"K-Pop Demon Hunters" Sets Record for Highest Viewership on Netflix and Earns Fantastic Bonus

The film "K-Pop Demon Hunters", produced by Sony Pictures Animation, has achieved great success on the Netflix platform and is now crowned as the most-watched film worldwide on that streaming service. This extraordinary success has led Netflix to award an additional bonus of USD 15 million (approximately Rp 240 billion) to Sony Pictures as recognition for the film's performance that exceeded expectations.

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1. Netflix Gifts Sony Fantastic Profits

Sony received a bonus worth USD 15 million after "K-Pop Demon Hunters" recorded the highest global viewership in Netflix's history. This amount is in addition to the film's main revenue, bringing Sony's total profits to around USD 40 million (more than IDR 600 billion).

Netflix is known to have a performance based bonus system, which is a mechanism for granting bonuses to studios whose films perform above target. In this case, "K-Pop Demon Hunters" exceeded all expectations, even outperforming several other popular Netflix original films such as "Red Notice" and "The Gray Man".

2. Release Plan Changes

The film was initially planned for a global theatrical release under Sony Pictures Animation's distribution. However, due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic at the beginning of this decade, Sony decided to sell its exclusive distribution rights to Netflix in 2021.

This move turned out to be a brilliant decision. Netflix then released the film globally in June 2025, making it one of the most ambitious animated projects with a K-pop theme in the world.

"The decision to collaborate with Netflix is not just a business strategy, but also a way for this film to reach a wider international audience," said one Sony executive in a statement.

3. Global Viewership Record Achievement

instagram.com/kpopdemonhuntersnetflix

Since its release, "K-Pop Demon Hunters" has dominated the Netflix viewership charts in over 90 countries, including the United States, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Indonesia. In less than a month, the film recorded over 300 million views worldwide, making it the most-watched film in Netflix history.

This record even surpassed other major series and films that previously held the top positions. Its popularity was also bolstered by the strong cultural appeal of K-pop and global promotion through social media and themed concerts for the film.

4. Soundtrack Success Dominates Global Charts

instagram.com/kpopdemonhuntersnetflix

The success of this film does not stop at the visual side. Its main theme song, "Golden", sung by one of the top K-pop stars, has managed to break into various global music charts.

The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and also topped the UK Official Singles Chart. Not only that, the film's soundtrack received five nominations at the 2026 Grammy Awards, reinforcing "K-Pop Demon Hunters" as one of the most successful cross-media projects of the year.

The combination of high-quality animation, action story with a touch of Korean culture, and inspiring music makes this film a new representation of the globalization of K-pop in the film industry.

5. Sequel in Front of Your Eyes

Seeing the incredible enthusiasm from the audience, Netflix and Sony have signed a deal to work on the sequel "K-Pop Demon Hunters 2", which is currently in the early script development stage.

Internal sources indicate that this sequel is scheduled for release in 2029, with the creative team and several main voice actors returning.

The success of "K-Pop Demon Hunters" is not just about viewership numbers or fantastic bonuses for Sony, but also a significant moment in the history of cinema and Korean pop culture. This film proves that stories with Asian cultural roots, when packaged universally and engagingly, can compete at the highest levels of the entertainment industry.

(kpl/saf)