SEOUL – When Huntrix, the fictional girl group in Netflix’s hit animated film KPop Demon Hunters, sang we’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment, they weren’t just hyping up a stage performance. The line has since turned into a real-life anthem as the show’s world leaps off the screen into everyday life.
KPop Demon Hunters has dethroned South Korean survival thriller Squid Game (2021 to 2025) to be the most-watched title on Netflix, the streaming platform announced on Sept 3.
The animated film has amassed a total of 266 million views to date, surpassing the 265.2 million views achieved by the first season of Squid Game in 2021. The milestone means KPop Demon Hunters is now the most-watched show on Netflix across both film and television categories.
From cup noodles and cakes to crackers, local companies are rushing to join the ride.
The first and fastest to cash in has been Nongshim.
On Aug 29, the company released limited-edition Shin Ramyun instant cup noodles featuring the show’s main characters Rumi, Mira and Zoey.
The product also mirrors the cup noodles shown at the start of the film, when the three Huntrix members slurp them down as they slay demons.
All 6,000 cups sold out in just one minute and 40 seconds. Nongshim has since expanded the collaboration to include Wasabi Shrimp Crackers and Shin Ramyun packs.
The partnership is making waves in the stock market too.
Over the past week, Nongshim stock jumped 9.41 per cent, outpacing Samyang Foods which jumped 3.33 per cent and Ottogi which rose by 1.95 per cent.
Analysts note it is unusual for Nongshim to outperform Samyang, which has been riding high on the global success of its Buldak noodles.
Food products featuring characters from the global hit animated movie KPop Demon Hunters are displayed at a shop in Incheon International Airport, in South Korea, on Aug 31.
PHOTO: EPA
Food brands aren’t stopping at cup noodles.
SPC Group’s Paris Baguette is also joining the craze. On Sept 12, it will release five new products inspired by the Netflix hit, including a Soda Pop Cake modeled after the Saja Boys’ debut performance and a Golden Butter Bun inspired by Huntrix.
Other items include cheese bread with a message card from Derpy tiger, a persimmon-flavored pound cake drawn from the folktale about the tiger and persimmon, and Jeju mugwort omegi bread – all themed around the film.
A second wave will arrive Sept 17 with a golden soboru bun, or streusel bread, themed after Huntrix as well as a red bean bun inspired by the three-eyed bird character, Seo-ssi.
On Sept 24, another lineup of desserts, banana cakes, strawberry cakes, and cookies made with traditional Korean snacks will be launched.
Paris Baguette will also deck out major stores, including its Incheon Airport branch, with KPop Demon Hunters-themed decor.
It’s not just food.
Everland has jumped on the KPop Demon Hunters bandwagon too. The theme park plans to transform its outdoor zones into scenes straight from the movie.
In spaces filled with Korean aesthetics and tradition, visitors can experience popular songs from the show and iconic performance scenes like Golden, Soda Pop, and Your Idol in an immersive way.
There will also be game and photo zones featuring Huntrix and the Saja Boys, plus hands-on experiences ranging from Korean-style snacks and character makeup to limited-edition merchandise. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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