With 2 Oscar wins, how ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ charted a path to mainstream success

Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters (2025) won two Oscars on Sunday (March 16) for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song, in what was a banner night for a film that initially came to the streaming platform with little expectation. It is now Netflix’s most-watched film, ever. Developed by Sony Pictures, the film bypassed theatres and went straight to the streaming service under a pandemic-era deal, when movie theatres were mostly closed. As reported by Puck News, the deal led to Sony earning limited profits, with Netflix largely reaping the benefits of the film’s success. As of August 2025, the film had seen 1,300 sold-out screenings of a special sing-along version released in theatres across the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, and had its songs top US music charts. A sequel is now in the works. How did the film break multiple commercial records and accrue critical acclaim along the way? Its formula builds on several overlapping cultural trends, eye-catching aesthetics, and the basics of what makes for an enjoyable animated film. Infusing Korean mythology KPop Demon Hunters follows three members of a popular Korean girl group called Huntrix. They live double lives as hunters of demons, whose existence is unknown to ordinary humans, and fight them through the power of their music. In the process, the main characters also learn the values of self-acceptance and teamwork. The setting provides ample space for a colourful and bright visual background, which is rendered in the film’s unique animation style. It has received praise for faithfully incorporating aspects of Korean culture, including the city landscape of Seoul, as well as Korean food and mythology. For instance, it reimagines a feature seen in many Disney films involving princesses, that of a cute animal companion. In the film, this takes the form of a tiger and a magpie. A report in The Korea Times stated, “This odd-couple pairing may seem random at first, but it traces back to Korean folk art and genre paintings called “minhwa.” Flourishing in the later centuries of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), minhwa broke away from the refined conventions of court painting. Rather than following rigid formalism, the genre embraced raw charm and unrestrained spontaneity. Brimming with whimsical, often mischievous details, these works reflected the imaginative desires and everyday humor of ordinary people.” “Traditionally, the tiger was seen as a guardian against evil spirits and the magpie as a harbinger of good news. But in minhwa, these auspicious figures took on a satirical twist, delivering a playful jab at those in power,” it added. Mijeong Mimi Kim, a Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Washington University in St. Louis, was among the advisers consulted for the cultural depictions. She told the university magazine that her suggestions included details like the type of sword used by the characters in the film, and ensuring their historical accuracy. K-pop and its fan culture Focusing on K-pop artists lets the film add multiple catchy and energetic songs common to the genre in its two-hour runtime. Some of the soundtrack features the popular K-pop girl group, TWICE. The film attempts to capture aspects of the genre in a way that both nods to the fan culture and pokes occasional fun at its intensity without looking down on it. Most of the soundtrack is in English, which helps widen its appeal to non-Korean audiences. In centering K-pop, the film capitalises on the rapid rise of the genre in the West over the last decade. Groups such as BTS, TWICE, and Blackpink served as inspiration for the characters’ appearances and fashion, and many K-pop stars have praised the film. Producers and songwriters for K-pop hits also gave their input to the film soundtrack. But it’s not just K-pop — Korean movies and culture have had a spot in the limelight for a while now, where they are no longer seen as unusual. This could have eased KPop Demon Hunters’ path to mainstream success. At the Oscars, too, the 2019 film Parasite won the Best Picture award in 2020, becoming the first non-English film to do so. The next year, Minari, featuring American and Korean actors, won the Best Supporting Actress award for Youn Yuh-jung and received many nominations. Squid Game, the most-watched series on Netflix, was also a Korean creation. Incidentally, Squid Game actor Lee Byung-hun voiced the main antagonist in Kpop Demon Hunters. Professor Kim said, “Works such as “Parasite” and “Squid Game” reveal universal aspects of human nature — both its strengths and its flaws. Their power lies in their unflinching honesty, resisting any impulse to soften or idealize reality. They present everything with remarkable polish.” She added that their rise had been aided by technology, as is also the case with KPop Demon Hunters getting a vast global audience through Netflix. Kids as a key demographic From a focus on friendships to love interests, the film includes several aspects common to feel-good animation movies. The genre is often targeted at children, and this film has the advantage of catchy songs that they request to be played on repeat. Netflix now offers a version with just the film’s music videos. The overwhelming popularity doesn’t mean the film hasn’t faced criticisms, ranging from a lack of depth in characterisations to some plot inconsistencies. But put together, the visuals, music, and the overarching sense of fun and action have been enough to propel it to success. Rishika Singh is a deputy copyeditor at the Explained Desk of The Indian Express. She enjoys writing on issues related to international relations, and in particular, likes to follow analyses of news from China. Additionally, she writes on developments related to politics and culture in India. ... Read More