The success of the song Golden at the 2026 Academy Awards has marked a historic moment for the global K-pop industry. The animated film KPop Demon Hunters won Best Animated Feature , while its soundtrack Golden took home the award for Best Original Song , making it the first K-pop track ever to win in this category at the Oscars .
Prior to the Oscar victory, Golden had already won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 2026 Grammy Awards and also received recognition at the Golden Globe Awards . This rare achievement placed the song among a small group of film tracks in history to be honored by both the film and music industries’ most prestigious awards.
Behind the success of Golden stands Teddy Park , a producer widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the K-pop industry.
Before becoming a top producer, Teddy debuted in the late 1990s as a member of the hip-hop group 1TYM under YG Entertainment . During his time in the group, he was not only a performer but also participated in songwriting and music production. This experience helped him develop a deep understanding of the entire music creation process, from studio recording to reaching audiences.
After 1TYM gradually stopped activities around 2006 , Teddy transitioned fully into producing. He soon became involved in creating music for major YG artists such as Se7en and BIGBANG , helping establish his reputation within the Korean music industry.
His career reached another major milestone when he became the main producer for 2NE1 . Several of the group’s songs achieved major commercial success, including I Don’t Care , which won Daesang at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards .
In 2016 , Teddy played a crucial role in shaping the music of BLACKPINK from their debut. He produced many of the group’s global hits, including Whistle , BOOMBAYAH , DDU-DU DDU-DU , Kill This Love , and How You Like That . For many fans, BLACKPINK’s success is closely tied to Teddy’s signature production style.
Beyond producing, Teddy is also a major figure in the entertainment business. In 2015 , he co-founded The Black Label with producer Kush. The company later became an independent powerhouse managing several high-profile artists such as Jeon Somi, Taeyang, and Park Bo-gum , while also working with Rosé for her solo activities.
The label has continued expanding its influence, debuting new groups like MEOVV and ALLDAY PROJECT in recent years.
Teddy’s contributions have also been recognized internationally. In 2021 , Billboard included him in its list of the Top 50 Greatest Music Producers of the 21st Century .
Despite his enormous influence, Teddy is known for maintaining a remarkably low public profile. He rarely gives interviews, avoids social media, and typically stays behind the scenes, appearing only occasionally in photos with artists.
With the global success of Golden at both the Grammys and the Oscars , Teddy Park’s two-decade journey in music production has once again drawn attention—reinforcing his reputation as one of the most powerful yet low-key figures in K-pop
Sources: Kenh14,The Hollywood Reporter