[Journalism Internship] 'KPop Demon Hunters' blew up on Netflix. Then Korea blew up around the world
Published: 07 Dec. 2025, 15:27
![This image released by Netflix shows characters Zoey, from left, Rumi and Mira in a scene from ″KPop Demon Hunters.″ [NETFLIX]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/07/d969637f-fceb-42f3-84b1-145e2a344e6f.jpg)
This image released by Netflix shows characters Zoey, from left, Rumi and Mira in a scene from ″KPop Demon Hunters.″ [NETFLIX]
Lee Ji-hoon, Jeon Ha-eun, Lee Jae-won, Um Si-wool, Lee Joo
Whether you are familiar with K-pop and K-cultures or not, you may have heard the song “Golden,” a song from the soundtrack of the animated movie “KPop Demon Hunters.”
The film is a Netflix original released on June 20 as a summer blockbuster, portraying a group of K-pop idols who secretly work as demon hunters, balancing their lives on and off the stage to protect the world from supernatural threats rooted in Korean mythology.
The movie was a success, totalling 325.1 million views since its release, according to Tudum by Netflix. The film is widely covered by news outlets and even Billboard, as evidenced by the song “Golden” being featured on the Hot 100 chart for over 20 weeks.
However, the boom of K-culture wasn’t all new. BTS helped lay the foundation for the global rise of K-culture through music, social media engagement and record-breaking achievements, says the East Asia Foundation. Blackpink, similarly, amplified this momentum through visually striking music, worldwide fashion partnerships with brands such as Chanel, and strong media engagement.
The two groups transformed K-pop from a regional, national genre into a worldwide phenomenon. Their success created the most appropriate global environment for projects like "KPop Demon Hunters" to thrive and be embraced by millions.
In essence, it isn’t just the film itself that is making an impact; the soundtrack of the film quickly became featured in the Hot 100 of Billboard. It wasn’t just another animated film but a culturally blended work that brought together K-pop, Korean folklore and animation into one single product.
"KPop Demon Hunters" became a paradigm of how the world could embrace the unique energy of Korea’s entertainment industry while simultaneously celebrating universal appeals such as courage, identity and the fight between good and evil.
People question the extent of influence of a single film. Here’s how "KPop Demon Hunters" impacted Korea through an economic lens, specifically by examining Korea’s changing import and export patterns.
Impact on domestic food products
![Visitors take photos in front of a backdrop showing characters from the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” eating ramyeon at the 2025 Gumi Ramyun Festival in Gumi, North Gyeongsang, on Nov. 7. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/07/bff1d9a3-37ff-4506-a94d-a38c92b676db.jpg)
Visitors take photos in front of a backdrop showing characters from the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” eating ramyeon at the 2025 Gumi Ramyun Festival in Gumi, North Gyeongsang, on Nov. 7. [NEWS1]
One of the most unexpected outcomes of the global "KPop Demon Hunters" rise has been its influence on Korea’s food industry. As reported by Asia Today, major food manufacturer Nongshim saw a 44 percent rise in operating profit and a 37 percent increase in net profit in the third quarter of 2025, a growth partially driven by overseas demand for Korean snacks such as ramyeon.
Capitalizing on the film’s momentum, Nongshim launched promotional campaigns that paired its products with imagery inspired by "KPop Demon Hunters," including an attention-grabbing billboard in New York’s Times Square. This collaboration strengthened the association between Korean food and Korean pop culture in the minds of foreign consumers.
As such, overseas purchases of ramyeon, Saeukkang shrimp crackers, and spicy Korean flavors saw steady growth. The success demonstrates how a cultural product can organically boost the consumption of domestic goods.
Impact on Korean tourism
![Visitors mingle on the steps outside the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Oct. 17. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/07/fc713aba-e507-4867-babe-6d35a3a458b9.jpg)
Visitors mingle on the steps outside the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Oct. 17. [YONHAP]
Due to the film's global influence, tourists are now visiting Korea for first-hand experiences of the featured signature locations, such as Naksan Park, Bukchon Hanok Village, N Seoul Tower and Cheongdam Bridge, promoting the tourism industry.
According to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, Seoul received 1.36 million overseas tourists in July, the highest-recorded number of foreign tourists for that month, on the back of interest. Considering that the surge in tourist numbers occurred one month after the film’s release, this demonstrates the extent to which "KPop Demon Hunters" made a significant contribution to the tourism sector.
Specifically, the National Museum of Korea surpassed 5 million visitors this year, the highest figure since its establishment in 1945. This represents an astonishing 69.7 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The museum’s “Magpie and Tiger” brooch also became a surprise hit, with many visitors noting its resemblance to the iconic tiger character in "KPop Demon Hunters," Duffy.
According to the National Museum Foundation of Korea, which oversees the museum’s cultural product business, the brooch sold 38,104 units in July alone, generating approximately 560 million won ($380,000) in revenue.
'KPop Demon Hunters' promotes Korean culture globally
The influence of "KPop Demon Hunters" continues to be prevalent, as evidenced by data indicating an increase in cultural exports of Korea.
Notably, this includes the increase in reservations for K-pop concerts and other K-pop-related activities. According to the Korea Tourism Organization’s tally, K-pop concert reservations by Taiwanese tourists increased by 1,400 percent in August compared to July.
Similarly, K-pop dance class registrations increased by 400 percent and 575 percent in the United States and Taiwan, respectively.
Additionally, foreign tourists’ consumption of K-food increased by a considerable margin. For instance, there was a 157 percent increase for Singaporean tourists compared to before the movie release.
Likewise, Korea Culture & Tourism Institute data on culture, sports and tourism export totals have shown an increasing trend after the release of the movie: Totaling $406,686,340 in September, the newly established trend makes it the fifth highest figure in a month since 2017.
September also marked an all-time high for monthly export totals of the arts category at $95,406,145, which was a 57.4 percent increase compared to the last quarter. As Kang Shin-gyu, a senior researcher at the Korea Broadcast Advertising Promotion Corporation, said, "'KPop Demon Hunters' is the first case in which Korean culture has established itself as a major resource for global capital.”
Overall, the success of "KPop Demon Hunters" can demonstrate how a single cultural product can create a multilayered economic and cultural impact for a single country. The film's influence spread through Netflix, positively shaping global perceptions of Korea while also strengthening national industries such as food manufacturing, tourism and cultural exports.
BY LEE JI-HOON, JEON HA-EUN, LEE JAE-WON, UM SI-WOOL, LEE JOO [[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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