Reception

Record-Breaking Hit

Sung by Audrey Nuna, Ejae, and Rei Ami, the movie’s theme song “Golden” became the first track by female K-pop singers to become a Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper and only the ninth K-pop song overall to reach number one. It also topped the U.S. Spotify chart in July 2025, briefly surpassing the bands BTS and Blackpink, and later hit number one on the Official U.K. Singles Chart—the first K-pop single to do so since Psy’s “Gangnam Style” (2012).

Following its release, the film became Netflix’s most-watched title of all time, with more than 236 million views in two months. Audience demand extended into theaters, where a sing-along edition sold out more than 1,300 screenings in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, briefly pushing the film to the top of the U.S. box office. KPop Demon Hunters was named best animated feature at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Critics Choice Awards.

Music and soundtrack

Legacy

Given the film’s unprecedented success, Sony and Netflix have confirmed early talks for a sequel, with Kang suggesting that a future installment could center on Mira or Zoey’s backstories.

The film has also expanded into publishing. In collaboration with Netflix, Penguin Random House announced a multi-imprint publishing program set in the world of KPop Demon Hunters, including children’s titles, illustrated and activity books, and a planned manhwa (Korean comic books and graphic novels) adaptation.

Music is the film’s engine—diegetic songs carry plot and character arcs. Through its music Huntr/x strengthens the protective barrier that keeps its fans safe from Gwi-Ma, whereas the Saja Boys use their music to entice and drain their audiences. Executive music producer Ian Eisendrath worked with a wide team of writers and producers, including Teddy Park, Lindgren, Jenna Andrews, and Stephen Kirk. The soundtrack features vocals by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami, Andrew Choi, Danny Chung, Kevin Woo, samUIL Lee, Neckwav, and Lea Salonga.

The film’s soundtrack, comprising 12 original songs, achieved a level of commercial success seldom seen for a production released directly to streaming. It became the first soundtrack to place four songs simultaneously in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 10—with “Golden” at number 1, “Your Idol” at number 4, “Soda Pop” at number 5, and “How It’s Done” at number 10. “Golden” stayed at the top for multiple weeks as it gained traction on radio, while the album held the number-2 spot on the Billboard 200 and surpassed three billion global streams by late August 2025. In 2026 “Golden” became the first K-pop song to win a Grammy Award. Netflix has also launched an Oscar campaign, submitting “Golden” in the best original song category. Critics praised the soundtrack as a collection of polished K-pop singles and as an integral part of the storytelling, with songs advancing the plot and giving voice to the characters’ emotions. “Soda Pop,” with its catchy hook, doubles as an introduction to the Saja Boys’ sinister motives, while “Hunter’s Mantra,” the film’s opener, incorporates traditional Korean vocal techniques to establish its mythic frame.