Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Exceeds 325 Million Views, Driving 17% Growth in Netflix’s Q3 Revenue

The Sony-produced and Netflix-distributed animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” has set a new record for the highest number of views in Netflix’s history, establishing itself as a global cultural phenomenon. Released at the end of August, the series reached 325 million views within 91 days, far surpassing the previous record held by “Red Notice” with 239 million views. This success had a direct impact on Netflix’s financial performance. The company reported Q3 revenue of $11.5 billion, an increase of 17%, while net income rose to $2.5 billion, up 8% from the same period last year’s $2.36 billion. Netflix explicitly identified “KPop Demon Hunters” as a key driver behind this revenue growth. The film’s soundtrack also achieved massive popularity. The OST track “Golden” topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for several weeks and currently holds the third position. Other songs from the same album remain in the upper ranks of the chart. “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop,” songs by the fictional boy band “Lion Boys” featured in the film, ranked 19th and 20th respectively, while “How It’s Done” by HUNTR/X reached position 25. Lee Jae, a key voice actor for the OST, signed a contract with international entertainment agency WME thanks to the film’s success. At 33 years old, Lee Jae is a co-composer of “Golden” and a singer who has written songs for major K-pop groups such as aespa, LE SSERAFIM, TWICE, and NMIXX. Along with fellow voice actors Ray Aimi and O.de, he performed “Golden” on major shows including SNL and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The film, directed by Meggie Kang, is inspired by Korean shamanism and folk legends, telling the story of K-pop girl group HUNTR/X fighting off evil spirits. Angie Heo, an instructor in anthropology and religious sociology at the University of Chicago Divinity School, described the film as “a work that elevates shamanistic traditions to the global K-pop stage.” Netflix is actively pursuing extensive branding collaborations. On the 21st, it signed deals with Mattel and Hasbro to begin selling movie-related toys, games, and role-playing products starting in 2026. Nongshim launched a collaboration-based Sinramen version of “KPop Demon Hunters” in South Korea at the end of August, followed by sales in the United States and Latin America in mid-September. On October 18th, the product was heavily promoted through a giant digital outdoor advertisement in New York’s Times Square. Approximately 450,000 tourists visited the Sinramen experience booth at Times Square each day to try the product firsthand. Starting from October 31st and lasting through Halloween weekend on November 2nd, Netflix will re-release the film in sing-along events at major theater chains in the United States and Canada, including AMC, Regal, and Cinemark. It is also scheduled to be shown simultaneously in theaters worldwide, including South Korea, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. The success of the film has also increased global interest in Korean cultural elements. Cultures such as tigers, magpies, hanboks, gats, instant noodles, and taekwondo are receiving renewed attention, while Korean landmarks like Seoul Sky, Namsan Tower, Bukchon Hanok Village, Cheongdam Bridge, and Jayang Station have become even more popular among foreign tourists.