A still from the song “Golden” featured in ‘KPop Demon Hunters.’ Photo: courtesy of Netflix.
When the beat drops on “Golden,” it’s an infectious sound — a rallying cry, a message of empowerment, and a celebration of how music can help overcome even the darkest of moments. Featured in Netflix’s blockbuster animated movie KPop Demon Hunters, “Golden” has become the defining song of the fictional girl group Huntr/x’s battle against evil, capturing the essence of their epic journey.
Performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, “Golden” is definitely a cut above the rest from an all-hit album that has achieved massive success. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Global 200 as well as charts in several other countries. From Instagram to TikTok, “Golden” has gone viral, with millions of users sharing their own takes on it. Fans and celebrities have even been creating their own cover versions of the song on social media. And while the craze continues, the song has been certified Double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States, with sales of over 2 million units. But as Ejae recently revealed on the popular American late-night talk show The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, “Golden”’s success is shrouded in a fascinating mystery. It’s a backstage anecdote that speaks to the song’s success — and it’s not what you’d expect.
Ejae recounted, she saw a “grunge ghost” during a technical issue while she was in the middle of recording the song. She recalled the moment, saying, “So what happened was, you know, midway…my knob wasn’t working.” The knob, which controlled the volume, had malfunctioned, and Ejae had called out to the assistant engineer, Sully, for help. “I was like, ‘Hey Sully, it’s not working,’” she said, “and I heard him walk in, you know, open the door, his footsteps.” But by then, the issue had fixed itself, and when she looked up, no one was there. However, Ejae described what she saw in a fraction of a second: “I saw a tall dude with a flannel…with blue jeans…he was super tall…he was like walking towards me, but like…for a split second.” The encounter was brief but intense, yet quickly dismissed by Ian Eisendrath, the music director, urging them to get back to work.
The experience didn’t sit well with Ejae, and she discussed it with the studio staff the next day, asking how old the building was, to which they responded, “Did you see a ghost?” It turned out that the studio had a reputation for paranormal activity, with a male ghost reportedly haunting the third floor and a female ghost on the fourth. Ejae shared that her mother reminded her later of a Korean myth that “if you see a ghost or any paranormal activity while recording a song, it’s a hit.”
Ejae’s experience is not an isolated incident. The Korean myth is well-known in the K-pop industry, with many idols sharing their own ghostly encounters. According to a Creatrip report, artists, including 2AM’s Jo Kwon, have spoken about a “ghost boy” on the basement stairs of the old JYP building, which he added was built on a former cemetery. SM Entertainment also has its share of eerie stories, with idols like NCT’s Johnny and Jaehyun recounting strange noises during late-night practice sessions. Jaehyun referenced the myth that seeing a ghost during rehearsal is a surefire sign of a song’s success. Likewise, RBW’s “Ghost Minji” apparently haunts their recording studio, stirring up controversy among singers. Koreaboo reports that after finishing his part for a song during the making of their Wings album, BTS’s Jungkook played it back to find his vocals missing and another voice on the track instead. Many often associate the phenomenon with the album’s success.
These stories may be difficult to swallow, but the thing is, they have inspired some incredible art, like “Golden.” And while the mystery remains, the music speaks for itself.
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