KPop Demon Hunters turns 30 theaters into a HUNTR/X sing-along

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ will meet audiences again at 30 theaters across the country for three days from June 12 to 14.

Both dubbed and subtitled versions are prepared, and sing-along sessions will be held where fans can sing along to the songs. The core question is whether this K-pop animation, which already achieved massive numbers on Netflix, can gather the voices of fans within a theater setting.

Sing-along screenings at 30 domestic theaters from June 12–14

The most notable word for this screening is ‘sing-along.’ A sing-along is a viewing method where the audience sings along while watching the lyrics. Unlike standard screenings where one sits quietly to follow the plot, fans directly use their voices to participate in the scenes.

At the center of this work is the virtual girl group HUNTR/X. Rumi, Mira, and Joy are K-pop stars on stage, but off-stage, they are individuals who confront evil spirits. While the setting is fantasy, the way fans reacted resembles real-life idol content. They pick favorite members, listen to the songs repeatedly, and redistribute scenes through short videos.

K-pop fandoms have long been accustomed to this type of participatory behavior. They memorize cheering guides, listen to their favorite parts repeatedly, and continue consuming content even outside of performances. Although ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ is not a real idol group, the fan behavior surrounding HUNTR/X was not much different from how they treat actual groups.

325,100,000 views in the first 91 days on Netflix

In Netflix's official Top 10 tally, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ ranked number 1 in the film category with 325,100,000 views based on the first 91 days after release. Compared to the 230,900,000 views of the second-place ‘Red Notice,’ the difference is 94,200,000 views.

Ampere Analysis noted that this work stayed in the Netflix film Top 10 for 44 consecutive weeks and that its cumulative watch time exceeded 1 billion hours. There was also an analysis that weekly viewership peaked in the 11th week after release.

Usually, streaming films see a concentrated reaction immediately after release, which then quickly subsides. This work lasted longer as the music and fan reactions grew later on. This screening is an opportunity to see if that reaction leads to actual movement, reservations, and collective singing.

‘Golden’ production team and HUNTR/X fan reactions

According to the soundtrack data released by Netflix, ‘Golden’ was sung by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, with TEDDY, 24, and IDO participating in its production. This is the background of how the virtual group's representative song could sound like an actual K-pop single.

Fans did not stop after watching the movie. They listened to the songs separately, re-edited their favorite scenes, and continued to consume the work by sharing images of individual HUNTR/X members. The sing-along sessions are a way to transform the songs they used to listen to with earphones at home into a chorus in a shared space.

This programming is a three-day schedule at 30 theaters nationwide. While not a massive release scale, it is a sufficiently specific number to verify fan demand. If seat occupancy per session, the reservation speed of sing-along sessions, and online reactions after screenings all move together, re-screenings of fandom-driven animations can be attempted more frequently.

Family audiences can also join. While this work uses the language of the K-pop fandom, it is an animation, making it easy for young viewers and guardians to access together. At the point where the rapid spread of K-pop meets the low entry barrier of animation, the reaction to the first screening on June 12 will be the first to be confirmed.