The Netflix animated show and musical, Kpop Demon Hunters, has exploded onto the scene and it is now the most watched film in history on the streaming giant. The movie has garnered more than 236 million views worldwide surpassing Red Notice, which held the previous record.
This surprising success has fast become a pop culture phenomenon. Its earworm music, colorful depictions, and hybridisation of Korean culture with fantasy tale have made it popular worldwide. Kpop Demon Hunters is produced by Sony Pictures Animation, which is about a girl group of K-pop fighting monsters after school.
What does the Film tell about?
Based on a fun colorful as well as action packed universe, Kpop Demon Hunters contains the story of Huntr/x, a fictitious K-pop female band. The three protect humanity against supernatural dangers as they use music and martial arts as their weaponry.
The movie is a mixture of modern Korean pop culture and traditional folklore, which makes the experience unusual and finds a corresponding response among international fans. This combination of antiquity and modernity attributes to the compelling nature of the film as well. Here is the link to our article on Filmmaker’s Tumultuous Journey.
How did it become a world craze?
The film itself got off to a subdued beginning, yet within a short time, it gained momentum. Word of mouth, TikTok trends, and fan-made content went viral and contributed to its popularity. The audience hailed the elaborate animation and cultural representation of the movie.
Netflix was then able to use this momentum to release a sing-along version in theatres in the U.S., the U.K., Canada and other territories. The gamble worked, and the film became a box office success and the first number-one Netflix film in the U.S.
What is happening behind the success of the Soundtrack?
Among the largest factors contributing to the film’s domination is the chart-topping music. Tracks of the soundtrack have populated websites like Spotify and billboards. The song Golden has recently reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and several songs included in the film received a place in the top ten on Spotify globally.
Interestingly, Huntr/x and Saja Boys, fictional groups, have charted themselves as the most navigating K-pop bands on the Billboard U.S. Spotify, eroding other bands such as BTS and Blackpink. A couple of movies also made history as the songs made an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 simultaneously. Here is the link to our article on AI Transforms Filmmaking.
Who composed the music of the film?
Seasoned K-pop producers have developed the soundtrack, with some having worked with a major group like Twice and BTS.They aimed to produce songs that resound as true to K-pop and that appeal to the emotional attachment with fans.
The same word was stressed by co-director Maggie Kang, a Korean-Canadian of the film who felt the necessity to make the music sound like it is actually K-pop. That flare of authenticity has flawlessly touched fans.
Final Thoughts
Kpop Demon Hunters has set a new precedent for what can be accomplished in streaming animation. Its success is an overall achievement in terms of viewing records, box office records and it also has a record in terms of music charts. Kpop Demon Hunters is not only a film, but far more of a cultural event in terms of its culturally contentious plot line, pop song hits, and cultural richness.
