Netflix’s “K-pop Demon Hunters” Reaches Highest Viewership in Fifth Week Since Release…Setting Unprecedented Record for a Film

Netflix’s K-pop animated series “K-pop Demon Hunters” surpassed its own previous highest viewership mark in the fifth week since its release, establishing an unprecedented record in Netflix film history. Launched on the 20th of last month, the series defied the typical trend where most streaming content sees declining viewership over time by continuously setting new weekly records and maintaining strong performance. As of the third week of July (from the 14th to the 20th), “K-pop Demon Hunters” recorded 25.8 million views (calculated by dividing total viewing time by the runtime of the series), ranking first not only among English-language films but also across all Netflix content. The total viewing time reached 43 million hours. The series saw a steady upward trend after starting with 9.2 million views in the third week of June, rising to 22.7 million in the first week of July and 24.2 million in the second week of July. Its success is also evident in the music industry. The original soundtrack topped charts on Spotify and Apple Music, while tracks such as HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” SZA Boyz’s “Your Idol,” and “Soda Pop” made it to the top ranks on the U.S. Billboard chart as well as major global music platforms, achieving results that even real K-pop artists have not previously reached. A report from a prominent media outlet stated, “The virtual K-pop idols in this animation have reached heights even BTS has not attained,” adding that “the K-pop groups currently shaking the world are not BTS but HUNTR/X and SZA Boyz.” The success on music charts is particularly noteworthy. Kevin Woo, who sang as a member of the fictional boy group SZA Boyz in the film, now has approximately 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Previously an idol in the group U-KISS, he had only around 10,000 listeners before the film’s release. According to predictions from Billboard, the original soundtrack album reached fifth place on the main album chart, the Billboard 200, and continued to dominate music charts even in the fourth week after its release. Right after its debut on the 20th of last month, “K-pop Demon Hunters” topped Netflix’s global film category, ranking first in 41 countries including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. It entered the TOP 10 in over 90 countries worldwide just two weeks after release. Netflix has confirmed that it will submit “Golden” as a candidate for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. One of the key factors behind the series’ success is its meticulous attention to detail regarding K-pop culture. Co-directed by Korean-American directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the series seamlessly blended traditional Korean culture with modern aesthetics. Elements such as Korean food, traditional medicine shops, traditional patterns like hairpins, and the character “Theppy” inspired by folk paintings provided a fresh experience for audiences around the world. In particular, its accurate portrayal of K-pop fandom culture was one of the elements that sparked enthusiasm among core fans. Experts analyzed that the success of “K-pop Demon Hunters” suggests it could pave the way for the “era of virtual idols,” a long-held dream of K-pop companies. Professor Kim Seok-young from UCLA commented, “It introduced idols who don’t need sleep, suffer from illness, or age, and showed that fans can communicate with these non-human idols.” The series’ global success has increased expectations that Netflix will proceed with producing a second installment.