How popular is 'Kedeheon'?
Number one at the North American box office with just two days of special screenings
Screened in 1,700 theaters across North America on August 23-24
Tickets sold out at over 1,000 venues
Major U.S. media outlets give
The Netflix animated film 'Kpop Demon Hunters' (hereafter referred to as Kedeheon), which has enjoyed long-term global popularity, topped the North American box office despite not having an official theatrical release. It is considered highly unusual for a film to reach number one through special screenings alone.
How popular is 'Kedeheon'?... Number one at the North American box office with just two days of special screenings
On August 24 (local time), the American entertainment media outlet Variety reported that 'Kedeheon,' produced by Sony Pictures Animation and based on Korean culture, was estimated to have generated between $18 million and $20 million (approximately 28 billion won) at the North American box office over the weekend of August 23-24. As Netflix did not officially release revenue figures, the exact earnings have not been tallied.
'Kedeheon,' which was released on Netflix's streaming service in June, gained explosive popularity in the global market. As a result, Netflix held a special "sing-along" event screening in North American theaters for just two days, on August 23 and 24. A sing-along event is a special screening where, beyond simply watching, the audience actively participates and enjoys the film or musical by singing along.
Screened in 1,700 theaters across North America on August 23-24... Tickets sold out in many locations
More than 1,700 theaters in North America participated in this event, and tickets were reportedly sold out in over 1,000 of those theaters. David Gross, an analyst at the film consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, said, "This weekend, a streaming title originally made for home viewing is connecting with audiences in ways that major theatrical releases have not achieved. For 48 hours, audiences have been singing, dancing, dressing up, and fully immersing themselves in this TV movie. This is the essence of pop entertainment."
Major U.S. media outlets spotlight the phenomenon
Previously, on August 22, The New York Times, a leading U.S. daily, ran a feature article titled "'Kpop Demon Hunters' Has Everyone Shaking Their Heads. Especially Parents," highlighting the extraordinary popularity of Kedeheon. In addition to The New York Times, major American outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Time magazine, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter have all given significant coverage to the Kedeheon phenomenon.
Domestic tourist attractions and traditional characters also gain popularity
Riding its global popularity, Kedeheon has become the most successful Netflix animation of all time, thanks to its unique universe that blends traditional Korean folklore with modern K-pop culture. The film's main OST, "Golden," even reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The success of Kedeheon is having a direct impact on Korean tourism and culture. Famous Seoul landmarks featured in the film, such as Namsan, Bukchon, the Han River, and the National Museum of Korea, have seen an influx of foreign tourists, while merchandise featuring traditional Korean animals like tigers and magpies is selling rapidly. Experts say, "The case of Kedeheon demonstrates that K-pop can expand beyond the music industry into the global content and tourism industries."
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