By this level, if you have not already watched “KPop Demon Hunters,” you have possible had a number of individuals in your life let you know that you need to, that it is superb, and that it is their new favourite film. The word-of-mouth marketing campaign is likely one of the strongest in current reminiscence, with the movie staying on the number-one spot on Netflix’s U.S. films listing for happening two months. Globally, it is just one spot decrease.
The streamer throws so many films and reveals on the wall nowadays that it is unlikely anybody might have predicted the movie’s huge success. And with the current information that “KPop Demon Hunters” is coming to pick out theaters for a quick sing-along engagement on August twenty third and twenty fourth, the wave reveals no indicators of dying down any time quickly. So what is the secret sauce? Why is that this film — a straight-to-streaming, unique IP, animated musical movie — so unbelievably dominant?
After all, you need to give credit score to the animation workforce, the voice solid, the songs themselves (whose impartial reputation definitely performs a large function), and the intersection with Okay-pop — a style that is develop into huge worldwide over the previous decade. However on the similar time, I consider the movie’s true secret is one thing else — a way of fandom largely uncared for by the rapid-fire tempo of content material within the streaming age: the rewatch.
Persons are rewatching this film like loopy, and it is changing into a core piece of all the “KPop Demon Hunters” fan neighborhood.
Rewatch tradition has made KPop Demon Hunters golden
A number of individuals informed me to look at the film earlier than I lastly listened to them (after which naturally thanked them in flip, as a result of yeah, it is nice). I had even heard a few of the “KPop Demon Hunters” music earlier than my first viewing. However I did not pay attention to the rewatching phenomenon till two totally different pals, simply days aside, talked about to me simply what number of occasions they’d seen it.
5 occasions. Seven occasions. These have been the numbers I used to be listening to simply from individuals in my quick circle. Now, I am a serial rewatcher. I consider {that a} film or a present is essentially one thing totally different the second time via as a result of your mind and your coronary heart interact with it fully otherwise. However I hardly ever hear individuals convey up repeated viewings as a key a part of how they interact with new tales on streaming. There’s simply a lot new on a regular basis. Even the metrics of success on a platform like Netflix focus totally on quick impression, with little consideration paid to tasks that develop an extended tail.
So, I did just a little digging. You do not have to spend lengthy on the “KPop Demon Hunters” subreddit to see that rewatch tradition is deeply ingrained within the fandom as an entire. There are total memes and threads devoted to the concept, urging fellow aficionados to return many times. Persons are claiming 20, 30, 96 rewatches. That distinctive facet of the fandom is definitely an enormous cause why the movie is coming to theaters greater than two months after its June twentieth debut. Netflix didn’t see this coming, and just about everybody shopping for a ticket to the cinema reveals can have already seen the movie — in all probability a number of occasions. That is the entire level.
What makes KPop Demon Hunters so infinitely rewatchable?
“KPop Demon Hunters” is already the most important animated Netflix movie ever. It is also clear {that a} massive a part of that success is as a result of individuals maintain returning to the film over and over, multiplying their time spent. There are even entire Reddit threads devoted to monitoring the way it stacks up on the streamer’s all-time film listing, holding tabs on issues like when Netflix will cease counting minutes watched. Director Maggie Kang has already mentioned that she has concepts for a “KPop Demon Hunters” sequel, and with this diploma of success, it might be ridiculous for Netflix to not capitalize.
The “why” of all of it is tougher to nail down. You might argue that it is a film completely tailor-made to the TikTok and AO3 technology, stuffed with catchy choruses, fan-art-able characters, and heavy delivery. You might speak in regards to the fashionable pattern of the “consolation watch,” magnified by a terrifying international actuality, which makes this kind of cozy story about greatest pals, foolish demon tigers, and neurodiversity naturally interesting. You might chalk it as much as the worldwide phenomenon that’s Okay-pop and idol tradition. Or you possibly can simply write it off to the unknowable nature of The Hit.
No matter system you wish to write, the outcomes converse for themselves, and the rewatch has by no means been stronger. Looks like the proper selection for a bodily media launch, eh, Netflix? However then, after all, all of those loyal followers would not need to maintain paying your ever-rising subscription charges, so perhaps not.
Even the inherent evils of streaming cannot maintain me down with this one, although. Two months in, “KPop Demon Hunters” remains to be going up, up, up. It’s, as they are saying, the second.