K-pop fans from all over the world rejoiced when Netflix announced its original film, “Kpop Demon Hunters,” which was released on June 20, 2025. However, it wasn’t just fans of Korean pop music who were watching. The movie’s popularity soared as more and more people viewed it, their interests piqued by clips on social media, the absolute banger of a soundtrack, or the multitude of positive feedback.
The movie follows Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, members of the K-pop group HUNTR/X. They secretly hunt soul-stealing demons, working to seal the Honmoon with their music to prevent the demons from ever entering their world again. Suddenly, a K-pop band of demons, the Saja Boys, make their appearance, threatening to destroy the Honmoon. As the demons grow more powerful, Rumi has to face the fact that she is part demon herself, especially as she finds herself falling in love with one of the members of the Saja Boys.
By late August, “Kpop Demon Hunters” had become Netflix’s most watched film of all time, with over 236 million views. But why was the movie such a hit?
“I really like the songs and I really like how it was animated. I also really like all the characters, and the plot for me, was really fun,” Harper Franty (9) explains.
“It’s just a great movie,” Jayde Rose Rivas (9) says. “It’s really heartwarming.”
The characters are also really loveable and relatable. “I think my favorite part would be the beginning when the girls are on the plane eating food, because it really makes them feel like actual people, not like just the perfect K-pop idols that you’ll usually see in the media,” Sonika Li (11) says.
In addition to being fun to watch, part of the appeal may be the K-pop aspect, which is central to the film.
“I think it became so popular because I feel like [high schoolers] also like K-pop, and since it had K-pop featured, I think [high schoolers] would watch it too,” Rae Agoncillo (9) speculates. This is just one of the most recent examples of the global phenomenon known as hallyu.
Hallyu (한류) translates to “the Korean wave” and is the term for the rise in popularity of Korean culture and pop culture globally. For example, the K-pop group BTS is currently the most streamed group on Spotify, and in 2019, the Korean film Parasite was the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The megahit of “Kpop Demon Hunters” is a testament to the effect of hallyu, showing how popular South Korean culture and media has become globally.
On the flip side, more people are becoming interested in Korean culture after watching the movie. “Ever since I watched the movie, I’ve been listening to more K-pop and trying to watch more K-dramas,” Franty shares. “And also now whenever my parents don’t know what to get for dinner, I just make them order Korean.”
Another reason for the movie’s blockbuster hit is the theme of self-love and being proud of who you are. Throughout the movie, Rumi is told to cover up her demon patterns because her “faults and fears must never be seen”. Eventually, the shame of having to hide who she is begins to overwhelm her. “I like the story of how she learns to live with her demon marks, because I feel like that’s very inspiring,” Franty comments. The movie also highlights themes of love, compassion, and acceptance, especially for those who are different from you.
“I think I really like [HUNTR/X] because they all come from different backgrounds, and yet they still came together to do this thing that they all love,” Li says.
