Photo Credit: Getty Images
Mark Sonnenblick is on a roll. The songwriter behind Kpop Demon Hunters’ smash hit “Golden” has just signed with Kraft-Engel Management for representation and PAL Public Relations for publicity—a move that feels less like a career step and more like a victory lap. After all, Sonnenblick is entering his third consecutive week as the #1 songwriter on the Billboard Hot 100, a rare feat that confirms what fans already know: his music is everywhere.
When Sony and Netflix’s animated feature Kpop Demon Hunters was in its final stretch, directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans felt something was still missing. Then came “Golden.” Written by Sonnenblick with EJAE and The Black Label, the song didn’t just complete the soundtrack—it redefined the film’s emotional core.
“Golden” became the lead character’s big “I Want” moment, the kind of number that crystallizes who they are and what they’re striving for. On screen, it gave the story weight. Off screen, it struck a global chord. The track has already racked up over 350 million Spotify streams, and its message has taken flight far beyond the film’s animated universe.
“Golden” might be the centerpiece, but it’s not the only Sonnenblick hit lighting up playlists. Right now, he has five songs from Kpop Demon Hunters sitting in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 25. Alongside “Golden” at #2 are:
“Your Idol” at #4
“How It’s Done” at #14
“What It Sounds Like” at #24
“Free” at #25
It’s the kind of chart performance usually reserved for pop superstars, not behind-the-scenes songwriters. But Sonnenblick is proving that in today’s music landscape, the pen can shine just as brightly as the spotlight.
While Kpop Demon Hunters may be his breakout, Sonnenblick has been building momentum for years. He co-wrote songs with Elton John and Shaina Taub for the Broadway-bound The Devil Wears Prada musical, teamed up with Pasek & Paul on Apple TV+’s Spirited (including the viral holiday number “Good Afternoon”), and even penned tracks for Shawn Mendes in Sony’s Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.
His fingerprints are also on Searchlight’s Theater Camp (a Sundance darling in 2023) and the acclaimed musical Midnight at the Never Get. In other words, Sonnenblick has been laying the groundwork for this moment across stage, screen, and studio.
With Kraft-Engel now guiding his career and a team that includes Ally Shuster at CAA and attorney Elizabeth Paw at Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham, Sonnenblick is poised for even bigger projects. If his trajectory so far is any indication, the next few years could see him shaping the soundtracks of both Broadway and Hollywood in ways that define a generation.
For now, though, he’s the man behind the song everyone’s singing—and Kpop Demon Hunters is the movie that gave him his biggest stage yet.
