A new Netflix original film, “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” set against the backdrop of Korea and featuring a K-pop girl group and shamanic rituals, has broken the all-time Netflix viewership record. According to Netflix’s official site Tudum on the 27th, “K-Pop Demon Hunters” amassed 236 million total views, surpassing the previous record of 230.9 million views held by the action-thriller “Red Notice,” starring Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds, which was released in November 2021.
Even when combined across show genres, “K-Pop Demon Hunters” ranks as the third most-viewed, following “Squid Game” (265.2 million views) and “Wednesday” (252.1 million views). With its popularity persisting, there’s anticipation over whether it might surpass “Squid Game’s” record. Netflix tracks the most-watched films and shows based on their total views within the first 91 days of release. Since “K-Pop Demon Hunters” was released on June 20th, it still has about three weeks left to accumulate more views, potentially surpassing “Wednesday” and “Squid Game.”
“K-Pop Demon Hunters” is an animation about a K-pop girl group, Huntress, that uses their music to combat demons and protect the world, with Korean elements woven throughout the Seoul setting. Even in its 10th week, with people re-watching it, the film’s popularity continues. Last week (18th to 24th), it maintained the top spot in the film categories, both English and non-English, and was number one in 32 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Norway. In a special “sing-along” screening held in theaters in the U.S. during the weekend (23rd to 24th local time), the film topped the North American box office.
Additionally, the songs from the film have made a splash on the charts, lining up from number one on Billboard’s main singles chart, the Hot 100, and topping the Billboard 200 album chart, creating a widespread phenomenon.