Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Remains Global No. 1 in Fifth Week of Release…Virtual K-Pop Group Surpasses BTS

Netflix’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters,” which premiered on June 20, continues to hold the global No. 1 position in its fifth week of release, achieving record-breaking success. Right after its debut, the show topped Netflix charts in 40 countries worldwide and maintained that top spot even in week four—a period when it becomes increasingly difficult to stay at the forefront on the platform. The most astonishing aspect is the impact of the songs included in the film. A track performed by the male lead’s idol group, HUNTR/X, reached No. 1 on the U.S. Spotify chart. This is the first time a K-Pop group has achieved such a result. Even BTS’s “Dynamite” only reached No. 3 on the same chart. The animated character wearing a hat and singing the song now holds the top position. The album containing the music from “KPop Demon Hunters” reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. In the 2020s, only “Wicked,” “Bobby,” and “Encanto” have managed to enter the top two on the Billboard 200 with film OST albums. In other words, a fictional group song created for an animated series has effortlessly dominated the real-world music market. The song “Golden,” performed by the popular K-Pop girl group HUNTR/X in the series, reached No. 4 on Billboard’s main singles chart—surpassing even the best performance of “Let It Go” from the wildly successful “Frozen,” which reached No. 5. Additionally, seven other songs from the series made it onto Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Even in its fifth week, it remained the most-watched content on Netflix among all English and non-English movies and TV shows. It recorded 25.8 million views in the third week of July, with a total viewing time of 43 million hours. This is significant because it defies the typical trend where streaming viewership declines over time, instead setting new weekly records. This success contrasts sharply with the market downturn seen in the first half of the year, when both K-Pop album exports and sales declined, raising concerns about the industry. The Wall Street Journal highlighted the fact that “a K-Pop group that dominates charts does not actually exist” and focused on “a virtual idol group taking over real global music charts.” Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s CEO, said during a conference call shortly after the second-quarter earnings report that “‘Golden’ and ‘Soda Pop’ have become massive hits, and the virtual group has created real fans,” adding that he is pleased to see how original animations can exert a strong influence on popular culture. The global impact of “KPop Demon Hunters” is expanding beyond music to encompass the entire K-Hallyu phenomenon. At U.S. retailer Costco, kimbap has become a hot item in the frozen foods section, with instant meals like tteokbokki, bulgogi, and japchae, as well as K-food kits, also gaining popularity. One Costco manager noted, “At first, it was mainly Korean customers who came for these items, but now word-of-mouth has spread among regular American customers.” Sephora stores in the U.S. have dedicated sections for K-beauty products, and on Amazon, K-beauty brands lead in searches using keywords like “vegan,” “hypoallergenic,” and “glow skin.” American consumers consider Korean brands’ essences, cushion foundations, and tinted sunscreens to be part of a “beauty routine that must be tried once.” With the success of the film, discussions about sequels and live-action adaptations are naturally emerging. Given Netflix’s proactive approach to producing sequels for successful original series and films, there is a strong expectation that a second season of “KPop Demon Hunters” will be made. Meanwhile, HYBE America has announced a partnership with Paramount Pictures to produce a film based on K-Pop, aiming to create a “second ‘KPop Demon Hunters.’” Filming is set to begin in mid-September in South Korea, with a goal of releasing the movie in theaters on February 12, 2027. This is expected to be the first time a major Hollywood studio conducts all filming in South Korea.