The Film That Surpassed BTS and Blackpink on the Charts

KPop Demon Hunters started as another animated fantasy actioner about teen girls with superpowers and stage ambitions. Instead, it became a huge Netflix hit, a global surprise hit, a worldwide commercial smash, and a teenage rebellion fantasy rolled into one.

The brainchild of two indie directors with an affinity for K-pop, KPop Demon Hunters soared to the top of Netflix’s global rankings as soon as it was released in June. Streaming more than 33 million times in two weeks, the Korean-American co-production shot to Netflix’s global top 10 in 93 countries, where it currently hovers at number two. Fans are already creating their art, and the call for a sequel echoes in comment sections and social media every day.

Off-screen, the film’s success is no less extraordinary. Since the June 20 release, two K-pop bands that only exist in the film have taken over real-world music charts, outselling BTS and Blackpink, and landing seven tracks on the Billboard Hot 100. On Spotify’s US chart, the all-female Huntr/x and the all-boys Saja Boys occupy the top two places, a remarkable feat for fictional artists.

The comedy pits the band members — the trio of Huntr/x Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, all superhuman and protecting the world from evil forces in their spare time — against the boyish but also supernatural Saja Boys. In between the dizzying musical performances and slick supernatural battles, it offers a universal message about friendship, trust, self-acceptance, and identity. In true K-pop style, the film blends together humour, sentiment, and a healthy dose of fantasy, all against a backdrop of bright, high-energy music videos.

To get there, Kang and her fellow director Chris Appelhans enlisted the help of a Korean label and roped in some of the industry’s biggest names. Teddy Park, Blackpink collaborator and Grammy nominee, and Lindgren, Grammy winner and behind some of BTS’s and TWICE’s biggest hits, produced all-original tracks that could stand next to K-pop’s biggest hits without missing a beat. Amanda Golka, a Los Angeles-based content creator who is not particularly into K-pop, also admits that KPop Demon Hunters got her into Korean pop. “I have been blasting the soundtrack from Spotify every time I’m in the car,” Golka says. “It’s fascinating how music can be such a universal language.”

Honouring the culture behind the music

Another key to KPop Demon Hunters’ success has been the cultural authenticity that the directors were able to provide. K-pop, K-dramas, and Korean cinema have long become mainstream in the US and other Western markets, but KPop Demon Hunters upped the ante. The film incorporates everyday life — from the Korean table setting to the early scenes in Seoul at the 5,600-year-old City Wall, at the Hanuiwon cooling clinics or public bathhouses, or up on the Namsan Tower. The decision to do so elevates the visual feast beyond stereotype, and resonates with Korean viewers searching for an accurate, respectful depiction in an unfamiliar and sometimes biased Western entertainment industry.

For details, the team travelled to South Korea to shoot references, visit folk villages, photograph Myeongdong streets, and search for traditional clothes. The animation reflects this effort: although the characters speak English in the final film, their lips match Korean pronunciation, and the whole character reacts with authentically Korean expressions and mannerisms. Korean words or song lyrics sometimes dot the film’s scenes, further grounding the story and its characters in the country where it’s set.

Beyond the film’s Korean setting, the depiction of K-pop fandom is also accurate to the core. From the fan signing events to the glow of multicoloured light sticks, from Kalgunmu (absolutely synchronised dance routines) to Korean placards waved by excited fans, the depictions feel spot-on. The story does not focus on one era or one band, but embraces the whole K-pop culture, making it accessible to casual viewers while rewarding dedicated fans with inside jokes.