Netflix’s Animation Record Shattered by “KPOP Demon Hunters” as a Global Cultural Phenomenon

“KPOP Demon Hunters” has broken Netflix’s all-time record for animated series views, emerging as a worldwide cultural phenomenon. As of the first week of August, it had accumulated 158.8 million views and 264.6 million hours watched, placing it at the top of Netflix’s list of original animated series. Since its release on June 20, it has maintained second place in the movies category on FlixPatrol (a global OTT viewing statistics site) through week seven, demonstrating sustained popularity. The power of its soundtrack has also been evident in music charts. A total of nine tracks, including “Golden,” “Your Idol,” “Soda Pop,” and “How It’s Done,” have made it onto the Billboard Hot 100. On Spotify’s U.S. Top 50 chart, six OST tracks from “KPOP Demon Hunters” are within the top 10, with four of them in the top 5. The enthusiasm of global fans has spread beyond online and offline platforms, expanding into a full-blown cultural phenomenon. On YouTube and TikTok, challenge videos showing people dancing to the routines of the virtual idol group Huntrix and their opposing demon group, Sazaboyz, are posted daily. In countries including the United States and South Korea, videos of students singing “Golden” together during school breaks have also flooded the internet. Domestic female idols such as Bada, Ailee, and Park Ki-young have also rushed to perform “Golden.” Industry experts argue that the success of “KPOP Demon Hunters” goes beyond mere commercial success, proving the global influence of K-pop and Korean culture. The Wall Street Journal noted that “the virtual idol group has reached levels unattainable by real idol groups,” describing it as “highly surreal.” The New York Times praised it by saying, “Although produced in the United States, ‘KPOP Demon Hunters’ perfectly embodies Korean sensibilities and traditions. Its action sequences are highly immersive, its artwork is eye-catching, and its interesting music serves as a dynamic tool for storytelling.” Despite being produced by Sony Pictures Animation, Korean elements were central to the film. It was co-directed by Canadian-Korean director Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, who based it on their childhood experiences in Korea. Unique Korean concepts of exorcism such as tomb guardians and shamanists, Korean foods like kimbap and hotteok, and Korean landmarks such as Namsan Tower and Naksan Park’s fortress path appear prominently. Producers Teddy·24 from The Black Label and American-Korean composer Lee Jae contributed to enhancing the musical quality, with lyrics blending Korean and English and repetitive melodic choruses showing similarities to existing K-pop hits. Actor Lee Byung-hun (who gained international fame through “Squid Game”) provided voice acting, and girl group TWICE along with choreographer Lee Jung helped elevate its quality. Fans at home and abroad have shown strong appreciation for these detailed representations of Korean culture. The success of “KPOP Demon Hunters” is also regarded as an example of the global success of diaspora content. It shares the same context as films like “Minari” (2021), which won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Yoon Ye-jung, and Apple TV+ series like “Parachute” (2022, 2024), whose producers, director, and lead actors were all of Korean descent, demonstrating the global acceptance of Korean culture. Music critic Kim Do-heon analyzed that “‘Golden’ followed the typical Billboard hit formula, where a theme song from a popular animated series gradually climbed the charts rather than being a K-pop song driven by fan support,” adding that it is likely to remain at the top of the charts for a long time. Netflix is considering expanding the franchise with sequels, live-action adaptations, and musical stage productions, and director Maggie Kang is scheduled to speak as a guest at a global media conference in Seoul on the 18th of next month.