Original Film "K-pop Demon Hunters" Achieves Success
Driven by Appealing Characters and Experimental Style
An Opportunity to Build Emotional Bonds with Generation Alpha
"I want to surpass Disney in the family animation sector." This is what Netflix founder Reed Hastings said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.
Despite various efforts, Netflix was unable to achieve this goal. Many of its popular titles were actually owned by other companies. For example, "Cocomelon," produced by Moonbug, recorded high viewership numbers on Netflix, but starting in 2027, it will be available exclusively on Disney+. Hit theatrical releases such as "Minions" (2015) and "Despicable Me 3" (2017) were also only available on Netflix through licensing agreements with Illumination, a subsidiary of Universal Studios.
Recently, Netflix has found hope for breaking away from this structure. The original film "K-pop Demon Hunters" is topping various charts. Released in mid-June, this film ranked first or second on the Netflix global film chart for five consecutive weeks. Last week (July 14?20), it set a new record with 25.8 million views, indicating that interest continues to grow. Insert songs such as "Golden," "Soda Pop," and "Your Idol" are also performing well, ranking high on the Billboard Global 200 chart.
The driving forces behind its success include appealing characters, an experimental animation style, and meticulous attention to detail. Unlike Disney, which has stuck to similar facial features and appearances for its female protagonists over the past 15 years, "K-pop Demon Hunters" did not follow this trend. Instead, it conveyed a wide range of emotions to viewers through rich expressions that sometimes appeared silly or quirky.
This differentiation is also evident in the story and its structure. Disney has recently faced criticism for lacking originality by sticking too closely to the universal formula of its own animations. In contrast, "K-pop Demon Hunters" combines the niche market of K-pop with the popular superhero genre, creating opportunities to appeal to a wide range of age groups.
The addition of fun elements to a fresh story is the work of Sony Animation. While Netflix continues to develop its own production capabilities, it is likely to keep leveraging such partnerships.
At the center of this strategy is "K-pop Demon Hunters." This is not only because of the cultural attention and enthusiasm surrounding K-pop. The film is family-friendly content that can attract a broad age range. This aligns with the blueprint Disney has long pursued, and by adding musical elements, it has succeeded in modernizing the concept.
Proven production capabilities could have a significant impact not only in future competition with Disney but also across the entire content industry. This is because, in North America, PG-rated (Parental Guidance suggested) films have been outperforming PG-13-rated (Parents Strongly Cautioned for children under 13) films since 2023. Notable examples include "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (2023), "How to Train Your Dragon" (2025), and "Lilo & Stitch" (2025).
In Hollywood, such films are even considered alternatives to curb YouTube viewing among Generation Alpha (those born between 2010 and 2024). With "K-pop Demon Hunters," Netflix has secured an opportunity to form an emotional bond with the next generation.
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