how they incorporated traditional shamans' rituals into the songwriting process - so cool! 
and can we talk about Ejae for a sec? 
her voice as Rumi is giving me LIFE