Since its premiere on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters has taken the world by storm. Classified as an animated musical urban fantasy, the film has been topping the music charts and taking up space as one of the most-streamed movies. It was initially released on Netflix, but an August limited theatrical sing-along version really kicked things off for this unique film.
Directors Maggie Chang and Chris Appelhans already have much to be proud of. KPop Demon Hunters was an instant hit with audiences and critics alike. It is Certified Fresh at Rotten Tomatoes, with an impressive 95% critical score and 99% audience rating when writing this article. Kelechi Ehenulo’s review for Empire reflects the vast majority of praise for the film:
“Whether you’re a K-pop stan or not, the sheer watchability of this film comes down to the joyous energy and fun it has with the concept.”
And what is the concept? In case you missed it, K-pop superstars Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-Young Hoo) make up the band HUNTR/X. When they aren’t rocking the stage, they fight demons to protect their fans from an aggressive supernatural threat. However, they may have finally met their match when they go up against a boy band made up of demons in disguise. The animation style, quirky characters, and irresistible songs have solidified the film as a mega hit.
KPop Demon Hunters continues to slay its competition by breaking new records
KPop Demon Hunters was already an impressive addition to Netflix’s catalogue. The film has already dethroned Red Notice, a Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds action/comedy, as the most-watched Netflix movie of all time. This feat alone should be celebrated, considering that it is an original concept in a very niche genre, so it did not have a built-in fan base at its release.
The soundtrack has also broken some music records. Four of the soundtrack’s songs charted in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, which has never been done before. The soundtrack also charted in the top-10 positions on various other streaming charts.
However, KPop Demon Hunters is still unstoppable. The girls of HUNTR/X have just broken a new record after spending 15 straight weeks on the Netflix Top 10 list. The film is now the longest-running English-language film to earn this honor. Red Notice spent 12 weeks in a row, 14 weeks total, in the Top 10.
It’s also projected that KPop Demon Hunters will not be leaving the Top 10 anytime soon. The film received 19.3 million views in its record-breaking 15th week. For context, this is almost double the 10.3 million views of Ruth & Boaz, which took second place in the most recent Top 10 list.
Hopefully, the successes of KPop Demon Hunters help pave the way for more unique stories in the future. On paper, an animated musical action adventure film about K-pop stars that fight the forces of evil, Buffy the Vampire Slayer-style, may sound like a box office failure. However, clearly, audiences are excited for this type of storytelling.
Sony and Netflix are reportedly discussing a possible KPop Demon Hunters sequel. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed that this comes true! In the meantime, we’ll just have to keep an eye on what new accolades the film will earn in the future.
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