KPOP Demon Hunters Writes New Chapter in Netflix History by Surpassing Squid Game with 266 Million Total Views

Netflix’s animated film KPOP Demon Hunters has become the most-watched content in the platform’s history across both movie and show categories. According to data from Netflix’s official TuDum site on the third day, KPOP Demon Hunters recorded a total of 266 million views, surpassing Squid Game Season 1, which was released in 2021 and had 265.2 million views. Released on June 20, the film reached the top spot in just 75 days, and given the remaining time for tracking, it is likely this record will remain unbroken for some time. KPOP Demon Hunters is a musical animated series that follows the K-pop girl group HUNTRIX — composed of main characters Rumi, Mira, and Joy — as they act as K-pop boy groups during the day and secretly work as exorcists at night to fight evil spirits. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, it was co-directed by Canadian-Korean director Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. Its fresh storyline, universal narrative of moving from self-hatred to self-acceptance, and accurate depiction of Korean culture resonated with audiences worldwide. A report from a parent generation cited in the content stated, “I was initially reluctant to let my child watch a K-pop movie, but now I’m the one more obsessed with it,” while the British BBC emphasized that “the theme of growing up while searching for identity can be relatable even to those unfamiliar with K-pop or Korean culture.” The film’s success extended to its music as well. The OST “Golden,” sung by the main character group HUNTRIX, topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart for three consecutive weeks, holding the number one position for two weeks in a row. This was the first K-pop song to reach the top of the Hot 100 in two years and the first song performed by a K-pop girl group to achieve that milestone. In addition to “Golden,” a total of eight songs by HUNTRIX — including “How It’s Done” at number 9 — and by rival boy group SAZABOYZ, such as “Your Idol” at number 4 and “Soda Pop” at number 5 — entered the Hot 100 simultaneously. The global popularity of this film set in Korea also impacted Korean tourism. Search trends on Google Trends showed high interest in locations featured in the movie, such as Bukchon (11.8%), Naksan Park (9.6%), and the Olympic Stadium (9.6%). According to the foreign-targeted Korean tourism platform CreateTrip, demand for bathhouse experience services increased by 84% within a month after the film’s release (from June 20 to July 19), while reservations for K-pop dance classes rose by approximately 400% among American tourists and 575% among Taiwanese tourists. In the United States, special “singalong” screenings where audiences sang along to the movie were held successfully on the 23rd and 24th of last month (local time). Sony Pictures Animation conducted these special screenings in 1,700 theaters, generating $18 million in box office revenue, and a separate singalong version was also released on Netflix. After the special screenings, “Golden” maintained its popularity with a 4% increase in streaming numbers and a 21% rise in radio plays. Despite passing time, frequent rewatchings by family audiences ensure its appeal across all age groups, from children to adults. U.S. magazine Time described its success as “driven by children” and called it a “rare crossover hit,” noting that it ranked within the top 10 most popular shows on Netflix in over 90 countries worldwide.