'K-Pop Demon Hunters' OST 'Golden' has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first time since BTS. The 'K-Demon Hunter' craze is creating a global syndrome.
On Nov. 11 (local time), a Billboard chart forecast stated that the OST 'Golden' from the Netflix movie 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' has reached No. 1 on the Billboard main singles chart Hot 100. This achievement, which pushed aside Alex Warren's popular song 'Ordinary', has drawn particular attention.
'K-Pop Demon Hunters' is an action fantasy animated film that tells the story of K-Pop superstars Lumi, Mira, and Joy, who act as hidden heroes known as 'Hunters' protecting the dazzling world behind the stage. The film was released on June 20 via Netflix.
Notably, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' has maintained its popularity, recording No. 1 among U.S. Netflix films for seven weeks since its release. It has accumulated 158.8 million views to date, ranking fourth among all-time Netflix films. Critics suggest that it could surpass the 171.4 million views of 'Don't Look Up', which is currently third, and even aim for the 230.9 million views of 'Red Notice', the all-time number one Netflix film.
The popularity of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' reflects the K-Pop formula, which is also evident in its title, driven by the OSTs. The Billboard-topping 'Golden' features high notes reminiscent of hit songs by Korean girl groups, a grand-scale chorus, a narrative atmosphere that transitions between highs and lows, and addictive melodies that appeal to all ages. Additionally, the representative OSTs of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters', such as 'Soda Pop' that maintains a refreshing debut vibe unique to boy groups, and 'Your Idol', which reinterprets traditional attire and incorporates an image transformation with a decadent atmosphere, are also gaining popularity.
Prior to reaching No. 1 on the Billboard chart, 'Golden' also topped charts on platforms like Apple Music, Amazon, global Spotify, and YouTube Music, signaling the start of a global syndrome. Furthermore, 'Golden' also reached the top of the UK singles chart, another major global music chart along with Billboard. It seems to have peaked with No. 1 on the Billboard main chart Hot 100.
In fact, the record for No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 is held only by BTS among domestic artists. BTS has six songs that reached No. 1 as a complete group, while only Jungkook and Jimin among the members have hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in solo activities. The vocalists of 'Golden' include Lee Jae, Ray Ami, and Audrey, all of whom are Korean-Americans. They are the first female artists of Korean descent to reach the top of Billboard.
Not only does 'K-Demon Hunter' show impressive success metrics, but it also contributes to the significance of a work created abroad using K-Pop as its theme. The pride in various K-brand contents like music, drama, and films has previously spread around fandoms both domestically and internationally. However, 'K-Demon Hunter' is a project that has been actively showcased on Netflix in the U.S. while being created through K-Pop even among Korean-Americans. This marks a step forward, transitioning from Korean-produced content being exported to overseas markets to being created overseas.
Furthermore, the wave of 'Golden' and 'K-Demon Hunter' is also leading to high expectations for awards and franchise potential. 'Golden' has already qualified to be nominated as an OST contender for the Academy Awards, garnering fans' anticipation.
Additionally, the U.S. entertainment media Hollywood Reporter reported on Nov. 6 about an interview with Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans, director of the Netflix film 'K-Pop: Demon Hunters', and Dan Lin, head of the Netflix film institutional sector. According to them, Netflix is currently preparing a sequel in animated form for K-Demon Hunter. Previously, the possibility of a live-action adaptation was speculated, but it has been revealed as false; instead, the production team is planning a sequel that captures the uniqueness of 'K-Demon Hunter' in animated film.
In this context, Dan Lin stated, "I am excited to explore Huntress's next adventure" and added, "The success of 'K-Demon Hunter' came from an original and fresh story. In the sequel, I want to maintain the sensibility and uniqueness of the first film ('K-Demon Hunter') set against a future with the beloved Demon Hunters."
[Photo by] Netflix.
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