On October 4, 2025, NBC aired the Season 51 premiere of Saturday Night Live. While the episode was hosted by Bad Bunny and featured Doja Cat as the scheduled musical guest, it also included an unannounced performance tied to KPop Demon Hunters, a Netflix animated musical film released earlier this year.
During a sketch set at a brunch table, Bad Bunny played a character named Thomas who attempted to defend his enthusiasm for the movie. His friends expressed confusion or disapproval. As the scene progressed, a demon-like character appeared, played by Bowen Yang, escalating the scenario. At the climax, the vocal trio behind the film’s fictional K-pop group HUNTR/X — Eajae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — entered the scene. They delivered a short performance of “Golden,” one of the soundtrack’s lead singles, followed by a brief segment from “How It’s Done.”
The cast of Kpop Demon Hunters performs Golden live for the first time on SNL – YouTube, Saturday Night Live
This appearance marked the first live televised performance of “Golden,” although the version presented was abbreviated. The trio is scheduled to perform the full version live for the first time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on October 7, 2025, and will participate in an interview segment on the same episode.
A Soundtrack with Chart Success
KPop Demon Hunters premiered on Netflix on June 20, 2025. The film tells the story of K-pop stars who live secret lives as demon fighters. While fictional, the group’s music has found real-world success. “Golden” became the first K-pop girl group track — real or fictional — to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
A screenshot from the trailer to KPop Demon Hunters – YouTube, Sony Pictures Animation
In addition, the film’s soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and produced four singles that simultaneously charted in the Hot 100 top 10 — an achievement not previously accomplished by a film soundtrack.
In interviews, the vocalists behind HUNTR/X have discussed their creative process. They credited influences ranging from traditional K-pop to American hip-hop artists, including Kendrick Lamar. The combination of genres and international appeal contributed to the soundtrack’s crossover appeal in both the U.S. and global markets.
Response from Lead Singer Ejae
The following day, Ejae, the voice of Rumi and a key songwriter on the film, took to Instagram to announce her upcoming debut single. “In Another World” is set to release October 24th. Ejae, in the a handwritten letter, expressed her gratitude and surprise.
View this post on Instagram
“The past few months have been a crazy ride … I mean I was just on SNL,” she wrote. “I’m so humbled and grateful for the love I’ve received as a songwriter and the singing voice of Rumi from KPop Demon Hunters. Getting so much exposure so quickly has been strange, exciting, and truthfully a little scary. People keep referring to me as an ‘artist’ or a ‘star’ — which is everything 11-year-old Ejae dreamed of, but over the years, I became comfortable behind the scenes and I didn’t think I was meant to be an artist.”
She continued, saying: “Writing this song helped me through a hard time, and I hope that sharing it can help others too.”
Transitioning From Screen to Stage
The SNL appearance suggests a deliberate attempt to transition KPop Demon Hunters from a digital and animated format into a broader entertainment platform. Integrating music performances into live television is a traditional approach for building mainstream visibility in the U.S. market. While the sketch was comedic in structure, the live performance component was significant.
A screenshot from the trailer to KPop Demon Hunters – YouTube, Sony Pictures Animation
Viewers and commentators noted that this type of crossover — a fictional group performing in real life on a major platform — is rare. The upcoming Tonight Show appearance is expected to showcase the full version of “Golden,” giving the trio a larger stage to present their music beyond the context of sketch comedy.
What did you think of the SNL KPop Demon Hunters skit? Are you and your kids still humming “Golden” too? Let us know in the comments below.
I hate that anything notable or news worthy came out of Bad Bunnies appearance. He’s been there 4 times now which means he’s ready to be inducted into the SNL Elite club. The idea of that happening turns my stomach.
As for Demon Hunters, Golden is catchy and can be a brain worm, but there has been so much exposure for that soundtrack it is going to become the bane of parents everywhere. Kids start with Baby Shark, graduate to Frozen, and now we add Golden to the list of songs parents have to listen to for years and years. Parents can’t catch a break!