K-pop Wins First Grammy with Animation Theme — A Chance to Build Cultural Power
Creatrip Team
a month ago
K-pop reached a historic milestone as “Golden,” the theme song for the animation K-pop Demon Hunters, won the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 68th Grammy Awards. Composers and producers EJAE, Teddy, 24, and IDIO are the first K-pop creators to earn a Grammy, signaling that K-pop has entered the global mainstream. The victory highlights how K-pop’s signature performances combined with animation’s creativity can produce powerful cultural impact. This cultural success has economic ripple effects: increased interest in K-content has boosted K-food and tourism, with the National Museum of Korea reporting a 12.8% rise in visitors last year. Authorities aim to accelerate Korea’s target of 30 million visitors to 2028. The editorial urges the government and industry to protect K-pop’s creative ecosystem by using the 9.6 trillion won cultural budget effectively, avoiding undue interference in artists’ work, expanding arena-sized venues, and creating policy funds that treat K-pop IP as financial assets while safeguarding creators’ rights. Such coordinated support could turn “Golden” into a turning point for a new golden era of K-culture.
