How did ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ become Netflix’s top movie?
How did ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ become Netflix’s top movie?
The film is now the most successful Netflix original film of all time, and new data from Luminate is shedding light on how that happened.
Perhaps even Netflix didn’t anticipate “Kpop Demon Hunters” becoming the sensation that it is. The movie has raced to the top of every Netflix chart, and is now the most-watched original film in the streamer’s history. But what path did “KPop Demon Hunters” follow to success, and how did it differ from more traditional hits? New data from Luminate is helping to answer those questions.
Key Details:
- Global audience: “KPop Demon Hunters” was a bit less popular in the United States than in other territories.
- Staying power: The movie benefited from strong viewership as the weeks following its release went by.
- Youthful viewers: Over 30% of the global audience for the movie were under 18.
The United States is usually a driver of global success for Netflix titles, but with “KPop Demon Hunter,” the story is a bit different. The movie is still popular domestically, but Luminate’s data shows that it is still outpaced by other Netflix original titles in the U.S. in terms of viewership. “KPop Demon Hunters” surpassed 30 million views in its first nine weeks, a hearty number, but less than movies like “Carry-On” and “Happy Gilmore 2.”
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A robust global audience is nothing for “KPop Demon Hunters” to be ashamed of, and highlights the impressive presence of Netflix around the world. The streamer has over 300 million global subscribers, and while viewership in the United States is important, it’s not the end-all be-all of a title’s success — as “KPop Demon Hunters” demonstrates.
Even here in the U.S., the movie had a very different path to success than the average hit film. Typically, Netflix movies get massive viewership upon first being released, followed by a tailing off until the viewership for that title fades into the background of the service’s massive catalog.
Not so with “KPop Demon Hunters,” however. According to Luminate, the movie had a much softer premiere, but has held steady in week-to-week viewership in the U.S. Most animated movies that see the sustained success that “KPop” has enjoyed get long releases in theaters first, so the continued popularity of the streaming-only film is fairly unique. “KPop Demon Hunters” did get a limited theatrical window, but only after releasing to streaming customers first.
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Younger audiences are helping “KPop Demon Hunters” reach its lofty heights. Luminate says that 31% of the film’s audience is under 18, and 50% is under 34. The viral nature of the movie, with its imitable songs and dance moves, has helped to fan the flames of its popularity amongst an audience that’s always looking for the next social media trend.
Any way you look at it, Netflix has a monster hit on its hands in “KPop Demon Hunter.” It can now mine the film for future franchise opportunities, and it may just have a model of success it can replicate with other TV shows and movies in the coming years as well.
Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”