The Cultural Powerhouse Fueling KPop Demon Hunters

In the K-pop realm, the global hit follows a trend from last year: Gangchan, member of the South Korean boy band Got7, recently won acclaim for his appearances in three smash-hit TV series that include the top-rated Korean drama at Apple TV+, Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim 2. The members of K-pop group Stray Kids are set to release a new series this year as well. All these stars share the same screen debut — one of Netflix’s flagship films last year.

In mid-June, a week after the release of KPop Demon Hunters, the Korea Cultural Center in Paris received a total of 180 people on the weekend for a film screening and talk with the staff. KPop Demon Hunters has just been released globally, and as of June 27, it is the number one film in Netflix rankings in 89 countries.

The Korean Wave is entering a new stage. Both artists and works that cross the boundaries of media and art, and young consumers who show versatility in media and genre, are the highlights. The focus has shifted from idol culture and fictional music groups to authentic groups. In other words, the desire for a new representative ‘K-pop group’ has emerged in Korea and around the world.

The film about the K-pop bands Huntr/x and Saja Boys that embark on demon-hunting missions to save the world has quickly risen to the top of the Netflix charts as the best film in 89 countries since its release last June. The original soundtrack songs that featured in the film also topped the charts. This is an opportunity to verify the current state of the global K-pop trend and the new generation of consumers.

Huntr/x and Saja Boys, the two K-pop bands at the centre of KPop Demon Hunters, have seven songs included on Billboard’s Top 100 charts. In South Korea, these works are also gaining attention. In a survey conducted by The Quietus on ‘a unique visual work you know of from the world of K-pop and would like to watch,’ Huntr/x was chosen as a ‘character you want to see’. In the second half of June last year, Huntr/x’s original ‘Fighter’ music video reached 11 million views in one month, even without a real-world appearance.

Another work that takes a different approach to Korean idols is Love Life, a monthly webtoon collaboration series by the K-pop magazine Spice. In particular, CNBLUE’s Jung Yonghwa, who has drawn the most attention, has expanded his work from a photo novel to a webtoon story. It is a part of the ongoing YouTube special film The Secret Diary of School, co-directed by Jung Yonghwa and Yoo Seung-ho, and other works in his works. He also shows a sincere look.

People with more than one favourite K-pop group

Media service provider Netflix also released a press release for the film last June, saying, “Netflix has announced that KPop Demon Hunters has broken records as the most watched K-pop movie in the platform’s history.” The diverse media mix of webtoons, TV, and live broadcasts can be seen as a new ecosystem for consumers who consume media and content at the speed and characteristics of the times.

Netflix’s global success for the Korean animated film also foreshadowed its popularity as a music soundtrack. The difference is that most consumers are not K-pop fans who consumed music in the past. In KPop Demon Hunters, some of the most recognizable names in the K-pop industry, Teddy Park, Lindgren, and Chris Applehans, made soundtrack music that could easily fit into the group rankings.

The future of K-pop

This is also proof that now is the right time for Korean pop culture and music. In particular, the characteristics of streaming services and the media mix that came with them are proving the potential of cross-industry collaborations and innovative, digital-friendly platforms that can create added value in all fields.

Park Gyeong-pyo, director of Open Entertainment and a fan of AOA and Lovelyz, used the words ‘expectation’ and ‘growth potential’ to express his high expectations for Huntr/x and Saja Boys. “After K-pop, my next hobby is an original webtoon series, and I consume video works with more than one favourite K-pop group. I look forward to more content releases, so my friends and I can expand our communication and connection,” Park added.

In the film, Huntr/x is shown as one of the global superstars, so the content could be enjoyed even without K-pop music skills. However, the audience also felt that the song ‘Fighter’, which gave an alternative face to the ending and was filmed originally, was very K-pop. It seems that it shows the phenomenon that can be applied to K-pop that goes beyond just music or the group’s age. KPop Demon Hunters also includes K-pop music and members that can easily appeal to the wide range of potential fans.