KPop Demon Hunters Is Time Magazine's Breakthrough of the Year

When Time Magazine names you Breakthrough of the Year, you’re no longer a regular film; you’re a cultural phenomenon. That’s exactly what has happened to KPop Demon Hunters, the animated film that went from a bold creative gamble to the most talked-about animated film of 2024.

On Tuesday, 9 December, Time unveiled its latest cover featuring the film’s powerhouse trio: Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, also known collectively as Huntr/x. It’s a striking image not just because it’s visually stunning, but because it’s the first time in over a decade that an animated film has reshaped global pop culture with this kind of force. Not since Frozen dominated the world back in 2013 has animation felt so inescapable.

Released on Netflix on 20 June, KPop Demon Hunters quickly became the streamer’s most-watched title ever with 325 million views, a wild record for an original, non-franchise animated film. Critics, fans, and entire fandoms couldn’t seem to look away from its mix of K-pop spectacle, supernatural drama, and messages rooted in self-love.

At the centre of the story is Huntr/x, a K-pop trio who double as protectors of humanity, using their music to strengthen the honmoon ( a mystical barrier that shields people from soul-eating demons). The emotional heartbeat of the film comes from Rumi, whose carefully styled outfits conceal the markings she inherited from her demon father. Her journey becomes an unexpectedly tender story about identity, shame, and learning to embrace the parts of yourself that once felt unlovable.

The film is a burst of neon colours, polished choreography, catchy anthems, and emotional honesty, a combination that clearly resonated with people across continents.

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For an industry leaning heavily on recognisable franchises and safe bets, KPop Demon Hunters was the exact opposite:

• an original story.

• no bankable Hollywood stars.

• rooted deeply in Korean myth and culture.

• and carrying a reported $100 million budget.

By any traditional metric, it shouldn’t have been the year’s biggest animated hit. Here’s what actually happened:

• 325+ million views in its first three months.

• Top 10 in 93 countries.

• A soundtrack that hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

• Over 8.3 billion streams across platforms.

• The breakout single “Golden” sat atop the Billboard Global 200 for 17 weeks.

The audience not only watched the movie, but they dressed like it too. This year’s top five most-searched Halloween costumes are all from KPop Demon Hunters. 

Netflix took the film to cinemas for the first time in August. The result was over 1,300 screenings sold out across three continents, and Netflix topped the global box office for the first time, with an estimated $18 million in weekend box office.

Awards bodies took notice too, and within months, the film had:

• Three Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year.

• Three Golden Globe nominations.

• A sequel set for 2029

And this is just the beginning, as Netflix is expected to push the film into the Oscars race for both Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

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Director Maggie Kang, a long-time animation veteran, wanted to make something rooted in the Korean folklore she grew up with, even if it meant pitching it herself. The demons came first, inspired by the terrifying jeoseung saja of her childhood. But when she saw how much her niece adored Maleficent, Kang realised the creepy could also be cool. Thus, the Saja Boys were born: a villainous boy band whose beauty masks their hunger for souls.

The film nearly looked very different. It originally had a smaller budget, darker tone, and older demographic in mind. Then Kristine Belson of Sony Pictures Animation pushed the team to go bolder, bigger, and more emotionally expansive. Co-director Chris Appelhans (of Wish Dragon) joined, bringing a new visual vocabulary inspired by K-pop music videos, K-drama cinematography, and Japanese anime.

Even the music reflects the best of K-pop’s ecosystem:

• Teddy Park (Blackpink).

• Lindgren (BTS, Twice). Ejae, the singing voice of Rumi.

• Andrew Choi, the voice of Saja Boys leader Jinu.

We’re living in peak Hallyu, the Korean Wave, but KPop Demon Hunters marks a new chapter. According to cultural experts, it represents a more expansive, globally interconnected era of Korean storytelling, one that’s still rooted in local identity but speaks effortlessly to global audiences.

When fictional K-pop groups like Huntr/x and the Saja Boys start charting alongside Beyoncé and become some of Spotify’s most-streamed artists, you know something seismic is happening.

A sequel is already on the horizon. More songs may compete at the Oscars, Netflix executives are openly discussing live shows, extended universes, and more ways to expand the story world.

For now, the moment belongs to the fans… K-pop stans, anime lovers, film geeks, cosplayers, and everyone who found something of themselves in Rumi, Mira, and Zoey.

By naming KPop Demon Hunters its Breakthrough of the Year, Time Magazine has simply confirmed what millions already knew, which is that the world has a new animated obsession, and it’s powered by glitter, girl power, folklore, and a whole lot of K-pop magic.