Major American media outlets like Time and CNN have successively reported on the global phenomenon surrounding the Netflix animated film “KPOP DEMON HUNTERS” as well as analyses of its causes. Now, the prestigious American daily The New York Times (NYT) is shining a special spotlight on it.
On August 22 (local time), the NYT published an article titled “‘KPOP DEMON HUNTERS’ is shaking up everyone, especially parents,” featuring numerous stories of parents who have been completely captivated by the film.
According to the NYT, Sylvia Cruz (41), a mother of five children aged 2 to 13 living in North Carolina, was initially hesitant when her kids told her they wanted to watch the film. But after seeing it herself, she became even more hooked and has watched it at least 12 times.
Sylvia Cruz recalls first saying upon hearing the film’s title, “No way am I watching a movie with ‘Demon’ in the name. And what even is K-pop?”
She shared that her children have watched the film about 30 times so far, and when they’re not watching it, they usually listen to the soundtrack together. Sylvia Cruz added that it’s mainly the music that keeps her coming back: “The melodies are really rich and delicate. You can’t help but naturally move to the rhythm and sing along.”
Chris Man (43), a content creator based in Los Angeles and father of two boys, 4 and 8 years old, told the NYT in an interview: “When something becomes this dominant, it’s hard to ignore it. I’m a parent living this addiction firsthand.” He called “KPOP DEMON HUNTERS” the annual internet-shaking phenomenon for 2025.
Chris Man explained:
“As millennial parents, we experienced the golden age of boy bands and girl groups. We were fans of N’Sync, Backstreet Boys, Destiny’s Child, so we’re a generation that’s more easily drawn to K-pop idol music.”
He added: “That confident kind of pop is deeply embedded in our DNA, and the flashy choreography and insanely catchy melodies in this film have awakened the ‘90s Kraken inside us.”
Melissa Jaro (42), a mother of two daughters aged 7 and 9 from New Jersey, said she wasn’t very familiar with K-pop but has bonded with her kids and grown to enjoy the phenomenon while watching the film together.
Melissa Jaro pointed out: “I’ve watched a lot of shows with my kids when they were younger, but they don’t like boring or slow stuff, so there’s not much they’ve watched all the way through. But this film moves a lot faster.”
Famous comedian Andy Samberg recently said on Jimmy Kimmel Live that he is currently “totally hooked on KPOP DEMON HUNTERS.”
The NYT concludes about these testimonies that, “as James Joyce said, ‘the particular contains the universal,’ and among recent films, few embody that idea better than this one. The film even draws in viewers who have never been exposed to K-pop.”
The paper also notes that this animated film achieved an unexpected hit this summer, “reaching a cultural impact comparable to Disney hits like “Encanto” and “Frozen”.”
The NYT highlights a remarkable fact: the popularity of “KPOP DEMON HUNTERS” only continues to grow over time. Unlike the usual pattern where a new film peaks in viewership shortly after release and then gradually declines, this film is experiencing the opposite, gaining popularity steadily.
According to Nielsen data, the first week of streaming in June totaled about 250 million minutes watched, then quadrupled the following month, surpassing one billion minutes in the fourth week of July.
The paper also points out that the craze is not limited to the screen: soundtrack songs like “Golden,” “Your idol,” and “Soda pop” have made it into the Billboard Top 10 charts, illustrating “how the popularity of “KPOP DEMON HUNTERS” reflects the global growth, especially in the U.S., of the K-pop fandom and the export of Korean culture.”
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: New York Times, Netflix
