EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick were tapped for "Golden" by Netflix for their animated musical "KPop Demon Hunters," which became the streaming platform's most-watched movie of all time. The song's creation uniquely blended EJAE's K-pop songwriting background with Sonnenblick's musical theater expertise.

Commercial success

• Certified 2x Platinum in the US

• The song topped the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts for 17 non‑consecutive weeks each.

• Spent 78 days at No. 1 on the Spotify Global Chart.

Cultural impact

• "Golden" won Best Song for an Animated Film at the 2025 Hollywood Music in Media Awards.

• EJAE explained that she "intentionally wrote a challenging vocal line" in order to "reflect both Rumi's vocal prowess and her fierce determination to seal the magical barrier of [the] Honmoon."

• A version of the track was performed live on SNL season 51 a part of a sketch in which Bad Bunny’s character expressed his love for the movie.

Critical response

• Billboard described "Golden" as "rich with lyrical meaning, about battling the literal demons in the movie and the less tangible ones in life," highlighting its "gargantuan melodies." Read full review

• NPR's Jae-Ha Kim praised the song's "mixture of, like, real K-pop songs where they have songs sung in Korean, but also with English," noting the English lyrics are "so good here." Read full review

• Stay Free Radio observed that "Golden" follows a "clear narrative arc, moving from self-doubt to confidence," with its chorus soaring "with infectious optimism." Read full review