Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Makes History in Music and Film Industry... 48 Million Views, Grammy and Oscar Nominations

Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” has had a record-breaking impact on the global music and film industries since its release in June. The movie, which tells the story of K-pop girl group KPop Demon Hunters fighting demons that hunt souls with songs, became Netflix’s most-watched title within just a few weeks of its release, amassing over 48 million views.

The film’s soundtrack has evolved beyond mere background music to become an independent musical phenomenon. Filled with inspiring Korean musical melodies and highly addictive hooks, it topped the Billboard chart for the first time since Disney’s “Encanto” in 2022. In particular, the film’s lead single “Golden” stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks, earning it the title of the world’s most-streamed new song last year.

“The Golden”’s success is also evident on international music award stages. The song has already won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for the International Song category at the Brit Awards. Even more historically significant is its recognition at the Grammy Awards. “Golden” became the first song from an animated film since “Circle of Life” from “The Lion King” to be nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. If, as bookmakers predict, “Golden” wins both awards, it will be the first time an original song from an animated film has won these two prestigious honors simultaneously.

Ian Eisendrath, the film’s music director, attributes this success to the special collaboration process and the inherent dramatic quality of K-pop. He explained, “K-pop is massive and surprises people in the best possible ways. Something musical can happen in just eight bars, and suddenly the atmosphere shifts completely.”

To depict the musical battles between KPop Demon Hunters and the demonic boy band Lion Boyz, catchy radio-friendly hits were essential. Major musicians from the K-pop industry, including The Black Label in Seoul — which produced BLACKPINK’s Rosé — and producer Danny Jeong, who has created chart-topping hits for over a decade, participated in this project.

Lion Boyz’ cute, pastel-toned introduction song “Soda Pop” was co-composed by Danny Jeong, who also voiced the role of Baby Lion with his deep voice. He described working on this film as “a dream coming true.” Interestingly, when music director Ian expressed concern that “Soda Pop” sounded “too cool” audio-wise, the production team responded, “Should we deliberately make it sound more basic?” The team unanimously agreed “yes.” This bold decision proved successful. “Soda Pop” needed to be cute and lively to emphasize the threatening dual nature of the demonic boy band, and it later received a platinum certification.

Production on “KPop Demon Hunters 2” is currently on hold. The sequel, set for release in November 2025, was originally planned for 2029, but the crew, including directors Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, and Michelle Wong, along with the cast, are too busy dealing with the current overwhelming success to consider a follow-up at this time. In an interview with People magazine after the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the directors described the film’s success as “a whirlwind” and stated that they are not yet ready to reveal any specific plans for a sequel.