Photo Credit: Netflix (Saja Boys in ‘K-pop Demon Hunters’)
Netflix’s animated film ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ has upended the global music landscape, propelling its fictional boy band, Saja Boys, to a historic milestone on Spotify.
The film was released on June 20 and quickly became a streaming sensation, amassing more than 33 million views in two weeks. The movie was directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and features a star-studded voice cast and a soundtrack produced by Teddy Park, Lindgren and more. The soundtrack was released through Republic Records and contains nine original songs written by Danny Chung, Ido, Vince, Kush, Ejae, Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk, Lindgren, Mark Sonnenblick and Daniel Rojas.
KPop Demon Hunters follows two rival K-pop groups: the heroic group HUNTR/X and the enigmatic Saja Boys. Drawing on Korean folklore, the Saja Boys are depicted as soul-stealing demons masquerading as pop idols—blending folklore with the high-stakes world of K-pop idols. The narrative and visual style are deeply rooted in K-pop aesthatics, with the Saja Boys’ name referencing both ‘lion’ and ‘grim reaper’ in Korean.
On July 3, the Saja Boys’ track “Your Idol” soared to #2 on the U.S. Spotify chart, surpassing BTS’ Grammy-nominated “Dynamite.” The BTS song peaked at #3 on the same U.S. chart back in 2020 when it was released. Thus, a fictional K-pop boy band has surpassed the actual boy-band sensation—on the eve of their massive comeback following military duty. The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200, which is the highest debuting spot for any soundtrack in 2025.
Of course social media helped propel the soundtrack to new heights. Some of the Saja Boys songs have gone viral on TikTok, including their intro song “Soda Pop.” Clips of fans and influencers dancing to the tracks have boosted both Spotify listens and Netflix viewership—highlighting how both digital streaming providers (DSPs) can create a feedback loop of positive engagement for the other.
