Only Special Screening for Two Days... 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' Achieves Number 1 at North American Box Office!

The Netflix animated film 〈K-Pop Demon Hunters〉 has achieved the remarkable feat of reaching number one at the North American box office without a formal theatrical release.

On the 24th (local time), the American entertainment magazine 'Variety' reported that the Sony Pictures Animation production, based on Korean culture, is estimated to have earned between $18 million and $20 million (approximately 28 billion won) during the weekend of the 23rd to 24th in North American theaters.

This figure surpasses the $15.6 million of Warner Bros. Discovery's horror film 〈The Weapon〉 in its third week of release. However, Netflix has not disclosed official revenue, so an accurate tally has not been made. Industry experts have evaluated this as a very unusual phenomenon, considering it achieved number one at the box office without a full theatrical release.

Released through Netflix's streaming service in June, 〈K-Pop Demon Hunters〉 received explosive reactions in the global market, prompting Netflix to screen it in North American theaters in a 'sing-along' special event format on the 23rd and 24th. The sing-along event allows audiences to actively participate by singing along while enjoying the film.

Over 1,700 theaters in North America participated in this event, with more than 1,000 screening rooms selling out tickets. Unlike competing streaming companies like Apple and Amazon, which are increasing movie revenue and recognition through theatrical releases, Netflix's achievement of number one at the box office is receiving even more attention as it has maintained a subscriber-focused strategy.

Bloomberg News commented, "Netflix, which does not typically aim for box office revenue with its original films, has achieved a rare success in theaters." David A. Gross, an analyst at the film consulting firm 'Franchise Entertainment Research', stated, "This weekend, a streaming work made for home viewing is connecting with audiences at a level that theatrical hits cannot reach, with audiences singing, dancing, dressing up, and fully immersing themselves in enjoyment for 48 hours. This is the essence of pop entertainment."

Earlier, on the 22nd, 'The New York Times (NYT)' published an article titled, "〈K-Pop Demon Hunters〉 is shaking everyone's heads, especially parents," focusing on the film's unusual popularity. Major American media outlets such as 'The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)', 'Time', 'Forbes', and 'Hollywood Reporter' also covered the 〈K-Pop Demon Hunters〉 craze in depth.