“K-Pop Demon Hunters” is Netflix’s new champion, but its record-breaking success tells two different stories depending on the metric you use. The animated film is now the most-watched movie ever on the platform by view count, yet it sits third when ranked by total minutes watched, offering a fascinating look at how we measure a hit.
The headline achievement is its staggering 236 million views, a figure that definitively dethroned the previous leader, “Red Notice.” This makes “K-Pop Demon Hunters” the film that has been started by more accounts than any other, a clear indicator of its massive, widespread appeal since its June release.
However, with a runtime of 100 minutes, its cumulative 23 billion minutes viewed falls short of “Red Notice” (27 billion) and “Don’t Look Up” (25 billion). This nuance shows that while more people chose to watch the anime, its shorter length meant less total screen time was accumulated across the platform.
Regardless of the metrics, the film’s success is undeniable. Its soundtrack has become a commercial juggernaut with four songs in the Billboard top 10, and universal acclaim has fast-tracked a sequel into development. It has cemented its place in pop culture history, no matter how you crunch the numbers.