Netflix’s “KPOP Demon Hunters” Becomes the Platform’s Most Successful Title Ever, Surpassing 32.5 Billion Views

Netflix’s animated series “KPOP Demon Hunters” has emerged as the platform’s most successful production to date. Released globally on June 20, this American-produced animation surpassed all of Netflix’s previous film records by August and has now accumulated over 325 million views. It is the first overseas-produced animation centered around K-POP idols and also the first musical animated series to feature K-POP music. In the series, the K-POP girl group “Huntrix” is voiced by Pharita, Ahyeon, and Rora from BABYMONSTER, while the evil spirit characters “Saza Boys” are portrayed by Leehan from BOYNEXTDOOR, Wonbin from RIIZE, Shinyu from TWS, and Park Gunwook and Han Yujin from ZEROBASEONE. The series’ dominance on music charts is equally notable. Five of its OST tracks entered the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, with “Golden” by Huntrix holding the number one spot for eight weeks. As of October, it had accumulated 1.77 million streams and 38,000 downloads. “Soda Pop” and “Your Idol” reached positions 21 and 24 respectively, while “How It’s Done” and “What It Sounds Like” landed at 36 and 42. The OST album itself reached fifth place on the Billboard 200 albums chart, becoming the first film soundtrack to top a major album chart since “Encanto” in 2022. The phenomenon is also expanding into real-world events. The 2025 MAMA Awards will feature a special “Wonder Stage” collaboration with the Netflix animated series. The ceremony will be held over two days on November 28 and 29 at the Hong Kong Kai Tak Stadium and streamed globally via various platforms including Mnet+. The Huntrix actors performed “Golden” during the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. At the 99th Anniversary Parade in New York on November 27, Huntrix — composed of E-JAE, O.de, and REI AMI — took the stage with a giant blue demon cat balloon, delivering an energetic performance. They performed on a stage decorated in black, alongside dancers wearing golden gloves, ending with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. This phenomenon is seen as reflecting a global cultural trend that goes beyond mere entertainment. The fact that America’s top content industry has chosen K-POP, an Asian genre, is considered evidence of K-POP’s global influence. Experts expect this success to drive growth not only for South Korea’s content industry but also for overall Korean brands in areas such as food, beauty, and products.