IP Breaking Out of the Screen... Netflix's No. 1 Animation Is Swallowing the Real Economy [Real-Economy Hallyu]

"Korean Details" Sell Out 30,000 Museum Goods
Proving an IP-Convergence Playbook with an 80% Surge in Tourism Bookings
Presenting Advanced Industrial Convergence Strategies Beyond Screen-Only Consumption

Still from the animated film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters'.

The success of video content is breaking out of online screens and driving the real economy. This demonstrates the power of intellectual property (IP) proven by the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" (Kedeheon). Going beyond simple viewing, it is sweeping across industries such as tourism, food and beverage, and information technology (IT), and is reshaping the global lifestyle landscape.

The film recorded 325.1 million views, setting a monumental record as the most-watched Netflix movie of all time. It stayed in the global Top 10 for 15 consecutive weeks, breaking the record for the longest run by an English-language film. Its cumulative viewing time reached 541.8 million hours.

The impact of the derivative music easily surpasses the box-office success of the film itself. The track "Golden" became the first song by a virtual girl group, and the first from a non-Disney animated film, to top the Billboard Hot 100, the main U.S. singles chart. It also sparked a syndrome in the United Kingdom by becoming the first K-pop song to rank No. 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart for four consecutive weeks.

At the heart of these overwhelming achievements lies meticulously polished "Korean detail." The production team reinterpreted the traditional Korean grim reaper's gat and hanbok in a modern way to create the villains "Saja Boys." They also drew inspiration from the goblin figures of Korean folk beliefs to build an original visual identity for the monsters.

K-Pop Demon Hunters pop-up store opens in Seongsu-dong - Yonhap News

The weapons wielded by the protagonists also borrow from Joseon- and Gaya-era swords such as the four-bladed sword, curved sword, and ritual dagger, giving the action a distinct texture. In addition, they combined the ritual structure of gut, a Korean shamanistic ceremony, with K-pop performance, expressing it through dance and song, while naturally weaving everyday Korean food culture such as gimbap and ramyeon into each scene.

The visual direction and character narratives are also key factors that have galvanized the global fandom. The "Soda Pop" performance scene by Saja Boys drove the film's early popularity on social media, and the comedic scene where the main characters Mira and Joy see their abs and their eyes turn into popcorn shapes went viral online. In the latter half, the standoff scene in which Huntrix barges into a variety show set also gripped viewers with palpable tension. However, there has also been sober criticism that the 12-frames-per-second style of animation induces visual fatigue, and that the focus on flashy visuals has come at the expense of narrative coherence.

Regardless of the debate over artistic merit, the cultural details scattered throughout the screen have radically reshaped the landscape of the offline tourism industry. In July and August last year, the number of foreign visitors to the National Museum of Korea surged by 19% compared with the same period a year earlier. The "Magpie and Tiger" badge, which appears as a prop in the film, sold only 80 units in May, but sales skyrocketed to 38,140 units in July, immediately after the movie was released.

Nongshim launches collaboration product with Netflix movie 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' - Yonhap News

On global travel platform Klook, bookings for Korean cultural experience products jumped by 80%. Reservations for styling experiences such as idol makeup surged by 200%, and demand for dance classes teaching songs from the film rose by 40%. As foreign visitors took interest in the public bathhouse scenes, bookings for body scrubbing services at saunas near Seodaemun District increased by 11%.

The influence of this mega IP has also taken firm root in the real economy through convergence with other industries. Nongshim rolled out limited-edition versions of its flagship products, including Shin Ramyun and its Kkang snack series, featuring characters from the film for global markets. Paris Baguette launched dedicated cakes and baked goods that reflect the animation concept. Samsung Electronics released exclusive themes on the Galaxy Store, targeting device users. Samsung C&T and the Seoul Metropolitan Government also linked the film IP to offline urban events by showcasing a large-scale fireworks show and a Han River light performance, respectively.

An official at the Korea Culture Information Service Agency stated, "'Kedeheon' has proven a structure in which video content simultaneously drives both the national brand and the real economy," and stressed, "Beyond visual success, it is necessary to embed advanced convergence strategies that combine IP with other industries across the entire content sector."