How ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ became surprise hit of the summer

In the colourful, animated, musical world of “KPop Demon Hunters,” everyone is a fan. The general public rocks T-shirts supporting their favorite idols. They hold light sticks and stare starry-eyed at stadium stages; they scream, they cry, they cheer, they buy the merch. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, then, that the Sony Pictures/ Netflix film itself has inspired similar fanfare, having topped the streamer’s global rankings. Fans have flooded the internet with art, covers, cosplay and choreography in response to the movie, which follows the fictional K-pop girl group HUNTR/X as they fight demons.

And it’s not just the film that’s a summer hit. The “KPop Demon Hunters” soundtrack has topped the charts — debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Soundtracks chart and No. 8 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Here’s how “KPop Demon Hunters” became the year’s surprising success story.

The “KPop Demon Hunters” soundtrack utilizes some of the best and brightest in the genre. That included a partnership with K-pop company The Black Label, co-founded by super producer Teddy Park, known for his work with YG, Blackpink and 2NE1 — empowered girl groups used as references for the film’s protagonists, the trio HUNTR/X.

It’s one of the many reasons the musical film’s soundtrack stands on its own. Filmmakers “really did their homework,” says Jeff Benjamin, a music journalist who specializes in K-pop. Indeed, they did a lot of research. One of the film’s directors, Maggie Kang, said that her team prioritised “representing the fandom and the idols in a very specific way,” as to not disappoint K-pop fans.

They pulled from a treasure trove of influences heard at every corner: The fictional, rival boy band Saja Boys’ hit song “Soda Pop,” for example, references the 90s K-pop group H.O.T. And it has worked. “KPop Demon Hunters” is the highest charting soundtrack of 2025, with eight of its songs landing on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200. To put that in perspective: Lorde’s “Virgin” and Justin Bieber’s “Swag” did the same.

In some ways, it recalls Disney’s “Encanto,” which topped the Billboard 200 and produced a No. 1 hit, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno “ in 2022. Similarly, “KPop Demon Hunters” embraces “the original soundtrack, which is a lost art form,” adds Benjamin. Tamar Herman, a music journalist and author of the “Notes on K-pop” newsletter, says the movie succeeds because it embraces animated musical tradition and authentic K-pop music production styles in equal measure. She considers “Kpop Demon Hunters” to be “a musical with songs inspired by K-pop,” not unlike a Jukebox musical, where the songs of ABBA are reimagined for “Mamma Mia.”

The novelty of the film, too, seems to be resonating. Where many animated films rely on adapting existing intellectual property, “KPop Demon Hunters” is original. And it comes from an original perspective. “It’s not completely Korean, it’s not completely Western and it’s kind of right in that middle,” says Kang. “It’s like not pulled from one side; it’s kind of flavors of both. So, I think that’s what makes the movie feels a little different.” And “the core story is what’s drawing everybody in,” says Kang.

San Francisco-based cosplayer and content creator Nanci Alcántar, who goes by Naanny Lee online agrees. “It’s not only a K-pop group, but it also tells a story of their journey, of how they transform into powerful warriors,” said Alcántar in Spanish. For her, it goes beyond K-pop — it’s about the narrative. Kang’s approach to cultural authenticity, too, may have contributed to the film’s crossover appeal. Rather than explaining Korean elements like HUNTR/X’s visit to a traditional medicine clinic or translating K-pop light stick culture for Western audiences, she opted for full immersion. “We just wanted everybody to just accept that they were in Korea,” Kang said.

Associated Press