Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters has exploded into a massive hit, rivaling Red Notice as the streaming platform’s most-watched film (it should soon surpass the Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot film).
More recently, what started as a small, vibrant, sing-along theatrical event has unexpectedly skyrocketed into another instance of the film becoming an unstoppable pop culture moment.
When the special screenings were announced on August 13 for select theaters across the country, fans snapped up tickets almost instantly. Theaters added more showtimes to meet the demand, but those sold out just as quickly.
This frenzy has continued over the past two weeks, leading to KPop Demon Hunters to now be predicted to finish first on the domestic weekend box office charts.
Per Deadline Hollywood, the film is currently projected to earn $15+ million this weekend, a number just large enough to edge out the horror film Weapons, which is projected to earn $13.5 million.
KPop Demon Hunters, co-written and co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, follows the thrilling adventures of Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), three young-adult pop idols who make up the group Huntr/x. Born into an ancient lineage of demon slayers, the trio must balance their glamorous careers with the dangerous responsibility of combating supernatural threats.
Their skills are put to the ultimate test when their most formidable demonic adversary (Lee Byung-hun) orchestrates the rise of a rival K-pop boy band designed to siphon the souls of unsuspecting fans.
Faced with this sinister challenge, Rumi, Mira, and Zoey must fight with everything they’ve got to protect both the world and the bond that holds them together.
Adding a meta layer of intrigue, the two fictional K-pop groups portrayed in the film have skyrocketed in popularity, achieving chart-topping success that rivals real-world sensations like BTS and Blackpink, cementing the movie’s blend of supernatural action and pop culture spectacle.
"When they aren’t selling out stadiums, Kpop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey use their secret identities as badass demon hunters to protect their fans from an ever-present supernatural threat. Together, they must face their biggest enemy yet – an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise.”