In a remarkable feat for both animated films and K-pop music, KPop Demon Hunters, the Netflix animated fantasy inspired by the K-pop industry, has officially cracked the top 10 of the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. As of June 29, the original soundtrack (OST) for the film debuted at No. 8, making it the first 2025 soundtrack to achieve this milestone. The soundtrack has gained viral traction since the film’s release, thanks in large part to strong word-of-mouth buzz and a global fanbase rallying around its fictional K-pop groups.
According to Billboard, the KPop Demon Hunters OST amassed 27,000 streaming equivalent album units, alongside 3,000 physical album sales and 1,000 track equivalent album units in its debut week. This performance makes it the highest-charting soundtrack release of the year so far—surpassing other film and TV music compilations released in 2025.
The last soundtrack to maintain such a hold on the charts was Wicked, the Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo-led musical film. Though Wicked debuted back in 2024, it had remained the only soundtrack in the Billboard 200’s top 10 throughout 2025—until KPop Demon Hunters entered the scene.
The soundtrack features a mix of original music performed by fictional bands from the movie, including the boy group Saja Boys and girl group Huntr/x. Songs like “Take Down” (performed by TWICE for Huntr/x), “Golden,” and “Soda Pop” have helped propel the soundtrack to international acclaim. One standout single, Your Idol by the Saja Boys, recently peaked at No. 8 on the U.S. Spotify Top Songs Chart, placing them in the rare company of K-pop giants like BTS. It also reached No. 35 globally, skyrocketing 35 positions in just one week. With this achievement, Saja Boys have been hailed as the first fictional fifth-generation K-pop group to chart alongside real-world icons.
The film itself has become a surprise hit for Netflix. With dazzling animation, high-energy choreography, and a fantasy storyline loosely inspired by BLACKPINK and the aesthetics of modern K-pop, KPop Demon Hunters blends action, magic, and music in a way that resonates strongly with Gen Z and younger millennial viewers.
Director Maggie Kang has hinted that this may be only the beginning. Speaking to ScreenRant, she revealed that the world of KPop Demon Hunters still has “many pockets to explore.” While an official sequel has not yet been greenlit, creators have expressed interest in expanding the universe through spinoffs or series continuations.
With its breakthrough on both Billboard and Spotify, KPop Demon Hunters not only challenges the dominance of Wicked as 2025’s top soundtrack but also sets a precedent for how animated content and fictional bands can influence real-world music charts. If current trends continue, it may mark a new era where the line between animated fiction and mainstream pop culture continues to blur
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