Stories of Parents Hooked on "K-Pop Demon Hunters" with Their Children
"One of the Best Recent Films"
Popularity Continues to Soar Over Time Since Release
Soundtrack Craze as Well: Dominating the Top of the UK Singles Chart
The prominent American daily, The New York Times (NYT), has spotlighted the sensation surrounding the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters," which is based on Korean culture.
Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' features the three-member girl group 'HuntRix' who hunt evil spirits. Photo by Netflix
On August 22 (local time), the NYT published an article titled "K-Pop Demon Hunters Is Making Everyone Nod Their Heads. Especially Parents," featuring numerous stories of parents who have become captivated by the film.
According to the publication, Sylvia Cruz (41), a mother of five children aged 2 to 13 living in North Carolina, was initially reluctant when her children said they wanted to watch the film. However, after watching it herself, she became so engrossed that she has now seen it at least 12 times.
Cruz recalled that when she first heard the film’s title, she said, "Absolutely not, if it has 'demon' in it. And what even is K-pop?" She added that her children have watched the film about 30 times, and when they're not watching, they usually listen to the soundtrack together. Cruz commented, "The melodies are truly rich and delicate. It’s impossible not to find yourself naturally moving to the rhythm and singing along."
Chris Mann (43), a content creator living in Los Angeles (LA) and father of two boys aged 4 and 8, said, "When something is this dominant, it’s hard to ignore," adding, "I am a parent who has experienced this addiction firsthand." He explained, "Every year, there’s something that takes over the internet, and in 2025, it’s K-Pop Demon Hunters." Mann analyzed that, as millennial parents who experienced the golden era of boy bands and girl groups-such as NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and Destiny’s Child-it’s easier for them to get hooked on K-pop idol music. He further explained, "That kind of confident pop music is deeply embedded in our DNA, and the film’s dazzling choreography and ridiculously catchy melodies have awakened the sleeping 90s Kraken within us."
Famous comedian Andy Samberg also appeared on the TV talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" recently and said he is currently "totally obsessed with K-Pop Demon Hunters." The NYT noted, "There may not be another recent film that so perfectly captures this feeling," adding, "This movie is attracting even viewers who have never experienced K-pop before." The publication also assessed that, as this animated film has become an unexpected mega-hit this summer, it is reaching a level of cultural impact similar to past Disney titles like "Encanto" and "Frozen."
The publication particularly highlighted that the popularity of K-Pop Demon Hunters has continued to grow over time since its initial release. According to Nielsen data, the film recorded about 250 million minutes of streaming time in its first week after its release in June, but this figure more than quadrupled, surpassing 1 billion minutes in the fourth week of July, the NYT reported.
The article also pointed out that the phenomenon is not limited to the screen. The film’s soundtrack songs "Golden," "Your Idol," and "Soda Pop" all reached the top 10 on the Billboard charts, emphasizing, "The popularity of K-Pop Demon Hunters is a recent example of how much K-pop fandom and the export of Korean culture have grown worldwide, especially in the United States."
In addition to the NYT, other major American outlets such as The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Time magazine, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter have previously covered the K-Pop Demon Hunters phenomenon in depth.
Riding the global wave, including in the United States, three original soundtrack (OST) songs from the film simultaneously entered the UK Official Singles Chart Top 10 for the second consecutive week, as announced on this day. Among them, "Golden" held the number one spot for two consecutive weeks. The song first entered the singles chart at number 93 and reached number one earlier this month, becoming the first K-pop song in 13 years to top the singles chart since Psy’s "Gangnam Style" in 2012. Last week, it became the first K-pop song ever to achieve two non-consecutive weeks at number one, and this week, it extended the record for the longest non-consecutive run at the top.
"Golden" was performed by composer Lee Jae, a former SM Entertainment trainee, singer Audrey Nuna, and Ray Ami. All three singers are Korean American. In the animation, the song is performed by the virtual girl group Huntrix. The track also previously reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. In addition, "Soda Pop," performed by the rival boy group Saja Boys in the film, ranked third, and "Your Idol" ranked sixth. The OST "Takedown," sung by TWICE members Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung, ranked 31st, making a total of four OST tracks from the film on the singles chart. BLACKPINK's song "Jump" remained on the singles chart for six consecutive weeks at number 22. TWICE's "STRATEGY" ranked 35th, and "APT.," a duet by Ros? and pop star Bruno Mars, ranked 37th. The song "GABRIELA" by HYBE’s Korean-American joint girl group Cat’s Eye ranked 61st.
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