After 63 Weeks & 1.1 Billion Hours Watched, KPop Demon Hunters Set An Impossible Standard For Netflix

Published Sep 9, 2026, 12:45 PM EDT Cooper Hood is the Associate Editor for all new movie releases, in theaters and on streaming. In addition to writing articles about these titles and upcoming releases, he also oversees content planning for each, ensuring that ScreenRant continues to cover major releases for months after their release. He has written various reviews for ScreenRant that appear on Rotten Tomatoes, coordinated Oscars and San Diego Comic-Con coverage, appeared on CNN to talk about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and done select interviews with talent over the years. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters has been a global phenomenon from the moment it came to the streaming service last summer. Originally meant to have a theatrical release from Sony Pictures Animation, the studio sold the film to Netflix in what proved to be a move that worked out tremendously for everyone involved. KPop Demon Hunters became a chart-topping, viral sensation that audiences couldn't get enough of. With the ever-evolving libraries of movies and shows available on streaming, most Netflix original movies only retain relevance for a few weeks. Maybe a month or two if they're lucky. KPop Demon Hunters has had a different trajectory and staying power. The movie kept gaining interest for weeks and held strong for months, which is how it wound up becoming Netflix's most-watched movie of all time, based on views accumulated during its first 91 days. But KPop Demon Hunters didn't fall off after that. In an unprecedented run, the animated fantasy musical stayed in Netflix's top 10 weekly charts for 63 weeks. KPop Demon Hunters finally fell out of the charts in week 64. It collected 1.128 billion hours watched during this time thanks to 676.9 million views. No other Netflix original ​​​​​​movie or licensed film has come close to these numbers, which puts the pressure on KPop Demon Hunters 2. Sequels are always expected to be bigger than before, both in terms of the story's scope and metrics that define success. The issue is that KPop Demon Hunters has now set an impossible standard for its sequel, as well as any other future Netflix original, to live up to. KPop Demon Hunters 2 Will Struggle To Match KPop Demon Hunters' Performance No Matter How Great It Is Looking squarely at KPop Demon Hunters 2, it would take a miracle for the sequel to outperform the first. Most movies would be happy to have a fraction of KPop Demon Hunters' viewership stats. Even if the sequel winds up being better than the original, the odds of it keeping audiences' interest enough to beat the first movie are low. The one advantage KPop Demon Hunters 2 will have over the original is at the start. KPop Demon Hunters arrived on Netflix as an original property without that much fanfare. It only collected 9.2 million views and 15.4 million hours watched during its opening weekend. Those were the lowest totals the movie had in its first 24 weeks. KPop Demon Hunters 2 should be a massive hit from the jump. Fans will be eager to see Rumi, Mira, and Zoey again and experience all of HUNTR/X's new songs. I fully expect KPop Demon Hunters 2 to set the record for the biggest opening for any Netflix original movie. That should give the sequel a head start in chasing the first movie's viewership numbers, but it will have to maintain its popularity for months to even get close to the overall success. KPop Demon Hunters 2 Shouldn't Worry About Replicating These Netflix Stats Image via Netflix There will inevitably be comparisons between KPop Demon Hunters and its sequel's performance, but that can't be the main focus as development continues. The first became so successful because audiences fell in love with the story and characters, as well as the music. The quality of those elements, plus the animation, is what KPop Demon Hunters 2 needs to worry about. As long as audiences are pleased with the sequel, it is sure to go down as a success. They are the ones who will rewatch the movie, share it with others, and push its viral moments and songs. That is easier to do when the movie is great. The only way KPop Demon Hunters 2 falls flat is if viewers are disappointed with what comes next. KPop Demon Hunters 2 won't need to match the original's performance to be a hit, either. The first film struck lightning in a bottle, so not even Netflix will be expecting the same results twice. The streamer will be able to count KPop Demon Hunters' follow-up as a success with lower figures. And if the numbers do go up, up, up, then Netflix and this franchise are golden. Release Date June 20, 2025 Runtime 96 minutes Director Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang Writers Hannah McMechan, Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang, Danya Jimenez Producers Michelle Wong