The Netflix animated film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' is a box office success worldwide. It has not only secured the top spot in the global film category but also made waves on major overseas music charts with its OST.
According to FlixPatrol, an online video streaming ranking site, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' maintained a strong global No. 1 position in the Netflix film category with a high viewer score of 841 as of the 29th, ten days after its release.
Due to the weekend effect, the viewer score surprisingly surged on the 29th, allowing it to top the viewing rankings in 33 countries. In South Korea, it briefly dropped to No. 2 during the weekdays but climbed back to No. 1 starting from Saturday, the 28th, and maintained that position until the 29th. In the United States, it has consistently ranked No. 2.
'K-Pop Demon Hunters' is an animated film that combines K-Pop and occult action, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, known for creating 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse'. It features a significant contribution from a Korean-Canadian director, Maggie Kang, and co-director Chris Applehans, among other Korean production staff.
The story revolves around K-Pop superstars 'Rumi', 'Miri', and 'Joy', who act as hidden heroes protecting the glamorous world behind the stage.
Just one day after its release on the 21st, it topped the charts in 22 countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Japan, France, and Germany. By the third day, on the 23rd, it soared to global No. 1 in 31 countries, and on the 24th, it reached No. 1 in 41 countries, reflecting a surge in viewership.
Moreover, on the 29th (local time), Billboard announced in a chart preview article that the OST album for 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' debuted at No. 8 on the main album chart 'Billboard 200'. This album recorded the equivalent of 31,000 album units.
The 'Billboard 200' ranks album consumption based on traditional album sales, streaming counts converted to album sales (SEA), and digital download counts converted to album sales (TEA).
The film's OST album achieved the highest debut performance of the year and recorded its first 'Top 10' soundtrack. During this charting period, it recorded 27,000 SEA, 3,000 album sales, and 1,000 TEA.
The album features songs like 'Take Down' and 'Golden' performed by the popular K-Pop girl group 'HuntRix', as well as 'Soda Pop' by the competing boy group 'Lion Boys'. The version of 'Take Down' sung by TWICE members Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung is also included.
This intense popularity is also reflected on Spotify, the world's largest music platform.
On Spotify's June 28th 'Daily Top Songs Global' chart, 'Golden' ranked 7th, 'Your Idol' 11th, 'Soda Pop' 17th, 'How It's Done' 19th, 'Free' 34th, 'What It Sounds Like' 39th, 'Take Down' 57th, and the version of 'Take Down' by Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung ranked 100th, showcasing a strong presence of OST tracks.
Additionally, on the 'Daily Top Songs US' chart, 'Your Idol' ranked 6th, 'Golden' 8th, 'How It's Done' 21st, 'Soda Pop' 29th, 'What It Sounds Like' 38th, 'Free' 42nd, and 'Take Down' ranked 52nd.
Including members of the group TWICE, choreographer Lee Jung, and producer Teddy, many representative K-Pop artists contributed to enhancing the quality of the music, which is filled with Korean elements such as Bukchon, Namsan Tower, and the Grim Reaper. Familiar elements of K-Pop fandom culture, such as fan sign events, light sticks, and Korean placards, have also been incorporated, adding to its significance for K-Pop fans.
