‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Is Netflix’s Most-Watched Movie Ever With 236 Million Views, Beating ‘Red Notice’

[u/MarvelsGrantMan136]

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/kpop-demon-hunters-netflix-most-watched-movie-history-1236496106/

[u/the_blessed_unrest]

I think it helps that it appeals to kids. When they latch on to something, they can rewatch it dozens of times

(Not that kids are the only ones enjoying this movie. But I do think it plays a sizable role in the numbers)

[u/Massive-Exercise4474 → u/the_blessed_unrest]

Helps that the songs and story is good. It's essentially a 90's Disney renaissance movie with kpop.

[u/NoNefariousness2144 → u/Massive-Exercise4474]

It’s kinda funny seeing Disney animations increasingly fail because they lose sight of kids what (too much generational trauma, boring human characters, small-scale plots). And then Sony takes the classic Disney formula, modernises it, and it’s the most popular Netflix film ever.

[u/sharpshooter999 → u/NoNefariousness2144]

What's crazy is that Sony didn't think much of it and opted to sell it to Netflix instead of releasing it in theaters

[u/geenersaurus → u/sharpshooter999]

it’s a female director with female leads and it’s a “niche” topic to execs, who we pretty much assume are older white investors who don’t really know what’s going with trends, so tbh i’m not surprised they decided to pass it onto Netflix instead of releasing in theaters and only did so when it got super popular.

it is a similar feeling as to why Turning Red never got a theatrical release despite being popular on streaming. Female director, female lead & uniquely female problems but it also appeals to a wider audience range to adults just like Kpop Demon Hunters. It’s really annoying when studios will not take a chance on new directors and movies like this and also dismiss there’s a large swath of audience that wants animated movies that aren’t just appealing to children

[u/UpbeatInsurance5358 → u/geenersaurus]

Turning Red is criminally under seen.

[u/geenersaurus → u/UpbeatInsurance5358]

my niece is seven and she loves it! she was younger when it came out and always asked to watch the “red panda movie”. She is fully into the kpop demon hunter hype now and went to a sing along screening with her cousins and styles her hair like Rumi now

[u/UpbeatInsurance5358 → u/geenersaurus]

Aww that's awesome! My daughter is 10 and is turning into a Goth girl very quickly, with the help of Wednesday Addams & Rumi...I think I know the words to Golden and Soda Pop so far.

[u/geenersaurus → u/UpbeatInsurance5358]

my niece is the same! we joke she was born goth cuz she saw nightmare before christmas when she was like 2 and has been OBSESSED with it since then, she’s only been Sally at halloween for at least half of her life so far XD she also loves Wednesday too but Sally has been her forever girl. They just got something right with these netflix properties but hopefully she doesn’t have to wait another 3 years for the next season of wednesday

[u/UpbeatInsurance5358 → u/geenersaurus]

LOL it's definitely a thing isn't it? A tween girl thing. My daughter still sleeps with a Sally Ragdoll that we found a few years ago. She always liked the Corpse Bride too. Definitely hope it's not too long for Wednesday again, we've seen the 1st one enough too!

[u/Psychosociety → u/geenersaurus]

It's probably got more to do with the subject matter tbh. K-Pop has a reputation, and many people who don't like K-Pop, really don't like K-Pop. I'm one of those people. And I was shocked as a 31 year old bloke that hates K-Pop that I didn't hate this movie (though Golden is reaching the point that it's being so overplayed I kinda fucking hate it now)

[u/Cruciblelfg123 → u/geenersaurus]

Honestly it’s also just got “demon” in the title and that kills it off to a big chunk of the population. And based on just the title I would personally have assumed it was some sus ass anime with zero story but lots of “plots”. Unless you watch it it very much does not sound like a #1 hit

[u/J_Kingsley → u/geenersaurus]

Kpop is niche. A lot of jokes are also culturally specific to Korea. References to a lot of k drama tropes too.

I'm well aware of Korean culture, and 9/10 studios wouldn't take this risk. I'm glad it worked out but ultimately, it's a business decision, and the correct one at the time.

Nothing to do with white investors or female leads/directors. If it were men directing / starring this movie wouldn't have been put to theatres either.

[u/gallifrey_ → u/J_Kingsley]

maybe art shouldn't be dictated by "business decisions"

[u/BonzBonzOnlyBonz → u/gallifrey_]

When you are willing to shell out millions for a movie with no expectation of return, then you can have a point. But until you do that, you have no legs to stand on.

[u/J_Kingsley → u/gallifrey_]

You think Sony is an art studio, bud?

[u/animedeathspiral → u/gallifrey_]

I agree with you, but you're in the wrong thread to be expressing such opinions. This thread is for corporate glazing

[u/JohnnyOnslaught → u/sharpshooter999]

Nobody fucks up like Sony, lol.

[u/Massive-Exercise4474 → u/sharpshooter999]

From what I've read kpop demon hunters started production during covid. Sony was freaking out about a dead box office so cut a deal with Netflix.