Coachella 2026 delivered a major K-pop crossover moment when Katseye, making their festival debut, welcomed Huntr/x, the fictional girl group from KPop Demon Hunters, onto the Sahara stage for a surprise rendition of the Academy Award–winning track Golden.
Although Katseye performed as a quintet following Manon Bannerman’s hiatus, the absence was more than filled by Huntr/x’s Ejae (Rumi), Audrey Nuna (Mira), and Rei Ami (Zoey).
The crowd erupted as the lights revealed Katseye members Yoonchae Jeong and Megan Skiendiel opening the song, before the Huntr/x trio stepped into the spotlight.
Together, the eight voices harmonized seamlessly, sparking speculation that a new supergroup might have been born in Indio that night.
The collaboration carried extra weight given Golden’s historic Oscar win earlier this year, marking the first K-pop song to take home Best Original Song.
The track’s writers made headlines when their acceptance speech was cut short, but Ejae’s words resonated, “Growing up, people made fun of me for liking K-pop, but now everyone’s singing our song and all the Korean lyrics. I’m so proud… this award is not about success — it’s about resilience.”
For Katseye, the performance was both a debut and a statement of resilience.
Just a day earlier, the group had unveiled their new single Pinky Up as a five-piece, reassuring fans of their commitment despite Manon’s temporary break.
At Coachella, their unity, amplified by Huntr/x’s surprise appearance, proved that the future of K-pop at global festivals is brighter than ever.
