Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” Spreading Korean Culture Globally

Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” has become a global cultural phenomenon, significantly expanding the international influence of Korean culture. The film has set the highest cumulative viewing record in Netflix’s history across both television and film categories, surpassing even the success of “Squid Game.” Directed by Canadian-Korean filmmaker Maggie Kang, the movie features a fictional girl group named Huntr/x who fight evil spirits through the power of music. It combines the dynamism of K-pop with Korean Musok traditions through storytelling that emphasizes embracing one’s identity. The film’s impact extends beyond streaming rankings to boost actual Korean tourism and cultural industries. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of foreign visitors to Korea from January to October reached 15.82 million, a 15.2% increase compared to the previous year and an 8.4% rise from 2019, the pre-pandemic peak. The National Museum of Korea recorded over 6 million visitors this year, the highest figure in 80 years since its opening. Thanks to the film’s popularity, sales of the museum’s official merchandise line titled “Mu:ds” surged. The film’s original soundtrack track “Golden” also became one of the biggest hits of the year. Performed by American-Korean artists EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, the song held the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 non-consecutive weeks and topped the UK Official Singles Chart for 10 non-consecutive weeks. This achievement is regarded as a new approach that blends Western pop sensibilities with Korean melodic patterns and partial Korean lyrics, further solidifying K-pop’s position on the global stage. Along with the rising international status of K-pop, several artists have received nominations for the first time in four major “general category” divisions at the Grammy Awards. BLACKPINK member ROSÉ was nominated in three categories, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year, for her solo single “APT.” Her collaboration with Bruno Mars, also titled “APT,” stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 45 weeks, setting a record for the longest duration a K-pop song has spent on the chart. The OST for “KPop Demon Hunters” received nominations in five Grammy categories, with “Golden” being nominated for Song of the Year.