KPop Demon Hunters has formally received the Oscar for Greatest Authentic Track. “Golden,” the lead single for Netflix’s animated musical, beat out the likes of Sinners‘ “I Lied To You,” and “Expensive Me” from Relentless. However the place does “Golden” land in a rating of each track from the movie?
KPop Demon Hunters is Netflix’s most-streamed film of all time, and for good cause. The animated motion musical is a visible feast buoyed by an unimaginable KPop soundtrack by fictional teams Huntr/x and Saja Boys that topped the charts within the music world all through 2025. That assortment of authentic songs is likely one of the main attracts for the movie, however how do these songs evaluate to at least one one other? Some songs are elevated (or, in different circumstances, hindered) by their placement within the film, however in a musical, no track is ever simply a track. It’s a second in a narrative crystallized and encapsulated in its most uninhibited kind. So even when a track doesn’t fairly hit the identical approach others do, that very feeling of one thing being off or the characters not fairly giving it their all may be very doubtless a storytelling device in KPop Demon Hunters. We’re going to look at every of those numbers inside that context and rank all seven of its authentic songs.
“Takedown”
Hey, hey, hey. We simply began. Put the tomatoes away till the tip, please. “Takedown” is a fan favourite (let’s be sincere, a lot of the songs are fan favorites as a result of they’re all bangers), however when the track’s complete narrative which means within the movie is that the ladies are decidedly unenthusiastic concerning the diss observe, it’s not too shocking that it’s considered one of Huntr/x’s weaker works. It oozes angle and grit, however even in the case of these vibes, the track is fairly markedly outclassed by one other track that blew the roof off at first of the film. Even after I was rewatching the movie and listening to the ladies brainstorm its lyrics with none of the backing music, I simply didn’t really feel that the group’s coronary heart was in it like it’s in all the opposite numbers. It’s an efficient storytelling device, however it doesn’t translate to considered one of KPop Demon Hunters’ higher songs.
“Soda Pop”
Saja Boys’ debut single is, as Mira says whereas the demon boy band is performing it for the primary time, “infectious.” It’s probably the most easy bubblegum pop track within the film, and the group’s flirtatious intercourse attraction cranks its cutesy wordplay as much as one thing that might have all the ladies and gays shedding their goddamn minds in an enviornment present. The Saja Boys principally find yourself being extensions of Jinu’s plans all through the film, however “Soda Pop” is the one time it looks like all 5 members actually get to specific their particular person personalities, from Child Saja attending to rap to Romance having a…effectively, romantic, lilting singing tone that will get placed on show within the pre-chorus. The entire thing is, on its face, the form of chart-topping hit that brings a brand new boy band outfit into the highlight, however it all hides an insidious undertone, because it talks concerning the viewers as one thing to be consumed. That’s foreshadowing, child.
“Golden”
Ah, I see the tomatoes are out as soon as once more. Look, all these songs are nice. “Golden,” simply the breakout track for KPop Demon Hunters based mostly on chart and streaming numbers, has received the film a number of awards, and is a beautiful vocal showcase for lead singer Rumi, who completely soars as she sings of self-acceptance and her and her ladies overcoming adversity to be their truest selves…solely to tackle a way more introspective, reserved tone within the bridge. As she privately whispers to herself about her personal demonic patterns that she’s hidden from her pals and the world, “Golden” turns into a surprisingly subversive anthem that units the tone for your entire movie. It’s nice! Nevertheless it had some robust competitors on this rating. It might even be good if the the Huntr/x ladies carried out different songs dwell, however I digress.
“Your Idol”
The Saja Boys’ second track, “Your Idol,” is a masterful mask-off second. The demonic group has shed their boy-band disguise and is presenting to an viewers of brainwashed followers as their true, hellish selves. Gone are the neon colour palettes of the Saja Boys’ authentic costumes; they’re now wearing conventional Korean garb with their demonic patterns uncovered for all of the world to see. If that weren’t sufficient of an indicator that every thing has gone awry, the track’s haunting Latin chant within the opening portends a world fully overtaken by the demon king and his musical lackeys. Even because the track shifts into a completely filthy industrial pop beat, the choir nonetheless chants beneath the Saja Boys’ singing as they beckon the helpless crowd into the mouth of the demon king. Jinu and his demon crew nonetheless placed on a seductive present, however their violent intention is now not masked behind boyish attractiveness. It’s a harrowing track that’s additionally an absolute banger.
“How It’s Accomplished”
“Takedown” is billed as KPop Demon Hunters’ diss observe, however “How It’s Accomplished,” the opening quantity that introduces Huntr/x’s demon-hunting musical abilities, is so superior as a showcase of the ladies’ angle, lyricism, and their standing as pro-level haters, that it takes the wind out of the opposite track’s sails. “How It’s Accomplished” and the opening sequence set to it make for such an unimaginable tone-setter for the entire movie that it’s a feat in and of itself that the film manages to dwell as much as it throughout the remainder of its runtime. It’s a barrage of nasty reads, fierce wordplay, and infectious swagger set to unimaginable demon-slaying choreography. Each beat, bar, and alter in circulate has a corresponding strike, stab, or bludgeon as the ladies rock a bunch of demons’ shit whereas rapping and singing about how these foes are simply cannon fodder, roaches to be crushed below their heels whereas they get able to carry out for 1000’s of adoring followers. Then these absolute queens Fortnite dive onto the stage whereas skysurfing on their enemies’ ragdolling our bodies and ensuring their make-up and hair are excellent. If you happen to got here into KPop Demon Hunters even vaguely unconvinced it could have the sauce, Huntr/x silences any doubts with “How It’s Accomplished.” God, that shit guidelines.
“Free”
I feel “Free” is the perfect animated musical love track since “A Complete New World” from Aladdin. I do know that’s a daring assertion, however Rumi and Jinu’s lone duet in KPop Demon Hunters is such a stunning vocal showcase for each singers, and by god, I really feel my soul carry from my physique each time the refrain hits. “Free” is KPop Demon Hunters at its most restrained, and even then, it’s head and shoulders above the perfect most film musicals have to supply as a vocal showcase for its leads. The ballad is a gorgeous admission from two combatants that they’ll dream of a life past those they’ve been instructed they must have, and possibly, if they’ll discover a approach, they’ll attain that life collectively. Rumi’s singing is as attractive as ever, however some of the shocking features is Jinu’s rap-like verse that manages to suit surprisingly effectively right into a track that, up till that time, had been a fairly easy ballad. The track builds so effectively, using each singers’ strengths in a approach that makes it really feel like the 2 are crafting it collectively, making area for each other’s abilities in addition to all their faults. Goddamn, KPop Demon Hunters is aware of easy methods to inform a narrative in songwriting simply in addition to it does in lyricism.
“What It Sounds Like”
A superb musical can dwell or die by its closing quantity. By the point KPop Demon Hunters reaches “What It Sounds Like,” it’s already had six good to unimaginable songs, and it one way or the other has to depart on a be aware that wraps up its story, sums up every thing its characters have discovered, and can be an unimaginable group efficiency that manages to be not less than on par with every thing it’s already accomplished. “What It Sounds Like” does all of that so effortlessly that I’m nonetheless form of in awe of it. You recognize what I do after I’m not listening to “What It Sounds Like”? I’m watching individuals react to it and ensuring I’m not the one one that cries his eyes out as Huntr/x, having been torn aside and almost misplaced to demonic affect, sing their apologies to at least one one other as they struggle their approach via a military of demon spawn. The viewers watches on, singing with them, and empowering the group to maintain preventing, and ultimately, they win the day.
A lot of Rumi’s interior wrestle in KPop Demon Hunters is within the self-imposed restraints she’s placed on herself after being instructed for her complete life that she was a mistake to be corrected. It’s why her coronary heart isn’t within the anti-demon sentiment of “Takedown.” It’s why “Golden” has to have an apart by which she will get to speak about what she’s really feeling earlier than she goes again out on stage to sing concerning the joys of being herself. “What It Sounds Like” is an anthemic summation of every thing she and the remainder of Huntr/x ought to have been doing this complete time. Somewhat than hiding every thing from one another and the general public and pretending to be excellent to put in writing a track they couldn’t imagine in, they’re placing all of it on the road for one ultimate, world-saving track that displays who they really are, fairly than who they’ve been instructed they need to be.
“The track we couldn’t write, that is what it feels like.”
