BTS are facing some unexpected competition as the fictional Saja Boys from Netflix movie K‑Pop Demon Hunters overtake them on Spotify’s US chart.
K‑Pop Demon Hunters, released on 20 June, is directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, and features a voice cast led by Teen Wolf’s Arden Cho and popular K-drama star Ahn Hyo Seop along with May Hong and Yoo Ji Young. The supporting voice cast includes Kim Yun Jin, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Squid Game’s Lee Byung Hun.
The movie has already set a Netflix record, earning the highest combined critic and audience score ever for an original production on Rotten Tomatoes.
And now the villainous fictional boy band from the film have surpassed the South Korean icons on the US Spotify chart, climbing to the highest position ever by a K-pop boy band.
Saja Boys’ song “Your Idol” hit No 2 on the US Spotify chart on Thursday, beating BTS’ Grammy-nominated “Dynamite”, which charted at No 3 when it was released in 2020.
Girl group HUNTR/X from the film isn’t too far behind, sitting just behind Saja Boys at No 3 with their song “Golden”. This, in fact, ties them with K-pop girl group Blackpink, who previously held the record for the highest US Spotify chart position by a female K-pop act.
K‑Pop Demon Hunters follows K-pop girl group HUNTR/X who lead a double life as idols by day and demon hunters by night. Their powers stem from their music, which maintains a barrier known as the Honmoon to protect humans from soul-stealing demons. The band’s mission, passed down generations, is challenged when a rival boy band, Saja Boys, turn out to be demons intent on collapsing the barrier.
Since music is at the heart of the story, the animated film banks on top-tier talent from K-pop and international pop scenes for the soundtrack. The Saja Boys are voiced by singers Andrew Choi, Neckwav, and Danny Chung, former U-KISS member Kevin Woo, and samUIL Lee. HUNTR/X features vocals by singer-songwriter Ejae and singer-rappers Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami.
The soundtrack debuted at No 8 on Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting soundtrack of 2025 to date.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Behind the music are renowned producers such as Teddy Park of THEBLACKLABEL, known for his work with Taeyang and BLACKPINK, and Grammy winner Lindgren, who collaborates with BTS, TWICE, Dua Lipa, and John Legend.
Grammy-nominated producer Stephen Kirk and hit songwriter Jenna Andrews, both of whom have worked with BTS, have also contributed. The soundtrack was overseen by executive music producer Ian Eisendrath, whose credits span Broadway and major television productions.
BTS themselves seem to be fans of the music – frontman RM was seen singing Saja Boys’ “Soda Pop” on the band’s first livestream together on fan platform Weverse after all the members returned from their military service.
Shortly after the livestream, Netflix US joined in and jokingly changed the bio to read: “BTS noticed Saja Boys 7.01.25.”
BTS have officially announced their return as a full band with an album in spring 2026, and a world tour after.
The new album will be their first since the 2022 anthology Proof. The group last performed together at a Busan concert in October 2022, following which their management label BigHit Music announced that all seven members would undertake their mandatory military service.
