Amidst the vibrant backdrop of South Korea’s largest amusement park, throngs of eager fans gather, their wait stretching for hours, all to dive into the thrilling world of “KPop Demon Hunters.”

In a unique partnership with South Korea’s Everland park, located just outside bustling Seoul, U.S. streaming powerhouse Netflix has brought the magic of the Sony Pictures Animation film to life. This themed zone is a sensory delight, featuring interactive games like whack-a-mole, dance challenges, and a variety of movie-inspired snacks.

The collaboration is just one facet of the “KPop Demon Hunters” phenomenon sweeping Netflix and beyond. As the film captivates audiences worldwide, it simultaneously energizes the $10 billion K-pop music industry it so vibrantly represents.

According to Netflix, “KPop Demon Hunters” achieved unprecedented success, becoming the platform’s most-watched film by August. By October, it had amassed over 325 million views, a testament to its massive appeal.

Eager to maximize this success, Netflix has orchestrated two exclusive theatrical releases of the film. Additionally, strategic partnerships with toy giants Hasbro and Mattel have been forged, ensuring “KPop Demon Hunters” merchandise finds its way into the hands of fans globally.

Behind the scenes, Agnes Lee played a pivotal role as an associate producer, skillfully managing the casting process and scouting locations from the heart of Seoul, contributing to the film’s authentic and immersive experience.

“K-pop and K-culture was such a huge and important part of this movie,” Lee told CNBC in Seoul. “We wanted to be authentic.”

Once popular mainly in Asia, K-pop music has become a global phenomenon. Artists like PSY, who shot to international stardom in 2012 with his viral music video “Gangnam Style,” put an international spotlight on K-pop. PSY’s hit song became YouTube’s most-watched video that year. 

Since then, other K-pop acts have run up impressive numbers, too. BTS’ song “Dynamite” has exceeded 2 billion streams on Spotify. BLACKPINK’s 2023 tour became the highest-grossing by a female group on record, according to stats at the time from Touring Data.

Now, even “KPop Demon Hunters’” fictional bands are topping the global music charts.

“I think people watched ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ in spite of that ‘K-pop’ in the title. And then, after watching it, they realized, ‘Oh, wow. I’m a K-pop fan,’” said Danny Chung, a K-pop producer and the voice of the film’s character, Baby Saja. “And now there’s a whole back catalogue of three decades of K-pop music that they have to dive into.”

And there’s plenty more to come: BLACKPINK is expected to release a new album. BTS is planning a comeback in 2026 after members of the band completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. 

Enthusiastic investors have pumped up the stock prices of South Korea’s “Big Four” K-pop companies. Shares of HYBE, JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment are all up double digits year to date. YG has risen more than 100%.

The impact of the film’s rise may not stop at music.

“The breakout success of ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ which could become one of Netflix’s most-watched content items, underscores K-content phenomenon in global market,” Mirae Asset Global Investments said in an Oct. 19 report. “We believe this cultural boom is a key catalyst driving increased international consumption of Korean cosmetics and food products such as noodles.” 

On the political front, speculation is high that China, which blocked K-pop and other South Korean cultural exports under President Xi Jinping’s campaign to promote what Beijing considers proper socialist values, could soften its restrictions.

The countries’ presidents had a positive meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea.

“We continue to see K-pop as a direct beneficiary of thawing Korea-China relations,” Mirae said.