‘Golden’ From ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ Among Oscar Nominees for Best Original Song 

It might just be K-pop’s year. Not only is BTS returning to the road for its first tour since 2021-2022’s “Permission to Dance on Stage,” but the animated film “Kpop Demon Hunters” just made history with “Golden” becoming the first song in the K-pop genre to be nominated for an Oscar.

“Golden” features music and lyrics by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon and Teddy Park.

Earlier this month the songwriter team won the Golden Globe for best original song. In a moving speech at the awards show, singer/songwriter EJAE recalled: “When I was a little girl, I worked tirelessly for 10 years to fulfill one dream: to become a K-pop idol. I was rejected and told that my voice wasn’t good enough; I leaned on songs and music to get through.”

She added, “Now I’m here as a singer and a songwriter and it’s a dream come true to be part of a song that is helping other girls, other boys and everyone of all ages to get through their hardship and accept themselves.”

EJAE, who performed the singing vocals for Rumi, the main character of “Kpop Demon Hunters,” signed with WME for worldwide representation in all areas in October. As previously reported, EJAE played a pivotal role in the music and development of the film and her performance on the single “Golden” helped the track reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks, a feat never achieved by a female K-pop act. She also has songwriting credits on other tracks from the soundtrack, including “How It’s Done, “What It Sounds Like,” “Your Idol” and “Hunter’s Mantra.”

The other Oscar nominees for Original Song include “Dear Me” from the documentary “Diane Warren: Relentless,” “I Lied To You” from Sinners; “Sweet Dreams Of Joy” from “Viva Verdi!” and the title track from “Train Dreams.”

The 98th annual Academy Awards take place at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on March 15.

Check out the list of nominees for Original Song and Original Score below. And click here to see the full list of Oscar 2026 nominees via the Oscars’ website.

Music (Original Song)
“Dear Me”
from Diane Warren: Relentless; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

“Golden”
from “KPop Demon Hunters”; Music and Lyric by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon and Teddy Park

“I Lied To You”
from Sinners; Music and Lyric by Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Goransson

“Sweet Dreams Of Joy”
from Viva Verdi!; Music and Lyric by Nicholas Pike

“Train Dreams”
from Train Dreams; Music by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner; Lyric by Nick Cave

Music (Original Score)
“Bugonia”
Jerskin Fendrix

“Frankenstein”
Alexandre Desplat

“Hamnet”
Max Richter

“One Battle after Another”
Jonny Greenwood

“Sinners”
Ludwig Goransson