EJAE & Mark Sonnenblick React to ‘Surreal’ Golden Globes Nominations for ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

As the recognitions continue to roll in for EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick’s contributions for KPop Demon Hunters, the creative collaborators say that the nomination for “Golden” in best original song – motion picture at the 2026 Golden Globes is “surreal” and “such an honor.”

Speaking with Billboard shortly after their nominations were announced, Sonnenblick was quick to note the historic significance of his counterpart’s recognition as the first Korean-American nominated in the category. “That’s such an honor and I am honestly just excited for that,” says EJAE, who not only sings the vocals for HUNTR/X leader Rumi, but also wrote across several songs on in KPop Demon Hunters.

“Because I want to show girls not just who look like me, but anyone who just feels like they’re doubted and they don’t see themselves in the space that much, that they have a chance,” she says. “Giving confidence to other little girls or guys, it honestly means a lot because it would’ve meant a lot for me too if my younger self and little me saw this. As a Korean-American woman, I honestly don’t see anyone that really looks like me in the space that much. It’s very rare.”

The duo emphasized how KPop Demon Hunters, which is up for best motion picture — animated as well as cinematic and box office achievement, brings visibility in a crucial and elevated way. “You don’t know what’s possible until you start to see other people who have broken the ground,” Sonnenblick says. “Both for this movie, but I feel like for EJAE, Audrey [Nuna] and Rei Ami too. Seeing them perform this song and the connection that all kinds of fans, of all ages, have to K-pop, to HUNTR/X, to this story … [it’s] an amazing achievement and also, just obviously, sad in a way that it has been this long or that there is a ‘first’ in this moment.”

With credits composing songs alongside the likes of Elton John (for The Devil Wears Prada musical on the West End), Shawn Mendes (on the Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile soundtrack), and even Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds (AppleTV’s Spirited), Sonnenblick says his KPop Demon Hunters experience included a deep dive into the larger K-pop world.

“One amazing thing about this movie was [that] way before the movie even came out and the reaction to it, but certainly before the awards, was just the honor and excitement of getting to come in and collaborate with all of these amazing artists, and get to be a part of a world that I knew so little about,” he says. “I was just grateful. EJAE would be like, ‘Hey, you gotta listen to NewJeans right now.’  I got obsessed.”

EJAE agrees that “Mark was very attentive,” and became a fan of NewJeans‘ Billboard 200-topping EP Get Up. Alongside KPop Demon Hunters director and creator Maggie Kang’s “big huge playlist” of reference songs, Sonnenblick shares how hearing about his counterpart’s  experience navigating and working in the K-pop industry set their musical palette and tone.

“One of the most amazing things for me was hearing about EJAE’s background in the industry too and learning about the music, but also what it’s like being a trainee,” he shares in crafting their Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash “Golden,” as well as other tracks across the chart-topping soundtrack. “There are amazing parts of it that are so much a part of who you are, but there are also two sides.”

“I was and am in the K-pop industry in a lot of different ways, so I think I did talk about that a lot in the writing process,” EJAE adds, referencing her time that included training with K-pop power agency SM Entertainment and songwriting for major acts like Taeyeon, TWICE, Chung Ha, aespa, and LE SSERAFIM.

“Not only was I a K-pop writer already, but having the background of my K-pop experience, I put a lot of that in the lyric writing and concepts. I’ve been in it since I was 11 so knowing kind of the certain mannerisms for K-pop idols, how the system works or my own personal experiences and how much hard work goes into it and all that,” she says. “I think I did  put a lot of that in, not just with Mark, but whenever I had meetings with Maggie or with [director] Chris [Appelhans] — how can the KPop Demon Hunters storyline adapt some of those things that are actually very real in the K-pop industry?”

Sonnenblick adds that the storytelling elements are key as to why both KPop Demon Hunters is resonating with fans and critics across both film and soundtrack. “To figure out how to bring pop music that is real K-pop into storytelling for these characters and within the movie is this Golden Globe side of things,” he explains. “To be recognized by our peers as writers or the critics, too, from both those worlds was always the challenge, but the goal from the beginning and that’s what I keep going back to.”

After accepting the “Golden” win for original song – animated film at the 2025 Hollywood Music in Media Awards last month (which EJAE said was “incredibly satisfying, like a nice package for all the work that we did”), the creative collaborators have several major nominations next year at the upcoming Grammy Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards and more. While looking ahead to 2026, the duo only teases with a knowing laugh, “Check out HUNTR/X on New Year’s.”