The Empire State Building (ESB) staged a dazzling Music-to-Light Spectacular on Thursday night (22 August) to celebrate the global success of Netflix’s animated film KPOP DEMON HUNTERS. The golden light show, choreographed to the film’s hit single Golden, marked the start of what was billed as the film’s “Golden Weekend” in New York City.
Earlier in the day, cast members Arden Cho, May Hong, and singer REI AMI joined the iconic tower’s lighting ceremony. The trio flipped the symbolic switch to set the building aglow and later toured the landmark’s observatory, one of the city’s most visited attractions.
Dan Rogoski, senior vice president and observatory general manager at the Empire State Building, said the event aimed to unite fans of the movie and K-pop worldwide.
“Our ‘KPOP DEMON HUNTERS’ Music-to-Light Spectacular is a celebration of global culture and creativity right in the heart of New York City,” Rogoski said. “We are so pleased to connect our fans in New York City and around the world with the artists that they love – both real and fictional.”
The 9 p.m. show featured thousands of synchronised LED lights programmed by lighting designer Marc Brickman and his Tactical Manouevre team. The performance was broadcast in tandem with iHeartMedia New York’s Z100, which played Golden across the city’s airwaves.
Following the display, the tower continued to glow in gold, a symbolic tribute to the record-breaking single.
Netflix hit and chart history
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS has quickly become a global phenomenon. The animated feature is now Netflix’s most-watched original animated film and ranks second on the streamer’s all-time Most Popular Movies list.
Its breakout song Golden has also made history: performed by fictional band Huntr/x – with real-world vocalists EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, and REI AMI – the track became the first single by a female K-pop artist to claim the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The achievement has cemented the film’s place not just in animation history, but also in the music industry.
Landmark celebrations
The Empire State Building is known for its elaborate tower lighting events, often tied to cultural moments, sports victories, or charitable causes. Its latest collaboration with Netflix and the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), with support from iHeartMedia, reflects the growing influence of Korean pop culture on a global stage.
Fans unable to attend in person were encouraged to text CONNECT to 274-16 for real-time updates about the building’s lighting schedule.
High-resolution images and video from the event have also been made available online, ensuring international audiences could share in the spectacle.
For New Yorkers and visitors alike, the golden glow of the Empire State Building offered a striking reminder of the city’s enduring role as a crossroads of art, culture, and entertainment – this time celebrating K-pop’s ever-expanding reach.
