KPop Demon Hunters tops North American box office with $18 mn weekend

Netflix’s animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters pulled off an unlikely feat over the weekend: it shot straight to No. 1 at the North American box office — even without a full theatrical release.

According to industry sources, the movie raked in an estimated $18 million to $20 million between Aug. 23 and 24, outpacing Warner Bros. Discovery’s horror title Weapons, which earned $15.6 million in its third week. Netflix has yet to disclose official revenue figures.

The result is seen as extraordinary, given that Netflix showcased the film for just two days in a special “sing-along” format — encouraging audiences to clap, cheer, and belt out the lyrics together, rather than quietly sitting back. That twist transformed theaters into communal concert halls.

More than 1,700 cinemas across North America participated in the event, with over 1,000 of them reportedly selling out. “It didn’t feel like just watching a film,” one fan wrote on social media. “It was like being at a live K-pop concert with thousands of voices around me.”

For Netflix, which has typically shied away from chasing box office glory, the turnout marked a rare triumph.

The film follows Huntrix, a fictional K-pop girl group that also works as demon hunters. Just like the characters, the songs featured in the movie have already taken on a life of their own — topping global charts and fueling a worldwide pop-culture moment.

Write to Byoung-Yeon Yoo at yooby@hankyung.com