The Empire State Building dazzled earlier this week after performing a light show synced to the breakout hit of Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters.
The jaw-dropping display was unveiled on the skyscraper on Thursday night, with the hit tune Golden being played as the building sparkled.
It kicked off a KPop Demon Hunters ‘Golden Weekend’ – a celebratory two-day event, honoring the new hit film.
The weekend saw the debut of a special sing-along version of the film, featuring a star-studded lighting ceremony at the landmark and an open-top bus sing-along through Times Square.
“Our KPop Demon Hunters Music-to-Light Spectacular celebrates global culture and creativity right in the heart of New York City,” stated Dan Rogoski, senior vice president and observatory general manager at the Empire State Building.
‘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.’
Stunning video shows the light show synchronized Golden, before the tower glowed gold in honor of the song.
The Empire State Building illuminated the Manhattan skyline with a choreographed light show in sync with the breakout hit, Golden, from Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters.
The iconic building was lit up in a whole host of colors as it celebrated the Netflix flick
Film stars Arden Cho, May Hong, and singer REI AMI also visited the iconic tower on Thursday.
KPop Demon Hunters has become Netflix’s most-watched animated original film to date and currently ranks second on its Most Popular Movies list.
The movie’s standout track Golden, performed by the fictional K-pop band Huntr/x – featuring vocalists EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, and REI AMI – became the first song by a female K-pop artist to clinch the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Music-to-Light Spectacular was crafted by lighting artist Marc Brickman and his Tactical Manouevre team, employing thousands of LED lights to animate the building’s façade, as noted in a press release from the Empire State Realty Trust.
The occasion is the newest in a series of cultural events at the Empire State Building, which often collaborates with entertainment brands and public figures to commemorate globally significant moments.
KPop Demon Hunters is already one of the most successful in Netflix history, marking the the streaming giant’s most-watched animated English-language release to date.
Released on June 20, the film has racked up nearly 159 million views in its first seven weeks.
Pictured: Rei Ami, Arden Cho and May Hong light the Empire State Building to Kick Off KPop Demon Hunters Golden Weekend
KPop Demon Hunters has become Netflix’s most-watched animated original film to date and currently ranks second on its Most Popular Movies list
Pictured: Arden Cho, May Hong and Rei Ami light the Empire State Building to Kick Off KPOP DEMON HUNTERS Golden Weekend on August 22, 2025 in New York City
With Netflix measuring viewership over a 91-day period, the film still has time – until mid-September – to potentially surpass three current chart leaders: the 2021 action-comedy Red Notice, the 2024 airport thriller Carry-On, and the 2021 sci-fi satire Don’t Look Up.
The movie’s bubblegum pop soundtrack has made an even bigger impact – particularly in the UK.
Tracks by the fictional rival bands Huntr/x and Saja Boys currently occupy six of the top 50 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, with three landing in the UK’s Top Ten. Among those, Saja Boys’ Soda Pop and Your Idol have charted high, but the standout hit remains Huntr/x’s Golden.
Meanwhile, real-life K-pop juggernauts like BTS and Blackpink, have been bumped from the charts by their animated counterparts.
