The record-breaking musical phenomenon K-Pop Demon Hunters is officially heading to London. In a major announcement for the global K-pop community and film fans alike, the stars behind the hit Netflix animated film are set to make their first-ever live appearance outside of the United States at the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards.
The ceremony, which takes place at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday, February 22, will feature a high-energy performance from the real-life singers who voice the film’s fictional girl group, HUNTR/X. The trio—comprised of EJAE (the singing voice of Rumi), Audrey Nuna (Mira), and Rei Ami (Zoey)—will take the stage to perform the global chart-topping anthem “Golden.”
A Historic Run for “Golden”
The news of the BAFTA performance comes at a time of unprecedented success for the film’s soundtrack. Just days before the announcement, “Golden” made history by becoming the first-ever K-pop song to win a Grammy Award, specifically taking home the trophy for Best Song Written for Visual Media. This followed a dominant awards season run, including wins for Best Original Song at both the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Awards.
Beyond its critical acclaim, the song has been a commercial juggernaut. It spent eight consecutive weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard charts and ten non-consecutive weeks at number one in the U.K. On Spotify, it remains one of the most-streamed global tracks of the past year, propelling the film to become Netflix’s most-watched original movie of all time with over 500 million streams.
Bittersweet BAFTA Participation
While the performance is a massive win for the production, the film’s presence at the BAFTAs is somewhat bittersweet. Despite its overwhelming success at U.S. awards ceremonies and its upcoming nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, K-Pop Demon Hunters was deemed ineligible for BAFTA competition. The disqualification stemmed from a technicality regarding its release; because the film debuted on Netflix without a traditional qualifying theatrical run in the United Kingdom, it could not be nominated for Best Animated Film or Best Original Song.
However, BAFTA organizers were clearly unwilling to let the year’s biggest cultural moment pass them by. Emma Baehr, BAFTA’s executive director of awards and content, expressed her excitement about the trio’s inclusion in the lineup. “K-Pop Demon Hunters has had a phenomenal impact on the hearts and minds of audiences of all ages,” Baehr stated, noting that the goal was to create an “unmissable night of entertainment” by bringing “K-pop energy” to the red carpet and the stage.
The Faces Behind the Voices
While the characters on screen are voiced by actresses Arden Cho, May Hong, and Ji-young Yoo for the dialogue, the musical heavy lifting is done by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami. In a joint statement, the singers called the upcoming London performance a “golden moment” that their younger selves could never have imagined.
The film itself follows HUNTR/X, a group of K-pop idols who balance their rigorous training schedules with a secret life hunting demons. The performance of “Golden” serves as a pivotal moment in the movie’s plot, where the music is used to seal a magical barrier known as the “Honmoon.” Now, that same magic is set to take over the Royal Festival Hall, marking a significant milestone in the bridge between the K-pop industry and the Western film world.
With stars like Timothée Chalamet and Emma Stone expected in the audience, the HUNTR/X performance is poised to be the most talked-about moment of the evening.
