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Netflix’s smash animated film KPop Demon Hunters has become the first soundtrack in history to generate four simultaneous top 10s on the Billboard Hot 100.
The action musical has become a global phenomenon for the streaming giant since it was released on 20 June, and currently ranks as its fourth most-watched movie of all time.
Co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, it follows popular K-pop girl group HUNTR/X, who lead a double life as demon hunters battling a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, who turn out to be demons.
The fictional group’s lead track “Golden” is back at No 1, while “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop” by the Saja Boys are at No 4 and No 5, respectively.
Another HUNTR/X song, “How It’s Done”, jumped this week from No 14 to No 10.
According to Billboard, KPop Demon Hunters has now become just the fifth soundtrack to achieve four Hot 100 top 10s.
Meanwhile, singing trio HUNTR/X – comprising EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI in their roles of Rumi, Mira and Zoey – became the first female group associated with K-pop to top the Hot 100 with “Golden”.
They are also the first all-woman collective of three or members to achieve the feat since Destiny’s Child, who scored a No 1 with “Bootylicious” for two weeks almost a quarter of a century ago, in 2001.
Netflix released a singalong version of KPop Demon Hunters was released on Monday (25 August) following the resounding success of similar cinema screenings.
In a surprise appearance at a preview of one of the singalongs, EJAE said the reaction to the film and its songs had been “insane”.
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“I’m speechless,” she told audience members. “This has all been insane. I’ve been crying a lot.”
KPop Demon Hunters has been setting records since its release. Back in June, it received the highest combined critic and audience score ever for an original production on Rotten Tomatoes.
Kang revealed in an interview with Forbes that the Saja Boys were inspired by successful K-pop groups including BTS, Stray Kids and BIGBANG, while HUNTR/X referenced girl groups such as Blackpink and Twice.
Citing BTS’s 2020 virtual concert during the Covid pandemic as another key inspiration, she said it demonstrated how music could unite people and transcend cultural boundaries, one of the more central themes in the film.
