SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) - The fictional K-pop idol group remains unstoppable in its reign over global music charts as Netflix’s animated sensation K-pop Demon Hunters extends its historic run on the U.S. Billboard rankings — now bolstered by viral television performances.
According to Billboard on Monday (local time), the film’s original soundtrack (OST) reclaimed the top spot on both the Hot 100 singles chart and the Billboard 200 albums chart, marking its second double-crown achievement within a month. Eight tracks from the album simultaneously appeared on this week’s Hot 100.
The lead single “Golden” by the virtual girl group HUNTR/X held No. 1 for the seventh consecutive week, and eighth overall, on the Hot 100. Their onscreen rivals Saja Boys also landed in the Top 10 with “Your Idol” at No. 7 and “Soda Pop” at No. 10. Other standout tracks — “How It’s Done” (No. 17), “Takedown” (No. 30), and “Free” (No. 31) — continued to dominate streaming charts.
The K-pop Demon Hunters soundtrack has now stayed within the Billboard 200’s Top 10 for 15 straight weeks since debuting at No. 8. Billboard said the ranking reflects a mix of traditional album sales, streaming-equivalent albums (SEA), and track-equivalent albums (TEA).
Adding to its cultural momentum, the trio of real-life artists behind HUNTR/X — EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — made their television debut on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week, performing “Golden” in a dazzling blend of animated visuals and live choreography. The performance went viral within hours, topping YouTube’s trending music chart.
Earlier this month, Saturday Night Live also featured a comedy sketch inspired by the film, in which segments of “Golden” and “Takedown” were performed live — signaling the franchise’s crossover from animation into real-world pop culture.
Released earlier this year, K-pop Demon Hunters follows a K-pop girl group that battles evil spirits through music. With high-energy choreography, cinematic visuals, and distinctly Korean motifs — including a tiger mascot named Duffy and a gat-wearing magpie — the film became Netflix’s most-watched original animation, surpassing 300 million views worldwide.
Cited as the most successful K-pop–inspired project to date, critics say the phenomenon redefines the boundaries between pop fandom, digital storytelling, and global music marketing — proving the enduring, universal appeal of Korea’s creative ecosystem.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
