Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Becomes the Most-Watched Title in Streaming History, Demonstrating K-Pop’s Global Impact

Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” has become the most-watched title in the history of streaming services. It achieved the highest success across all Netflix categories, including movies and dramas, surpassing even the record set by “Squid Game.” Directed by singer and Korean-Canadian filmmaker Maggie Kang, the film features a fictional girl group named HUNTR/X that uses the power of music to fight against evil spirits. The story centers on the message of embracing one’s entire identity. The film’s influence extended far beyond streaming charts. This year, the National Museum of Korea welcomed over 6 million visitors, the highest annual figure in its 80-year history since opening, and sales of its official merchandise line “Mu:ds” surged due to the film’s popularity. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, foreign visitors to South Korea from January to October totaled 15.82 million, a 15.2% increase compared to the previous year and an 8.4% rise compared to 2019, the peak period before the pandemic. The film’s original soundtrack gave rise to one of the biggest hits of 2025. “Golden,” featuring Korean-American singers Lee Jae, Audrey Nuuna, and Ray Aimi, topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight non-consecutive weeks and ranked first on the UK Official Singles Chart for ten non-consecutive weeks. It has remained on the charts for 26 consecutive weeks to date. This song set a new milestone for K-pop-related music by combining Korean melodic patterns familiar to Western pop audiences with some Korean lyrics. The chart success of “Golden” was seen as evidence of growing global influence for K-pop. Teddy from The Black Label and 24 served as co-producers, while Lee Jae, who wrote the music and sang, previously worked as a Trainee at South Korea’s major entertainment company SM Entertainment. Meanwhile, the global standing of K-pop continued to rise. Artists from this genre were nominated for the first time in four major “General” categories at the Grammy Awards. BLACKPINK member Rosé secured three Grammy nominations with her solo single “APT.,” including for “Song of the Year” and “Record of the Year.” Inspired by the popular Korean drinking game “Apartment Game,” this collaboration between her and Bruno Mars combines a repetitive chorus with bright pop harmonies. It stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 45 weeks, setting the longest-charting record for a K-pop song to date, and reached third place on the chart. Rosé’s global profile also increased significantly, as she won two awards at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, including “Song of the Year.” Additionally, the double single “What It Sounds Like” reached position 50 on the UK Official Chart, while “How It's Done” reached position 52, demonstrating the widespread success of the soundtrack. Through world tours, collaborations, and media coverage, “KPop Demon Hunters” elevated K-pop’s cultural influence to a new level.