KPop Demon Hunters' 'Golden' Wins Oscar, Aided by 'Ghost'

The hit song's success attributed to paranormal encounter during recording session.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:18pm

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The song 'Golden' from the Netflix series KPop Demon Hunters made history by becoming the first K-pop song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. During the recording process, singer EJAE claimed to have encountered a 'grunge ghost' that helped fix a technical issue, leading the studio staff to confirm the building is haunted. This paranormal encounter was seen as a good omen, as a Korean myth states that encountering a ghost while recording a song leads to its success.

Why it matters

The Oscar win for 'Golden' is a significant milestone for the K-pop industry, demonstrating its growing global influence and recognition. The story behind the song's recording also taps into cultural superstitions and beliefs around the supernatural, adding an intriguing narrative to the song's success.

The details

While recording 'Golden' in the studio, EJAE faced a technical issue with a malfunctioning volume knob. She called for help from the assistant engineer, Sully, but the problem fixed itself. EJAE claimed to have briefly seen a tall, grunge-style ghost walking towards her before disappearing. The next day, the studio staff confirmed the building is haunted, with a male ghost on the third floor and a female ghost on the fourth floor. EJAE's mother then reminded her of the Korean myth that seeing a ghost during a recording session is a sign the song will be a hit.

  • EJAE encountered the 'grunge ghost' while recording 'Golden' in the studio.
  • The next day, the studio staff confirmed the building is haunted.
  • 'Golden' from KPop Demon Hunters won the Academy Award for Best Original Song on March 16, 2026.

The players

EJAE

A singer who performed 'Golden' from the Netflix series KPop Demon Hunters, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Sully

The assistant engineer who EJAE called to help fix a technical issue while recording 'Golden'.

Ian Eisendrath

The music director who dismissed EJAE's claim of seeing a ghost during the recording session.

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What they’re saying

“So what happened was, you know, midway... my knob wasn't working.”

— EJAE, Singer

“I saw a tall dude with a funnel... with blue jeans. He was super tall, and he was walking towards me, but like, for a split second.”

— EJAE, Singer

“If you see a ghost or any paranormal activity while recording a song, it's a hit.”

— EJAE's mother

What’s next

The success of 'Golden' and its Oscar win is expected to further boost the global popularity of K-pop music and open more doors for Korean artists in the international music industry.

The takeaway

The story behind the making of 'Golden' taps into cultural beliefs around the supernatural, adding an intriguing narrative to the song's historic Oscar win. This paranormal encounter during the recording process was seen as a good omen, reflecting the growing global influence and recognition of the K-pop genre.