You may have heard the lyrics, “A Little Higher”, but how much higher can this popularity get. Over the fall of 2025, the movie Kpop Demon Hunters was released by Michelle Wong, taking the world by storm.
In this year already marked by groundbreaking releases, Kpop Demon Hunters, a hybrid, animated, supernatural film, has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about movies of the year. The film merges the glitz and glamour of the rising K-pop industry with an edgy supernatural plotline, creating a dynamic and thrilling narrative that has resonated with fans of all genres.
The film’s premise centers around a group of K-pop idols. Huntrix is a girl K-pop group who secretly moonlight as demon hunters, protecting their fans and the world from dark forces lurking in the shadows, such as the Saja Boys.
So far, K-pop Demon Hunters’ music has risen to the top of the charts. The song, “Your Idol”, by the fictional Saja Boys band has topped the US charts, making them the highest charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history – surpassing kings of K-pop, BTS. A track by the girl group Huntrix, called Golden, hit number two on the chart,s surpassing Blackpink as the highest-charting female K-pop group. The movie’s soundtrack shot to the top ten of the Billboard 200.
Since its global release last month, the film has exceeded expectations at the box office, grossing almost $150 million in just its first three weeks. Streaming platforms have also reported record-breaking viewership numbers, as fans clamored to get a closer look at the action-packed drama. What sets this film apart is its ability to weave together high-energy performances, a deep cultural connection to the K-pop fandom, and an intricate supernatural storyline that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with plot twists and turns, like, what secret could Rumi be hiding? Is Jinu all that trustworthy?
The film isn’t just limited to popularity in Canada and America where it originated. International audiences, especially in South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Europe, have embraced the movie with enthusiasm.
Social media became the battleground where this quick-rising popularity phenomenon truly exploded. Viral challenges showcased fans mimicking the Huntrix’s and Saja Boy’s moves, including one of the most popular dances, Soda Pop. While the dances were popular, fan theories dissected the lore behind each song, performance, and the movie as a whole. This level of engagement fostered a sense of community, bringing together the fandom as a whole and connecting people across the world, wiith cosplay, fan-made music videos, and edits that merge the film with original K-pop tracks. #KpopDemonHunters has been trending worldwide for weeks, and merchandise sales– from action figures to specifically designed concert light sticks – are through the roof.
Experts are already speculating about the future of genre-blending entertainment, setting a new precedent for what is possible in mainstream cinema. The movie’s success could pave the way for more high-energy, culturally infused supernatural films to cater to a diverse global audience. The trend of merging music, action, and fantasy isn’t new, but this particular blend has struck a unique chord with fans who crave new experiences in storytelling. Whether or not this starts a new trend, one thing is for certain: K-pop and demon hunting have never been so cool.
