Is Golden the biggest song in kpop history? [Vote]

what are the other contenders for biggest song in kpop ? Is it just gangnam style ?

Gangnam Style exists

Quote from foreveraespaaa

Yes, APT too I know most don’t consider it K-pop, Cupid? I dunno but Golden seems massive overall! global and domestically

cupid just had a lot of streams....

i would say APT is much bigger than cupid.

is APT bigger than gangam style ? no !!

but yeah its between gangnam and golden at this point. But i can't say which wins. n

Either Golden or Gangnam Style.

But it's Golden at this point. Never underestimate the obsession of kids, and they are OBSESSED.

You're about to see a lot of HUNTR/X members during Halloween this month.

Depends on who you ask because there's a good portion of people that aren't considering it a kpop song. I think Golden is a kpop song because it was written and performed by people that trained under the kpop system, but the song was made for a global audience. I think people don't want to start that conversation because there's plenty of kpop songs that are in English and many don't say it's not a kpop song

Anyway, I was drifting a bit off topic. I think Golden is the biggest song because it became apart of pop culture. However, I think Gangam Style is the more important song because a song that's in Korean being that big across the globe was unheard of. Also, I think that song made more people check out kpop and I'm unsure if Golden is having that effect because the numbers to me seems most people are just checking out KDH and not other kpop artists.

No, because it’s not Kpop to me… it’s sort of Kpop adjacent. So still Dynamite or Gangnam style would be my biggest, depending on what metric you look at.

In my country Gangnam style and apt are the biggest K-pop songs. Even Cupid is bigger here for example, so it depends. I don’t think it has reached the viral moment of those ww

I have the feeling people have forgotten how big Gangnam style was. It might have been the song with the biggest impact this century in the whole world, if not it's definitely in a top 3. It was so big that people forget Gentleman exists even though it was really big internationally too.

Golden fights with APT for the 2nd position, I'd wait a bit to judge since APT has been out for a year and it's still proving its impact, Golden might fall out after the hype of the movie ends.

It's not kpop.

Golden is the biggest K-Pop song in the history of the United States. I'll say that much.

Yes, even bigger than Gangam Style.

Quote from Yama-Chan

Either Golden or Gangnam Style.

But it's Golden at this point. Never underestimate the obsession of kids, and they are OBSESSED.

You're about to see a lot of HUNTR/X members during Halloween this month.

But then isn't that recency bias? I could've said "Never underestimate the obsession of kids, and they are OBSESSED" back when Gangnam Style was all the craze. And it was HUGE back then, just as Golden is now.

And it's hard to compare the metrics of whether or not Golden has surpassed it because of it being paired with a movie, while Gangnam Style was a typical MV + Song release. Streaming and charting has also changed, at least a bit, from 2012 to 2025.

If Golden truly has surpassed Gangnam Style, then it was definitely thanks to the movie. The song is great by all means, but the reason it went as viral as it did was because of the movie with it, while Gangnam style was released just like most kpop songs were. Hell, while APT had that Bruno Mars collab, even that song was still released in the typical song fashion. Golden sure has a boost!

But I don't even consider Golden to be KPop the way Gangnam Style is, so they're not even in the same category in my mind.

It would be if my faves released it

Quote from kahei

But then isn't that recency bias? I could've said "Never underestimate the obsession of kids, and they are OBSESSED" back when Gangnam Style was all the craze. And it was HUGE back then, just as Golden is now.

And it's hard to compare the metrics of whether or not Golden has surpassed it because of it being paired with a movie, while Gangnam Style was a typical MV + Song release. Streaming and charting has also changed, at least a bit, from 2012 to 2025.

If Golden truly has surpassed Gangnam Style, then it was definitely thanks to the movie. The song is great by all means, but the reason it went as viral as it did was because of the movie with it, while Gangnam style was released just like most kpop songs were. Hell, while APT had that Bruno Mars collab, even that song was still released in the typical song fashion. Golden sure has a boost!

But I don't even consider Golden to be KPop the way Gangnam Style is, so they're not even in the same category in my mind.

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No, it's not recency bias.

I vividly remember when Gangnam Style dropped and blew up here, just like it happened yesterday.

It was huge. The song was rotated into the playlist of every party I went to back then. Psy was performing on every morning and late night TV show and had that unforgettable collaboration with MC Hammer.

I think the obsession over Golden and KPDH is even bigger than that. It's a total cultural phenomenon here.

This is a movie already available for streaming on Netflix, and in a limited theatrical release for one weekend it was the highest earning movie at the box office. As a movie buff, I cannot emphasize enough how insane that is.

Also, Gangnam Style was seen as more of a gag song, while Golden and KPDH is actually winning the public over for reasons related to its lyrics, message and the way it has resonated in the Asian-American community.

In the U.S., it's not a competition in my eyes any longer.

Quote from SooYoung

I think it's one of the main reasons why i consider Gangnam style bigger

If the song got so bigger it's only thanks to Psy and his crazy/"stupid" idea for the MV

Which makes it actually really impressive how this guy suddenly blows up in the night while doing nothing besides releasing a song in korea

Not even a promotion in the us

Not heavy push by his company etc...

While i still think Golden success is still impressive

I find it less impressive than Gangnam style

Cuz Golden was hard carry by the movie and the heavy promotion and heavy push Sony and Netflix did for this movies

I don't think Golden would have receive this big success if yesterday a kpop group would have drop this song

It would have stay in the niche of kpop fans but never reach such a big audience

No kids would be singing the song if the movie didn't exist

The western public wouldn't be aware of this song if they didn't watch the movie

The success of Golden rely heavily on the movie

While the success of Gangnam style rely only on the song and the MV and nothing more

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That doesn't matter at all. This isn't a points system where you subtract points because Golden is tied to a movie. That doesn't make its overwhelming popularity any less real.

What, are you going to tell analysts that streams don't count if they come from people who are only listening to the song due to KPDH?

Do you not realize how silly that sounds?

Who cares if Golden blew up thanks to KPDH blowing up, especially when one could easily say KPDH blew up BECAUSE of the phenomenal music, led by Golden.

It's amazing how of all the demographics that could be predicted to try to chip away at Golden's accomplishments, it's K-Pop fans leading the charge by far.

Imo, APT is nothing more than a viral trend with special longevity. There's no cultural relevance behind it so idk why people are comparing it to Golden when Golden, despite not being fully "kpop," actually introduced a handful of people to kpop.

Quote from Yama-Chan

No, it's not recency bias.

I vividly remember when Gangnam Style dropped and blew up here, just like it happened yesterday.

It was huge. The song was rotated into the playlist of every party I went to back then. Psy was performing on every morning and late night TV show and had that unforgettable collaboration with MC Hammer.

I think the obsession over Golden and KPDH is even bigger than that. It's a total cultural phenomenon here.

This is a movie already available for streaming on Netflix, and in a limited theatrical release for one weekend it was the highest earning movie at the box office. As a movie buff, I cannot emphasize enough how insane that is.

Also, Gangnam Style was seen as more of a gag song, while Golden and KPDH is actually winning the public over for reasons related to its lyrics, message and the way it has resonated in the Asian-American community.

In the U.S., it's not a competition in my eyes any longer.

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Well, if I did consider it KPop, and it was solidified as the biggest KPop song in history, then I'd still consider Gangnam Style's time as way more impressive! Basically because of what SooYoung said.

It's a matter of perspective, I guess.

Yeah.

Who is voting no 😭😭

People be dumb 😭

Quote from SooYoung

Golden was written by EJAE and Mark sonnenblick

So just 1 out of the 2 songwriter have a foot in kpop

And neither audrey nuna or rei ami had ever been train under the kpop system

So only EJAE have a kpop training

You know that if we follow this logic that means DearAlice, Katseye etc...are more Kpop than "Golden" which i think a lot of us would actually disagree

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For some reason I thought Rei had idol training, but I know Audrey doesn't because listened to her music in the past.

I think this is where the line gets blurred. A lot of kpop songs are produced and written by westerners. Also, they receive a lot of demos from Western artist. So, it's tricky to see say how much of that process makes a song "kpop". I think Ejae's involvement and most likely making a kpop style of song for a global audience makes it a kpop song. I do see the argument where people don't consider it kpop because outside of Ejae it was created by westerners, and most likely for an American audience tbh.

I don't listen to DearAlice, but it's why Katseye blurs the line about kpop. They were trained under the kpop system and some of their music does have a kpop flare. However, it's why people consider them kpop adjacent and the same could be said about KDH soundtrack. I still don't think KDH put more eyes onto kpop and KDH is it's own contained thing imo. I feel other kpop songs had a bigger impact, but if Golden is considered kpop, then it might be the biggest. However, I think I will still lean towards Gangam style because it was also in pop culture and it's much more of a kpop song and had a bigger impact for the industry.

No. It's still and will forever be Gangnam style. Even my parents know the song and mom doesn't listen to foreign music, dad does but only rock. They've never heard of golden.

We are in streaming era now and Golden has streams, GS was the moment.

Gagnam style was a gag/meme that was popular in online spaces when YouTube was blowing up. Golden has transcended the online space and loved by the children and tweens, it a cultural phenomenon. KPDH is the single most talked about thing this year with no competition.

Quote from StanGIDLE

Depends on who you ask because there's a good portion of people that aren't considering it a kpop song. I think Golden is a kpop song because it was written and performed by people that trained under the kpop system, but the song was made for a global audience. I think people don't want to start that conversation because there's plenty of kpop songs that are in English and many don't say it's not a kpop song

It is a kpop song. Just like bts fully english singles that are written by foreign song writers are kpop. They are performed by korean artists that were trained in Korea.

All dem jointz kpop songs are kpop songs, not american pop.

Cannot believe we are still debating this. The song is literally soundtrack of the film called KPOP demon hunters and a lot of song have korean lyrics and have Koreans involved. And even if they were all foreigners it would still be kpop.

Quote from penepol

No, because it’s not Kpop to me… it’s sort of Kpop adjacent. So still Dynamite or Gangnam style would be my biggest, depending on what metric you look at.

How is golden kpop adjacent but dynamite, a song written by non Koreans where all lyrics are in English, kpop?

Quote from doesitneedsaying

It is a kpop song. Just like bts fully english singles that are written by foreign song writers are kpop. They are performed by korean artists that were trained in Korea.

All dem jointz kpop songs are kpop songs, not american pop.

Cannot believe we are still debating this. The song is literally soundtrack of the film called KPOP demon hunters and a lot of song have korean lyrics and have Koreans involved. And even if they were all foreigners it would still be kpop.

That’s what I was leaning towards. I think it becomes messy when arguing what makes a song kpop. I feel a song is kpop if somebody that is trained under Kpop system is involved in the process. There’s many hit kpop songs that was created by westerners because a company either bought demo or involved in producing the track.

I feel this convo is happening with international fans because I don’t think any knetz are saying kdh songs aren’t kpop

Quote from SooYoung

Not it's just that this logic is very very very flaw

So now it means Halsey is an artist that release Kpop songs ?

This logic is very flaw cuz it means that kpop artist can never break away from the kpop mold

It means APT is a kpop song

Whatever lisa and Jennie EP are, are kpop song

Every Jpop song that kpop artist are releasing it's actually kpop

It means that artist like Zhoumin or Zhang li yin aren't Cpop artist neither cuz they worked with SM for their debut

I don't know if you can actually see how this argument, have so many flaws

Cuz it literally means that if tomorrow RM decide to write a song for Beyonce

And Beyonce decide to record it and release it in her next album

It will means that Beyonce have started to make KPOP songs, just because a korean is involve in the process 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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To not call KPDH kpop is insulting to kpop because it deliberately takes from kpop. That’s like the whole point of it. Comparing to all the things you mentioned is just stupid and your own inferiority complex nothing more.

Quote from SooYoung

Not it's just that this logic is very very very flaw

So now it means Halsey is an artist that release Kpop songs ?

This logic is very flaw cuz it means that kpop artist can never break away from the kpop mold

It means APT is a kpop song

Whatever lisa and Jennie EP are, are kpop song

Every Jpop song that kpop artist are releasing it's actually kpop

It means that artist like Zhoumin or Zhang li yin aren't Cpop artist neither cuz they worked with SM for their debut

I don't know if you can actually see how this argument, have so many flaws

Cuz it literally means that if tomorrow RM decide to write a song for Beyonce

And Beyonce decide to record it and release it in your next album

It will means that Beyonce have started to make KPOP songs, just because a korean is involve in the process 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Question what makes a song a kpop song ? Is it the producers

I think golden blurs the line, but Ejae’s involvement makes me consider it kpop.

Yeah, i think we’re in a weird spot where the blackpink solos blur the line because it’s made with mostly western producers and intended for a western audience rather than a kpop audience .

I still consider it kpop because of background and that’s not a bad thing

Again it brings back the question what makes a song Kpop?

Quote from StanGIDLE

Question what makes a song a kpop song ? Is it the producers

I think golden blurs the line, but Ejae’s involvement makes me consider it kpop.

Yeah, i think we’re in a weird spot where the blackpink solos blur the line because it’s made with mostly western producers and intended for a western audience rather than a kpop audience .

Again it brings back the question what makes a song Kpop?

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If you associate yourself deliberately with kpop, you are kpop. That’s why some idol solos may not be considered kpop because they distance themselves from kpop while others are firmly kpop.

This movie calls itself kpop and borrows heavily from kpop that’s why it is kpop. This is not hard and there’s nothing to debate here as well. You can SEE who wants to be kpop and who doesn’t want to be.

Kpop is not one singular genre. It’s all about the association and always has been.

Quote from SooYoung

Inferiority complex of what ? Makes some sense when you try to make an argument

It takes from kpop ? It takes what from kpop ?

Kpop in itself isn't even a music genre

Kpop is just a term use to refer to pretty much every music genre just sing in korean

Kpop in itself is taking from american pop, japanese pop, hip hop, hyperpop who aren't even music genre that were born in korea

Kpop is by definition just pop sing in korean

And Golden is literally missing the key element of kpop SING IN korean considering that 98% of the song is sing in english

Btw love to see how your two braincells are unable to have a civilize discussion about a subject without having to go as low as starting to attack people personally

Trust me it's not because you start to use "complex" term like inferiority complex that it makes your argument interesting

Actually it makes have even less impact seeing how you have to go as low to attack people to try to make a point

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I explained it above already.

And it also explains all the dumb example you gave.

Chinese artist who left Korea dont want to be kpop.

Korean acts who release Japanese music are actually never considered jpop they’re still closely tied to being kpop.

Some solos and English releases keep their kpop roots and are kpop while other fully distance themselves and are not.

What is kpop? Those that call themselves and associate with kpop. End of.