In a historic feat for both K-pop and virtual artistry, the fictional girl group Huntrix (stylized as “HUNTR/X”) from Netflix’s original animation “KPop Demon Hunters” has rocketed to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, outpacing even real-world K-pop icons.
According to Billboard’s preview chart dated July 19 (local time), the track “Golden” by Huntrix climbed 17 spots from last week’s position of No. 23. The single racked up 18.8 million streams (up 39% from the previous week), 950,000 radio listeners, and 3,000 downloads. This level of success is unprecedented for a virtual K-pop group.
To date, only BTS has consistently cracked the top 10 on the Hot 100, boasting six No. 1 hits including “Dynamite” and “Butter.” Even BLACKPINK, despite their global fame, peaked at No. 13 with “Ice Cream” in collaboration with Selena Gomez. Their previous best, “How You Like That,” reached No. 33.
The rise of a fictional group like Huntrix over real-life K-pop juggernauts has sparked intense interest in the voices behind the phenomenon. All three singers behind “Golden” are Korean-American artists. EJAE (Kim Eun-jae), an SM Entertainment trainee-turned-songwriter, lent her voice to the character Rumi. Audrey Nuna (Choo Hae-won), known for her R\&B-hip hop flair, performed as Mira, while Rei Ami (Lee Ye-eun), an electronic-hip hop artist, voiced Zoey.
Meanwhile, the show’s rival boy group, Saja Boys, is also making waves globally with their own tracks charting.
“KPop Demon Hunters”, tells the story of K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, who live double lives, performing onstage by day and battling demons by night. This fantasy-action animated series has become a global sensation, blending pop stardom with superhero storytelling.
