KPop Demon Hunters Shatters Netflix Records, Sequel Set for 2029

When KPop Demon Hunters quietly landed on Netflix in June, few could have predicted the storm it would unleash. The animated musical, initially overlooked, has since become a streaming juggernaut, outpacing every other film in the platform’s history. Seven months on, it’s still a fixture in the Top 10, with audiences showing no sign of fatigue. The film’s journey from a modest release to a global phenomenon has been anything but ordinary.

Despite a low-key debut, the film’s blend of K-pop flair and supernatural adventure struck a chord. The story follows a trio of pop idols moonlighting as demon hunters, their onstage chemistry matched only by the offstage tensions and threats they face. What began as a Sony Animation project, later handed to Netflix as part of a content deal, has now become the streaming service’s crown jewel. The numbers speak for themselves: a 93% Tomatometer from critics, a near-unblemished 99% audience score, and a string of chart-topping singles. Not content with dominating screens, the soundtrack has also made waves across global music charts.

Accolades and Audience Adoration

Recognition has come thick and fast. The film has amassed over 100 nominations at various film and music awards, walking away with 83 wins to date. Among its most notable triumphs are the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Animated and Best Original Song – Motion Picture for the track “Golden.” The accolades don’t stop there; it’s in the running for five Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and is also up for Best Original Song at the Oscars.

What’s perhaps most remarkable is the film’s staying power. Even after two limited theatrical runs, it continues to draw in millions of viewers each week. In recent weeks alone, it’s been clocking up 9 million views per week, outpacing festive favourites like Jim Carrey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The appetite for the film shows no sign of waning, with fans keeping it firmly in the spotlight.

Sequel on the Horizon

With such runaway success, talk of a follow-up was inevitable. However, fans will need to exercise patience.

'KPop Demon Hunters 2' Will Expand the Franchise…in 2029

There was no sequel in the pipeline initially, so the four-year wait is actually rather swift by animation standards. For context, the gap between Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel was five years, while Disney’s Zootopia and Frozen sequels took even longer to materialise. In that light, a 2029 release for the next chapter seems almost brisk.

Until then, the original continues to break records and set new benchmarks for what an animated musical can achieve on a global stage. With the trio of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey set to return, anticipation is already building for their next adventure. If the current trend holds, the only contender likely to dethrone KPop Demon Hunters from its streaming throne may well be its own sequel.