'K-POP DEMON HUNTERS' Ranks as Most Streamed Film of 2025 with 2.05 Billion Minutes Viewed

Netflix’s animated film 'K-POP DEMON HUNTERS' became the most watched film in the United States during 2025. According to Nielsen’s year-end data, the film achieved a record streaming time of 2.05 billion viewing minutes. Converted based on its 99-minute runtime, this equates to approximately 207 million full viewings. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, 'K-POP DEMON HUNTERS' reached the top of year-end charts despite being released in June. It accomplished this by surpassing earlier-release films that had more time available for viewing compared to films released in mid-year. Nielsen’s weekly tracking data showed that the film maintained a strong presence on streaming charts throughout the latter part of the year. The film gained attention for its unique premise, featuring K-pop girl groups who combat supernatural demons while balancing their lives as pop stars to protect fans. The theme song titled "Golden" from the film topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a full 8 weeks and was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Nielsen data indicated that 48% of viewers were children aged 2 to 11, demonstrating the film’s particularly strong appeal among young audiences and families. 'K-POP DEMON HUNTERS' showed resilience by remaining on Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 for 25 consecutive weeks, far outpacing 'Moana 2' in second place with 940 million minutes and 'Happy Gilmore 2' in third place with 710 million minutes in the U.S. market alone. Previous data released by Netflix showed that the film had already reached 408 million views over the previous six months, setting a record for the highest viewing figure in streaming history at that point. The success of this film is viewed as an example of the expanding cultural influence of the global K-pop industry. It signifies that content in the K-pop style has established itself as popular entertainment on global streaming platforms. According to the '2025 K-POP World Map' released by the K-pop artist comprehensive dashboard K-Pop Radar, while South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia still occupy the top three positions for K-pop consumption in 2025, there is a clear trend of global expansion. The United States rose from fifth place in the previous year to fourth place, with its share increasing by approximately 1 percentage point, indicating that localization strategies and global collaborations are yielding tangible results. The entry of Western countries such as France, Germany, and Canada into the K-pop market shows that K-pop consumption is advancing toward a stage of global diversification.