“KPop Demon Hunters” Becomes the Most-Watched Film in Netflix History as a Global Cultural Phenomenon

“KPop Demon Hunters,” now recorded as the most-watched film in Netflix history, has sparked a global cultural phenomenon. Since its release on Netflix on June 20, it has become the most viewed work worldwide, including both films and dramas, continuing to break records with approximately 541.8 million hours of viewing time. Although this animation is an American production involving U.S. funding and a Japanese production company, it is praised for its accurate depiction of Korean traditions and culture. Even Koreans acknowledge that it effectively portrays everyday Korean life, with its meticulous attention to tradition and realism surpassing previous works. Elements such as the Ilwolobongdo are mentioned as common knowledge, crows and tigers appear as regular characters, and the phenomenon of people around the world developing interest in the Korean alphabet has also drawn attention. According to figures released from November 17 to 23, “KPop Demon Hunters” remains among Netflix’s top 10 films weekly even five months after its release, having held this position for 23 consecutive weeks. This demonstrates the film’s sustained popularity and shows that fans continue to watch it repeatedly. The production team is already discussing a sequel titled “KPop Demon Hunters 2,” scheduled for release in 2029. The original soundtrack also dominates global charts. The film’s theme song, “Golden,” has stayed on the UK Official Singles Chart for 23 weeks, and it reached 177 million streams on U.S. on-demand streaming platforms in October. Five songs from the soundtrack made it onto the Billboard Hot 100, while the entire album topped the Billboard 200 for multiple weeks. “Golden” by the fictional girl group HUNTR/X (members: Lay, Annie, May, Kei, E-Tion) held the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 non-consecutive weeks, setting a record as the longest-running number one song for an animated work. Given that Korean traditions and modern culture have resonated with people worldwide, “KPop Demon Hunters”’ success is regarded as evidence of the universality of Korean culture. The film’s success has elevated global interest in Korean culture to unprecedented levels, injecting new vitality into Korea’s tourism, food, and other cultural industries.