Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Exceeds 400 Million Views, Solidifying Its Status as a Global Cultural Phenomenon

Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” has surpassed 400 million views, firmly establishing itself as a global cultural phenomenon. As of November, the film had reached 400 million cumulative views, following increases of 300 million in September and 325 million in October, demonstrating rapid growth. The commercial and critical success of “KPop Demon Hunters” has been recognized both domestically and internationally. The New York Film Critics Circle awarded the film its Best Animated Feature prize on the third day, a significant achievement given the organization’s history of selecting works that would later win Academy Awards just months later. It also received the “Spark” award at IndieWire’s “IndieWire Honors Winter 2025,” where it was described as a “cultural phenomenon.” IndieWire praised the film, stating that its rise to the top ranks of Netflix’s Top 10 and the Billboard Hot 100 charts was entirely due to its vibrant animation and the power of its theme song “Golden.” The film’s performance on music charts is equally notable. “Golden,” the theme song by the fictional girl group HUNTR/X, became the first K-pop song to top the Billboard Hot 100. It became the animated soundtrack with the highest chart position since “Encanto” and also recorded the most simultaneous Top 10 hits for a film soundtrack on the Billboard Hot 100. On YouTube’s “2025 Korean Year-End Recap List,” “KPop Demon Hunters” made it into all three categories: Most Popular Theme Song, Most Popular Song, and Most Popular Short Music. Three of the top 10 most popular Korean songs on YouTube were from the film’s soundtrack—“Golden” ranked first, “Soda Pop” third, and “Your Idol” tenth. In the Shorts category, “Soda Pop” and “Golden” took first and second places respectively, serving as music for various short-form content such as dance covers, cosplays, and POV videos. The film received a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for an Academy Award in the Animated Feature category by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The theme song “Golden” is also aiming for a Grammy trophy, having been nominated in five categories including “Song of the Year” in the 68th Grammy Awards. In October, it was selected as the Best Song in the Animated Film category at the “2025 Hollywood Music in Media Awards,” marking its debut in Hollywood award ceremonies. Since its release on Netflix on June 20, the film has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon and set a record as the most-watched Netflix film of all time. It is praised for balancing artistic quality with popularity through its storyline of the K-pop girl group HUNTR/X fighting against a boy group of five demons called Saja Boys, combined with modern performances.