Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Rewrites K-Pop History as Virtual Idols Surpass Real Groups

Netflix’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” has become a global cultural phenomenon. Since its release on June 20, it entered Netflix’s top 10 in over 90 countries and reached number one in more than 40 of them. It claimed the top spot in 17 countries, including the United States, Germany, and France, on day one of its release and remains the highest-ranking Netflix film worldwide as of recent data. The most remarkable achievements came in music charts. The original soundtrack (OST) for “KPop Demon Hunters” reached second place on the U.S. Billboard album chart “Billboard 200,” with eight tracks from the OST simultaneously entering the main singles chart “Hot 100.” It is unprecedented for all songs from an animated series’ OST to appear on these charts. “Golden,” sung by the fictional girl group Huntrix in the series, rose 15 places on the Hot 100, moving from 23rd to 6th, and topped both the Billboard Global chart and the Global 200 chart. This is the first time a virtual artist has reached the top of these charts since they were introduced in 2020. “Your Idol,” performed by the fictional boy group Lion Boyz, became number one on Spotify’s U.S. daily chart, marking the first time a K-Pop group achieved this milestone. This result surpasses the record held by the real-world group BTS. The song also topped Spotify’s Global chart and accumulated 80 million views in its first 91 days of release. For comparison, “Squid Game” Season 3 recorded 122 million views during the same period. Real K-Pop idols are also enthusiastic about “KPop Demon Hunters.” Jungkook of BTS revealed on a Weverse live broadcast on July 14 that he cried while watching the film’s ending. He was moved by the scene where the protagonist Jinwoo disappears while trying to protect Rumi and even performed “Soda Pop” by Lion Boyz himself. Various K-Pop artists, including Solar of MAMAMOO, Kwon Sun-il and Kwon Jin-ah of Urban Zakapa, Jun-hi of A.C.E, and Tablo of Epik High, released cover videos of the film’s OST songs. Kwon Sun-il’s cover video surpassed 2.5 million views on Instagram and YouTube, while “Golden” performed by LILY of NMIXX reached over 10 million views on TikTok. Behind the success of “KPop Demon Hunters” lies meticulous planning by its creative team. EJAE, a Korean-American composer who was once a Trainee at SM Entertainment, wrote and composed songs such as “Golden,” “How It’s Done,” and “Your Idol,” and also sang Rumi’s songs himself. EJAE previously revealed in a program alongside his maternal grandfather, actor Shin Young-kyun, that he has been pursuing his dream of becoming a singer. Teddy, the producer behind BLACKPINK, and composers from The Black Label contributed to the production, while TWICE members Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung sang “Take Down” by Huntrix. The production team’s deep understanding of Korean culture also received praise. Directed by Maggie Kang, who immigrated to Canada, “KPop Demon Hunters” focuses on Korean Musok culture. Huntrix is portrayed as descendants of shamans, with elements such as eating cup noodles before performances and drinking traditional Korean medicine when sore throats occur, vividly reflecting Korean traditions. The team visited Korea in person to experience hanoks and Korean cuisine, enhancing the quality of the series. The tiger and magpie characters, who serve as messengers for the protagonists, were inspired by the traditional folk painting “Hojakdo.” These traditional elements also led to the creation of merchandise. The National Museum of Korea badge based on Hojakdo caused a sellout frenzy, and the museum is currently producing merchandise featuring traditional elements along with interactive events. The “Ilwolobongdo,” a painting from the Joseon Dynasty that serves as the background for the protagonists’ singing in the film, has also attracted attention. The “Soda Pop” challenge spread through social media, with real idols such as Haseongjin, the choreographer of the original version, and TWICE, ZEROBASEONE, and others participating. They dressed and styled themselves exactly like the characters in the series, sparking discussions about a live-action version of “KPop Demon Hunters.” Netflix has announced plans to submit “Golden” as a candidate for the Academy Award for Original Song next year. The success of “KPop Demon Hunters” has reaffirmed K-Pop’s global influence. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a professor at King’s College London, stated that Hallyu is “clearly no longer a temporary phenomenon but has become part of mainstream culture.” He attributed the success of K-content to its ability to convey universal messages through Korean contexts. U.S. economic magazine Forbes also featured “KPop Demon Hunters” in a key article, confirming K-Pop’s mainstream status. Additionally, it has helped introduce Korean Musok culture to the world. In countries such as Canada and the United States, Korean fortune-telling shops have become tourist attractions, with visiting these shops becoming a popular activity among foreign tourists. In South Korea as well, dramas based on Musok themes such as “Gyeonwoo and Seonyeo” have achieved success one after another, sparking a Musok craze.