The cultural phenomenon of Demon Hunters KPop simply cannot be stopped. First released on Netflix in June, the animated fantasy musical became the most-watched Netflix film of all time and earned several award nominations, while its best songs dominated the music charts. As film awards season approaches, Demon Hunters KPop received another honor.
TIME Magazine named Demon Hunters KPop its breakthrough of the year 2025. On the cover of this issue, interviews with the Demon Hunters KPop the cast and crew are accompanied by custom cover art of Rumi (voiced by Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), aka Huntr/x. Check out this cover below:
“In retrospect, the film’s appeal seems obvious: cool girls in sick costumes, singing full-throated anthems about self-acceptance that also prove to be instant earworms, accompanied by inventive, vibrant visuals,” said TIMEThis is Eliza Berman. “But his success was not inevitable. KPop Demon Hunters is an original story in an era of conservative reliance on familiar intellectual property.“
This distinction highlights Demon Hunters KPop on par with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry: TIME also named Las Vegas Aces player A’ja Wilson as Athlete of the Year and Leonardo DiCaprio as Entertainer of the Year. Taylor Swift was also TIMEPerson of the Year in 2023 (they will announce the 2025 Person of the Year on December 11).
TIME reveals anecdotes of Demon Hunters KPop team to make the film and experience its reception. “Every time I’m on the street, at least one KPop Demon Hunters song is playing in a store or restaurant,” said Ji-young Yoo. “It’s like it can’t get bigger, and then it does.“
There’s also a story behind the very catchy but somewhat silly title that has come to represent the brand of the fledgling franchise. “We were constantly telling ourselves that we would find a cooler title,” says director Chris Applehans. “I think it ended up serving us. This begs the question: “What do these two things have to do with each other?” »“
The other director of the film, Maggie Kang had been working on the story for years, “[beginning] with a smaller budget, a darker tone, and a slightly older target demo.“ Kristine Belson of Sony Pictures Animation convinced Kang to adjust his approach and brought in Applehans. The filmmakers are also excited to produce the anticipated film Demon Hunters KPop following.
In addition to breaking streaming records, Demon Hunters KPop was a huge success at the box office, with both weekends of theatrical release following its introduction on Netflix. Demon Hunters KPop is now nominated for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globes.
Demon Hunters KPop also earned a third nomination at the 2026 Golden Globes, for her film and box office achievements, alongside the likes of Sinners, weaponsAnd Villain: for good. Demon Hunters KPop will likely be a fierce competitor, but this honor of TIMEless of a competitive race, recognizes the true pop cultural force of nature that it has become.
- Release date
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June 20, 2025
- Runtime
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96 minutes
- Director
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Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang
- Writers
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Hannah McMechan, Chris Applehans, Maggie Kang, Dannya Jimenez
