The vocal trio HUNTR/X — voiced by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami — made their daytime television debut at the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. They performed Golden, a track from the animated Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters, delivering a live performance before the parade audience and television viewers nationwide.
Performance and Presentation
Introducing the performance, the three parade hosts, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker, dawned what appeared to be knitted hats made to resemble Rumi’s long purple braid. Ken Joeng, who voiced the trio’s producer in film, also introduced the song and appeared to be filming the performance at one point.
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The Huntr/X trio appeared wearing black outfits on a stage set up as part of the parade’s entertainment lineup. Ejae began the song, wearing a purple headband and two small purple braids, matching her character Rumi’s purple braid.
The three started on the pavement surrounded by dancers, before joining each other on a Huntr/X-shaped stage. The song was accented by two rounds of fireworks, some of the only pyro in the parade. During the last chorus, a flourish of gold confetti fluttered across the performers.
Traveling behind them was a large balloon of Derpy, the blue tiger, and a small float of Sussy, the three-eyed pigeon that follows Jinu from the spirit realm.
“Golden” Success
Golden has achieved significant commercial success and notable firsts. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first K-pop–associated song performed by female vocalists to top that chart.
A screenshot from the trailer to KPop Demon Hunters – YouTube, Sony Pictures Animation
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It also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, demonstrating wide global appeal.
Within South Korea, Golden earned a certified “perfect all-kill,” meaning it topped daily, realtime, and weekly charts simultaneously — a rare and notable achievement.
The sustained chart performance and broad streaming impact of Golden helped the song to rank among the most successful soundtrack-linked singles of 2025. The fact that the Netflix song was performed on the Macy’s Day Parade the same year demonstrates just how much the movie has resonated with audiences.
Previous Appearances Earlier in 2025
Earlier in 2025, HUNTR/X had made televised appearances. According to reporting, the group performed “Golden” in a sketch on the season 51 premiere of Saturday Night Live on October 4. Shortly after, on October 7, they gave their first full-length live performance of “Golden” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The cast of Kpop Demon Hunters performs Golden live for the first time on SNL – YouTube, Saturday Night Live
While those appearances brought them before television audiences, the Macy’s Parade marks their first public daytime-televised performance in a festive, holiday-themed live event setting.
The performance of Golden by HUNTR/X at the Thanksgiving parade represents a notable moment for the group: their transition from voices behind animated characters to real performers in a widely broadcast public event. By bringing a soundtrack from a Netflix animated film into a major U.S. cultural event, the group’s appearance reflects a growing convergence of global pop (especially K-style influences), animation, and mainstream entertainment.
A screenshot from the trailer to KPop Demon Hunters – YouTube, Sony Pictures Animation
For the broader entertainment landscape, the move signals increasing acceptance of cross-media and cross-cultural acts — not only in streaming or film, but in public celebration spaces historically dominated by established artists and traditional entertainment forms.
Did your family catch the HUNTR/X performance Thanksgiving morning? Are your kids, or you, hoping to see more live performances from the Huntr/X trio? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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