KPop Demon Hunters Crosses 500M Views on Netflix

Netflix’s animated feature KPop Demon Hunters has officially surpassed 500 million total views globally, setting a new record. Additionally, the film currently stands with 7.9M views and ranks as the third most viewed English-language film.

Released globally in June 2025, the film is directed by the collaborative effort of Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. The title reached the milestone through sustained global viewing rather than a short-term launch spike. 

According to Netflix’s Tudum analytics, within two months of its release, it grabbed the position of most-watched animated film on the streaming platform; an acclaim that was soon joined by becoming “the most popular Netflix film of all time,” with 236M views. Shortly after, it crossed the 300M views landmark by September 2025, with 325M views across regions.

KPop Demon Hunters maintained top-10 placement across 93 countries for months, driven by repeat viewing, music-led virality, and cross-demographic reach. The film’s viewership trajectory was helped by the title track Golden's five Grammy nominations and Billboard chart inclusion.

KPop Demon Hunters as a Cultural and Economic Phenomenon

Sony Pictures Animation, in partnership with Netflix, produced the animated feature. The story follows a globally famous K-pop girl group that secretly battles supernatural threats, blending idol culture, action fantasy, and musical storytelling. Netflix targeted family audiences, animation fans, and global K-pop followers with the movie’s narrative appeal, an approach that proved decisive in scaling viewership.

The scale of KPop Demon Hunters’ success has pushed it beyond a streaming hit into a broader cultural property. In 2025, the film won Best Animated Film at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, a rare distinction for a Netflix animated release. The movie also received nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, and the like.

The streaming demand translated into theatrical experimentation, with limited screenings on Aug 23-24 and Oct 31-Nov 2, 2025. Despite the limited run, it generated 24.6M box office revenue . 

The film’s impact extended into South Korea’s cultural economy as well. According to tourism data, KPop Demon Hunters contributed to a measurable increase in K-pop-driven tourism in 2025, with international visitors citing the film’s appeal as a motivator to witness the real-world idol culture.

KPop Demon Hunters significantly boosted and reshaped the landscape of original animated features. The IP was expanded with merchandise and other cross-media collaborations, such as in Fortnite. Netflix has already announced a sequel is in development, confirming it was not just a one-off streaming success. Time Magazine hailed the movie as 2025's “Breakthrough of the Year."