The Success of Netflix's Smash Hit KPop Demon Hunters Is No Surprise

The Korean Wave has long been driving global pop culture trends.

- Catherine Thorbecke

The summer smash-hit movie that caught everyone off guard turned out to be an animated musical about demon-fighting Korean pop stars. It's the latest example of how South Korea's soft power shapes global trends. Seoul must now ensure it benefits from this unique storytelling as much as Netflix.

KPop Demon Hunters has become Netflix's most-watched original film of all time. Its two-day theatrical run topped the US box office, and it became the first soundtrack to have four songs in the Billboard Hot 100's top 10. The breakout popularity among children and pre-teens has many comparing the franchise potential to Frozen, which is estimated to have made Disney billions of dollars.

Analysts clearly see the potential. On an earnings call last week for US retailer Five Below, one asked bluntly about merchandise: "Three words: KPop Demon Hunters?" Netflix thought it was making a movie for the K-pop and anime audience. In an increasingly interconnected world, these lines are more blurred than ever.