Netflix’s smash hit animated film KPop Demon Hunters has become the most-streamed movie in Netflix history with 236 million total views.
Co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, it follows popular K-pop girl group HUNTR/X, who lead a double life as hunters battling a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, who turn out to be demons.
The action musical has knocked crime comedy Red Notice off the Netflix number one spot, which was previously the streaming platform’s most-watched film with just under 231 million views.
It is joined in the top five spots by the Taaron Egerton thriller Carry On, with 172 million views, the Leonardo DiCaprio hit Don’t Look Up with 171 million views, and the 2022 Ryan Reynolds time travel adventure film The Adam Project with 157 million views.
It comes after HUNTR/X’s songs made Billboard history, with the singing trio – comprised of EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI in their roles of Rumi, Mira and Zoey – becoming the first all-female trio to top the charts since Destiny’s Child earlier this month.
They are also the first all-female group associated with K-pop to top the Hot 100 with their lead track “Golden”.
Netflix released a sing-along version of KPop Demon Hunters earlier this month following the resounding success of similar cinema screenings.
In a surprise appearance at a preview of one of the sing-alongs, EJAE said the reaction to the film and its songs had been “insane”.
“I’m speechless,” she told audience members. “This has all been insane. I’ve been crying a lot.”
KPop Demon Hunters has been setting records since its release. Back in June, it received the highest combined critic and audience score ever for an original production on Rotten Tomatoes.
Kang revealed in an interview with Forbes that the Saja Boys were inspired by successful K-pop groups, including BTS, Stray Kids and BIGBANG, while HUNTR/X referenced girl groups such as Blackpink and Twice.
Citing BTS’s 2020 virtual concert during the Covid pandemic as another key inspiration, she said it demonstrated how music could unite people and transcend cultural boundaries, one of the more central themes in the film.
