Netflix Anime “KPop Demon Hunters” Expands Its IP Through Themed Zones, Fashion, and Lightstick Events

Even after becoming Netflix’s most-watched series, “KPop Demon Hunters” continues to set new records and pursue extensive IP expansion. Approximately 40,000 viewers attended the special sing-along screenings held at over 100 CGV theaters across the country from October 31 to November 2. This interactive viewing format allows audiences to sing along to the songs of the characters in the film, with many fans enjoying the experience by wearing costumes inspired by the idol group “HUNTR/X” and the evil boy group “Saza Boys.” The soundtrack has also achieved remarkable success. As of November 2, the KPop Demon Hunters OST “Golden” had held the second position on Billboard’s main chart for four consecutive weeks and remained on the chart for 19 weeks in total. In the UK Official Chart, it topped the “Official Singles Top 100” from October 31 to November 6. IP expansion efforts are equally active. Samsung C&T’s casual fashion brand “E-Tion” released a second batch of collaboration products inspired by the series, featuring designs based on the outfits of “HUNTR/X” and “Saza Boys.” A pop-up store showcasing these items will operate at Stage35 in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, from the 7th to the 19th. Everland’s “KPop Demon Hunters” themed zone attracted around 150,000 visitors in just one month since its opening at the end of September, with daily crowds rushing to enter immediately after it opened. The zone offers various experiences such as photo zones, mission games, and videos that allow visitors to interact with the characters and world from the series. The KPop Demon Hunters fireworks show combines hit songs from the film like “Golden,” “How It’s Done,” “Soda Pop,” and “Your Idol” with thousands of fireworks, visual effects, and other multimedia elements. Experts highly regard the future potential of “KPop Demon Hunters.” released by the Korea Copyright Commission, if the idol groups “HUNTR/X” and “Saza Boys” from the series were transformed into virtual idols, they could generate massive fan bases and significant market potential. The global virtual artist market is expected to reach approximately $17.4 billion by 2028 (equivalent to around 24.729 trillion won), representing a nearly 10-fold increase from 2021’s value of about $1.6 billion. The real-world virtual idol group “PLAVE” has already proven the market’s viability by winning first place on terrestrial music shows and securing multiple Top 10 awards at music ceremonies. The Korea Copyright Commission explained, “Anime IPs expand into various forms such as theme parks, exhibitions, games, and merchandise, bringing the fictional worlds to life and increasing connections with fans. Advanced technologies like AR, VR, and AI are opening up opportunities for fans to directly participate in the anime world and interact with characters.”