‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Hit ‘Golden’ Wins Original Song Golden Globe: ‘Never Too Late to Shine’
“I was rejected and disappointed that my voice wasn’t good enough,” singer EJAE said about her start as a K-pop trainee. “Now, I’m here as a singer and a songwriter”
Lee Hee-joon, Ejae at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. Rich Polk/Penske Media
EJAE delivered an emotional speech as she accepted the award for Best Original Song, Motion Picture, at the 2026 Golden Globes. EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, and 24Ido took the stage to receive the trophy for the KPop Demon Hunters hit “Golden.”The win makes EJAE the first Korean-American to be awarded at the Golden Globes.
“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 disappointed that my voice wasn’t good enough, so I leaned on songs and music to get through it,” EJAE said onstage. “Now, I’m here as a singer and a songwriter.”
She continued: “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 hardship and accept themselves. So thank you, Golden Globes, for accepting my voice and our voice.”
Sonnenblic also shared a thank you to Netflix and Sony, as well as their teams. “This award goes to the people who have had their doors closed on them. I can confidently say that rejection is redirection. Never give up, it’s never too late to shine like you’re born to be,” she concluded, referencing the lyrics of “Golden.”
“Golden” appeared in the Best Original Song — Motion Picture category alongside “Dream as One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash, written by Miley Cyrus, Simon Franglen, Mark Ronson, and Andrew Wyatt; “I Lied to You” from Sinners, written by Ludwig Göransson and Raphael Saadiq; “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams, written by Nick Cave and Bryce Dessner; and “No Place LIke Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble” from Wicked: For Good, both written by Stephen Schwartz.
EJAE performs “Golden” alongside Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami as the singing voices of the fictional act HUNTR/X in KPop Demon Hunters. “I really resonated with Rumi,” EJAE told Rolling Stone about her character last year. “She’s such a perfectionist and trying to hide her shame, hide her flaws. And that’s a huge part of when you’re training. You’re trying to put your best foot forward. ‘Golden’ really means a lot to me, because I feel like at that time, I needed a song like that.”
KPop Demon Hunters scored two additional nominations at the 2026 Golden Globes beyond the nod for “Golden.” The popular Netflix release landed in the running for Best Motion Picture, Animated and Cinematic, and Box Office Achievement.
“Golden” has spent 28 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at Number One. Next month, the song has a chance to win in five categories at the 2026 Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year. “To say this was my dream is an understatement,” EJAE wrote on Instagram when the nominations were revealed. “This wouldn’t be possible without the fans of the movie who have shown us so much support.”
From Rolling Stone US.
