5th Generation Girl Group Cover Of “KPop Demon Hunters” “Golden” Gains Backlash

They lipsynced to the song.

Rookie girl group IZNA is facing backlash following their recent performance at KCON LA, where members Jeemin, Jungeun, and Koko took the stage with a special cover of “Golden,” a track from the animated project KPop Demon Hunters.

While the trio dazzled visually and brought high-energy choreography, fans and attendees quickly pointed out that the performance appeared to be fully lip-synced — a decision that didn’t sit well with some, especially given the song’s demanding, vocal-heavy arrangement.

250802 izna Jeemin, Koko & Jungeun covering 'Golden' by Huntr/x at KCON LA ⭐️#izna #이즈나 @izna_offcl pic.twitter.com/FZCrznxjKR

— iznavibe (@iznavibe) August 2, 2025

“Golden” is known for its intricate harmonies and powerhouse vocals, which led many to expect a live vocal showcase. Instead, the polished backing track left viewers feeling underwhelmed. Netizens online expressed disappointment.

| theqoo

• The dance and the song didn’t match at all. It felt like the performance didn’t achieve anything.
• The lip-syncing was so perfect it felt awkward LOL.
• Ah, I thought it was live LOL.
• Wow, seriously, such a shame… why not just sing liveㅠㅠ
• Why didn’t they do the original choreography? They changed it for no reason. If they were going to lip-sync anyway, they could’ve at least kept the original dance. What’s the point of altering the whole formation?
• It’s not giving.

With the hype surrounding KPop Demon Hunters, it’s only natural that a cover would be featured at KCON. However, it seems like IZNA’s cover was underwhelming compared to the expectations placed on idols who sing such an intense song like “Golden.”