Netflix’s Animation “K-pop Demon Hunters” Becomes a Global Cultural Phenomenon, Expanding Its Influence into Music, Merchandising, and Even the Oscars

Netflix’s animation “K-pop Demon Hunters” (hereafter KDEH) has evolved from mere content into a true global cultural phenomenon. The fictional K-POP boy group, the Lion Boys, featured in the series, accumulated 397 million streams on YouTube Music US this year, surpassing BTS with 238 million streams and Stray Kids with 325 million streams to become the K-POP artist with the most streams. The popularity of KDEH has spread beyond music into various sectors of the industry. Target decided to release Funko Pop figures inspired by the Korean animation characters in its stores on February 3, shortly after the series premiered. Cassandra Jones, head of Target’s Fun 101 department, stated, “We have systems in place to keep up with the speed of culture,” adding that “immediately capturing trends is our strength.” In South Korea, Everland opened a KDEH-themed zone on October 26, but it faced criticism over its expensive snack menu. Snack items such as the “Huntrix Set” (38,000 won) and the “Lion Boys Set” (36,000 won) were sold alongside posters, prompting consumers to complain that they were “expensive for just a name” and that “charging nearly 40,000 won for a single poster is excessive.” Everland defended the move as an event aimed at fans through poster giveaways, but it still damaged consumer trust. The Yeouido Han River Drone Light Show, held on November 15 in collaboration between the Seoul City government and Netflix, became a symbol of this craze. Hundreds of drones created images of Huntrix and the Lion Boys, with the especially massive depiction of Jin-woo prompting spectators to raise their smartphones simultaneously. The drone show demonstrated the combination of Seoul’s landmarks and Netflix’s global content, and it was praised as a cultural event that combined technical excellence with creative direction despite being free. The OST track “Golden” from KDEH also achieved historic success. Having topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 weeks, it became the first K-POP song to be nominated for main award categories (including “Song of the Year”) at the 2026 Grammy Awards. Composed by Lee Jae from SM Entertainment along with producers Teddy, IDO, and 24, and performed by Korean-American singers Ray Aimi and Audrey Nu-na, it has drawn predictions from major international outlets that KDEH will be a strong contender for the Best Animated Feature award at the Oscars scheduled for March 2026. Four out of six film experts at The Los Angeles Times predicted KDEH would win the award. BBC noted that “since the introduction of the Best Animated Feature award in 2022, most trophies have gone to Pixar, Disney, and DreamWorks, but times are changing,” highlighting recent wins by Netflix’s “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” and Studio Ghibli’s “The Boy and the Koi” and “Flow” over the past three years. However, a variable remains regarding theater screenings. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) denied nomination eligibility because the film failed to meet the requirement of at least 10 commercial screenings in the UK over 7 days. Netflix did show a sing-along version in theaters from August 23–24 and from October 31–November 2, but these were deemed insufficient under BAFTA’s standards. The Academy Awards in the United States, on the other hand, apply relatively flexible criteria. While a requirement exists for 7 consecutive paid screenings in commercial theaters in Los Angeles County, California, it is reported that this rule is not strictly enforced for animated features and song awards. KDEH was previously shown for paid admission in select theaters in LA and New York from June 20–26. Billboard stated that “it is the first time since Justin Timberlake’s song for the 2017 animated film ‘Trolls’ dominated the charts that a song has been nominated for the Oscars,” adding that it would also mark the first time a Korean-born composer receives an Oscar nomination since Karen Oh, a co-composer for the 2014 film “Her.” Major U.S. media outlets such as CNN and The Washington Post also reported that “Golden” has strong credentials to be nominated for and win an Oscar.