Khaberni - The Korean-American animated film "Korean Pop Band: Demon Hunters" "KPop Demon Hunters" continues to achieve unprecedented achievements on the global art scene, dominating viewing lists and awards, becoming the talk of the award season as it approaches historic nominations in both the Grammy and Oscar awards.
Within weeks of its release on the Netflix platform last June, the film became the most-watched work in the platform's history, driven by a story that blends the world of K-Pop music with fantasy, where the Korean girl band Huntr/x engages in musical battles against demons that steal souls through singing.
The success is not limited to the film alone, but also extends to its soundtrack, which has become a global phenomenon on its own. Its songs have achieved record listening numbers, and the album has received a "Platinum" rating. It marks a historic precedent as four songs from the film entered the top 10 songs in the United States at the same time.
The song "Golden" dominated the scene, having become the most listened to new song globally over the past year and has already won a Golden Globe Award, along with nominations for prestigious British awards.
This season, it is also nominated for Best Song at the Grammy Awards and Best Original Song at the Oscars, a feat not achieved since the song "Circle of Life" from The Lion King. If it wins both awards, it will be the first original song from an animated film to achieve this historic success.
Executive music producer Ian Alexander believes that the secret to this success is due to a non-traditional collaborative writing process and drawing inspiration from the unique theatrical character of K-Pop music, asserting that the songs were designed to advance the story, not just to achieve commercial spread.
To ensure musical credibility, the filmmakers collaborated with the renowned Korean production company The Black Label, along with a top team of songwriters and producers, lending the work artistic depth that resonated widely with the global audience.
Singer and songwriter Ejae, the lead voice for the song “Golden”, explained that the song carries deep psychological and personal dimensions, inspired by her own experience after many years of training to become a K-Pop star before turning to songwriting.
She noted that the film celebrates Korean culture, especially shamanic beliefs and the role of sound and music in combating evil.
In reality, the film's impact has extended beyond the screen, as the Huntr/x band has participated in major public performances in the United States, while the popularity of the artists involved in the work has notably increased. The commercial success of the soundtrack also enhanced the financial and investment status of The Black Label, amid reports about its preparation to go public.
Despite rumors circulating about a second part of the film expected in 2029, Netflix remains silent about the future of the series.
