For 22 straight weeks, KPop Demon Hunters ruled Netflix’s English-language movie charts — until it vanished. The animated fantasy hit, which premiered on June 20, 2025, quietly slipped out of the global Top 10 streaming rankings over the weekend of November 22–23, 2025, according to Collider’s November 27 report. It wasn’t a crash. It was a sigh. A quiet exhale after a marathon. But here’s the twist: it didn’t disappear. Within days, it clawed its way back into the U.S. Top 10, sitting at #5 as of November 27, sandwiched between Train Dreams and The Carman Family Deaths. The film’s fall from global prominence isn’t a failure — it’s a signal. And it’s shaking up how we think about streaming dominance.
Record-Breaking, But Not Profitable
KPop Demon Hunters isn’t just Netflix’s most-watched movie ever — it’s a cultural phenomenon wrapped in neon lights and demon lore. The soundtrack, led by the hit single Golden, earned five 2026 Grammy Award nominations and crossed 1 billion streams across Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Fans bought merch, cosplayed as the lead singer-demon, and streamed the film repeatedly — often multiple times in one sitting. But here’s the disconnect: despite its massive viewership, the film grossed only $25 million worldwide from two limited theatrical runs. Its production budget? Over $100 million. Netflix never expected box office returns. It was always a streaming play. And in that arena, it crushed it. The question now isn’t whether it succeeded — it’s whether its success was sustainable.
The Streaming Tides Turned
November 2025 didn’t just see KPop Demon Hunters fade — it saw the entire Netflix landscape shift. The Witcher season 4 vanished from the Top 10 after just three weeks. Ed Sheeran’s One-Shot special drew fewer than 4.6 million views. Jurassic World: Chaos Theory season 4 couldn’t even crack the top tier, despite its predecessors dominating their debuts. Meanwhile, Absentia, a former Prime Video series Netflix revived and dropped globally on November 14, 2025, exploded. In its second week, it racked up 25.2 million hours watched — a 100% surge from its debut — and claimed the #2 spot on the global charts. That’s not luck. That’s algorithmic alchemy. Netflix didn’t just release a show; it weaponized nostalgia.
Who’s Really Winning Now?
Netflix’s 2025 slate is a battlefield. Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein sat at #4 in its third week before being overtaken by STRAW. Wednesday season 2 hit 117 million views, locking in at #7 on Netflix’s all-time most-watched list. Squid Game season 3? 145 million views — #4 all-time. And yet, none of these had the sustained cultural oxygen of KPop Demon Hunters. Its drop isn’t about viewership decline — it’s about attention fragmentation. People aren’t abandoning it. They’re just moving on to the next thing. And the next thing? It’s coming fast.
December’s Avalanche
Netflix isn’t waiting. It’s loading the cannon. On December 10, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 drops. The next day, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft season 2 — the final season of Netflix’s animated franchise — arrives. Then, on December 18, Emily in Paris season 5. And finally, on December 25 and December 31, Stranger Things season 5 part 2 lands in two waves. Analysts are betting hard that volume one will surpass 300 million viewing hours. If it does, it won’t just top the charts — it’ll redefine what a Netflix event looks like. KPop Demon Hunters may have been the summer’s obsession. But December? That’s the season of giants.
What’s Next for the Demon Hunters?
There are whispers. References in the film’s final scene to Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle suggest this isn’t a standalone. It’s a prologue. Netflix has quietly filed trademarks for sequels. And here’s the quiet genius: while KPop Demon Hunters was a global hit, its spiritual cousin — the South Korean drama My Demon — has been quietly building a loyal fanbase. Both feature supernatural romance, strong female leads, and a blend of fantasy and pop music. The parallels aren’t accidental. Netflix is weaving a tapestry. One film might fade from the Top 10, but the universe it created? That’s still growing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did KPop Demon Hunters drop from the global Top 10 if it’s still popular?
Streaming rankings are based on total hours watched within a rolling seven-day window, not cumulative views. Even though KPop Demon Hunters has over 1.2 billion global views, its daily viewership dipped below the threshold needed to stay in the global Top 10 as newer releases like Absentia surged. It remains in the U.S. Top 10, showing strong regional loyalty.
How did Absentia outperform KPop Demon Hunters despite being a canceled show?
Netflix leveraged nostalgia and algorithmic targeting to push Absentia to fans of similar dark fantasy and K-drama titles. Its 100% week-over-week growth came from binge-driven viewership, with 16.6 million views in its second week. The show’s cult following, combined with Netflix’s aggressive recommendation engine, turned it into a breakout hit — proving that legacy content can outperform new releases under the right conditions.
Is KPop Demon Hunters likely to get a sequel?
Yes. References to Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle in the film’s ending and trademark filings suggest Netflix is building a franchise. The film’s success in music and merchandising — not just streaming — makes it a prime candidate for sequels or spin-offs. A follow-up could arrive as early as late 2026, especially if Stranger Things season 5 continues Netflix’s trend of high-impact, franchise-driven releases.
Why didn’t KPop Demon Hunters make money at the box office?
The film was designed as a Netflix exclusive from day one. Its two limited theatrical releases were purely promotional — meant to generate buzz and award eligibility, not revenue. With a $100+ million budget, Netflix’s ROI came from streaming hours, soundtrack sales, and merch. The $25 million box office total was never the goal. Its true value lies in subscriber retention and global cultural impact.
How does KPop Demon Hunters compare to other Netflix animated hits?
While Wednesday and Squid Game dominate in total views, KPop Demon Hunters stands out for its cross-media success: Grammy-nominated music, viral TikTok dances, and fan-made lore. No other Netflix animated film has generated a billion-stream soundtrack. It’s not just watched — it’s experienced. That’s why it’s still a cultural force, even when it’s not in the Top 10.
What does this mean for Netflix’s future content strategy?
Netflix is shifting from chasing viral hits to building enduring universes. KPop Demon Hunters is a test case: a high-cost, high-risk project that didn’t need to be profitable on day one. The real win? Creating content that lives beyond the screen — through music, fashion, and fan communities. Future releases like Percy Jackson and Stranger Things will follow the same playbook: build worlds, not just shows.
