Popular Idol’s “Golden” Cover From “KPop Demon Hunters” Draws Massively Mixed Reactions

ATEEZ’s main vocalist Jongho is going viral after sharing a cover of the popular track “Golden” from the hit Netflix movie KPop Demon Hunters.

| KQ Entertainment

The song is known for its soaring high notes and difficult delivery. As such it has become a trend among K-Pop idols eager to show off their vocal abilities. However, Jongho’s rendition has sparked a heated wave of divided opinions online.

In recent weeks, idols such as NMIXX’s Lily and IVE’s Yujin have received widespread praise for their powerful and technically sound covers of the track. Given the difficulty of the song, any artist attempting it immediately draws attention… but also scrutiny.

4th Gen Idol’s Cover Of Popular “KPop Demon Hunters” Song Sparks Explosive Reactions

Jongho’s version quickly gained traction on X (formerly Twitter), with some fans praising his vocal strength and noting that he is one of the few male idols to tackle the song in its original key. His ability to hit extremely high notes was especially praised.

jongho and baekhyun being the only male idols that sang golden in the original key tells me everything about who are the best vocalists in kpop https://t.co/VUykeDS88R

— iki (@zkdlinhwa) July 20, 2025

Jongho is fucking INSANEEEEEEE INSANE INSANE INSANE I'm sitting on my bathroom floor rn tryna hit the same notes in Golden and OMFG Its IMPOSSIBLE. I didnt warm up tho lmao I sound like Rumi when her voice cracked. INSANE pic.twitter.com/oaV0izpAfO

— 》MAE《 (@xmaetiny) July 20, 2025

singing in this high of a key as a MAN and nailing every note is fucking insanity https://t.co/5ShJJCycsw

— mel 🎭 | (@Mel_teez) July 20, 2025

However, the response hasn’t been universally positive. While many admire his ambition and vocal range, others have criticized the delivery as uncomfortable or mismatched with the song’s tone. Some argue that the song may not suit Jongho’s vocal style and that the performance feels more like a showcase of vocal range rather than good ability.

cover recommendation: mouth https://t.co/FCIhZD1IqT

— abid (@meowonzie) July 20, 2025

Just hootin and hollerin …when are we going to be honest about this man cause I’m ready when yall are https://t.co/Gepc3t60Vm

— redemption arc (@guiltyiana) July 20, 2025

he sounds like chicken in distress. next https://t.co/OWTvNOp4ub

— yssupyknits (@singbehatred) July 20, 2025

It’s so uncomfortable to listen to 😭

all the glazing comments, like bfr. I know he’s somewhat of a good vocalist but this song isn’t for him. He sounds like a dying goat. 😭 https://t.co/wO0N7B6l36

— Fox (@foxykamisama) July 20, 2025