Jang Wonyoung is drawing major attention online after finally speaking about the long-running comparisons between “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters and I AM by IVE.
Since its release, KPop Demon Hunters became a global phenomenon, following the story of demon hunters who secretly live double lives as members of a world-famous K-pop girl group. The Sony Pictures Animation film gained explosive popularity worldwide, with its soundtrack — especially the song “Golden” becoming one of the project’s biggest viral hits.
However, almost immediately after the film’s release, many K-pop fans began pointing out similarities between “Golden” and IVE’s hit track “I AM”. Online discussions quickly escalated into plagiarism allegations, with some listeners claiming the songs shared a similar emotional build-up and overall atmosphere.
Now, nearly a year later, Jang Wonyoung has personally addressed the controversy for the first time.
During a recent interview with Esquire Korea, the idol was asked whether she had watched KPop Demon Hunters. Wonyoung confirmed that she had seen the film before being questioned about the ongoing comparisons between the two songs.
Rather than completely dismissing the discussion, the IVE member candidly admitted that she also noticed similarities herself when first hearing “Golden.”
“Uh… this is actually the first time I’m saying this, but when I heard ‘Golden,’ it reminded me of our song ‘I AM.’ I was the only one thinking and feeling that way, and this is the first time I’ve said it out loud myself. But when people around me kept mentioning it too, I realized a lot of people felt the same way.”
Her honest response immediately sparked heated reactions across online communities and social media platforms, where debates surrounding the alleged similarities resurfaced once again.
While many fans agreed with Wonyoung’s comments and continued accusing the film’s music team of copying elements from “I AM”, others defended “Golden,” arguing that similarities between pop songs are common within the genre and do not necessarily indicate plagiarism.
Despite the controversy, both songs remain hugely successful. “I AM” became one of IVE’s signature hits, while “Golden” emerged as one of the standout tracks from KPop Demon Hunters, contributing to the film’s worldwide popularity and award recognition.
As discussions continue to spread online, Wonyoung’s remarks have once again placed the spotlight on the thin line between musical inspiration and plagiarism in the global pop industry.
Sources: X
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