Move over Barbie, step aside Frozen—there’s a new animated queen in town, and her name is K‑Pop Demon Hunters. The Netflix original has gone from streaming sleeper hit to full-blown global pop culture obsession, shattering records and now selling out theatrical sing-along screenings around the world.
Netflix Royalty: 210 Million Views and Counting
Since its debut on Netflix on June 20, K‑Pop Demon Hunters has racked up a jaw-dropping 210.5 million views in just nine weeks. That makes it the second most-watched original Netflix movie of all time.
Not only is it the most-viewed animated original on the platform, it’s also now Netflix’s 14th most-watched movie ever based on total hours viewed—clocking in at over 350 million hours. Whew.
“Golden” Breaks Records, Too
And don’t even get us started on the music. The film’s lead single “Golden,” performed by the fictional girl group Huntr/x, didn’t just go viral—it made history.
- “Golden” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first song from a fictional or animated act to ever do so.
- It also marked the first time a K-pop girl group (real or fictional) topped the chart.
- The soundtrack debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, becoming Netflix’s first-ever soundtrack to reach the top 10.
- On Spotify, “Golden” topped the U.S. daily charts, even surpassing real-world K-pop giants like BLACKPINK.
This isn’t just a movie soundtrack—it’s a full-on musical takeover.
Theaters? Sold Out.
If you thought this film was content living in your Netflix queue, think again. Pop-up sing-along screenings of K‑Pop Demon Hunters are now hitting theaters in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand starting August 23 and 24—and many are already sold out.
Fans will be able to scream every lyric, wave glow sticks, and cosplay their favorite demon-hunting divas in theaters for a full-on communal K-pop party. Honestly? We’re obsessed.
Why It Works: The Secret Sauce
So what’s driving this level of global obsession? A few things:
- Banger soundtrack: The music feels authentic because it is—real K-pop hitmakers like Teddy Park and Ejae were behind it.
- Gorgeous animation: Visually, the film is pure candy-colored perfection.
- Relatable characters: At its heart, this is a story about identity, self-acceptance, friendship, and power.
- Social media heat: TikTok challenges, fan art, mashups, and edits have all fueled the fire.
It’s not just a movie—it’s a movement.
Sequel Talk? Oh, It’s Coming
No official sequel has been announced yet, but the buzz is real. Reports say Sony—the animation studio behind the film—is already in talks with the directors about potential sequels, spin-offs, or even a TV series.
With the soundtrack dominating charts and theaters selling out sing-alongs, it feels inevitable that this is just the beginning.
TL;DR: The Demon Hunters Are Winning
K‑Pop Demon Hunters is a once-in-a-generation animated hit that proves pop culture magic can come from anywhere—even a fictional K-pop group slaying demons by day and topping Billboard charts by night.
So whether you’re streaming it for the tenth time or getting ready to sing your heart out in theaters, one thing’s for sure—this film isn’t going anywhere.
Golden, indeed.
