Netflix Animation “K-POP Demon Hunters” Sets Historic Viewing Records, Demonstrating K-Pop’s Global Influence

Netflix’s animation “K-POP Demon Hunters” has achieved the highest viewing numbers in streaming platform history, thereby proving K-Pop’s global impact. Since its release on June 20, it topped Netflix’s worldwide view count chart, surpassing “Red Notice” to become the most-watched original film in Netflix’s history. One of the film’s OSTs, “Golden,” dominated international music charts. It remained at number one on the UK Official Singles Chart for five consecutive weeks, setting the longest-running record for a K-Pop song at the top of that chart. Unlike PSY’s “Gangnam Style,” which held the top spot for just one week in 2012, “Golden” stayed at the peak for a total of five non-consecutive weeks. It also reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for three straight weeks. “Golden” is a song by the fictional group HUNTR/X, featuring EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami. Songs from the film’s rival group, the Saja Boys, also made it into the top ranks of the charts. “Soda Pop” stayed in the UK chart’s Top 10 for seven consecutive weeks, reaching as high as fifth place, while “Your Idol” remained on the chart for 10 weeks and ended up at eighth place. The success of this film goes beyond mere commercial success and holds cultural significance. Disney and Pixar’s film “Elio,” released on the same day, suffered a disastrous opening weekend with only $35 million in earnings, the lowest figure in Pixar’s history, and Disney’s “Wish” also performed poorly due to negative reviews. In contrast, “K-POP Demon Hunters” gained massive popularity without any marketing efforts, prompting Netflix to decide on a theatrical release that allowed it to dominate box offices both domestically and internationally. The reason for the film’s success lies in the combination of K-Pop’s unique music and choreography. Lee Jung, the choreographer behind “How It’s Done,” told Billboard that K-Pop is not just music but a fusion of music and performance, praising the film’s creators for their outstanding vision. The film delivered visual excitement through music and choreography, showing worldwide audiences the distinct charm of K-Pop performances. In the UK charts, K-Pop demonstrated its extensive influence. TWICE’s “Takedown” and “Strategy” entered at positions 24 and 32 respectively, BLACKPINK’s “JUMP” reached position 34, and songs by Stray Kids and Rosé also made it into the Top 100, with a total of six songs entering the Top 40. This success proves that K-Pop has established itself as a central force in global popular culture beyond mere music genres. “K-POP Demon Hunters,” which set Netflix’s highest viewing record solely through word-of-mouth despite limited marketing and also secured spots on various charts, is regarded as a new milestone in K-Pop’s worldwide influence.