‘KPop Demon Hunters’ dominates streaming in 2025 with record-breaking 20.5 billion minutes watched

KPop Demon Hunters has officially emerged as the most-watched movie of 2025 in the United States, according to newly released year-end data from Nielsen. The Netflix release logged an estimated 20.5 billion minutes watched across the year, placing it well ahead of every other film on streaming platforms.

Based on the movie’s 99-minute runtime, the total translates to roughly 207 million complete viewings. Nielsen’s figures measure U.S. television viewing only, which demonstrates the scale of the film’s domestic performance.

Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, KPop Demon Hunters debuted on Netflix in June 2025, meaning it achieved its record-breaking numbers in just over half a year. The animated feature follows a fictional K-pop girl group who secretly battle demons to protect their fans. Following its rapid rise on streaming, Netflix later gave the film limited theatrical playdates.

Audience data shows the film’s strongest reach among younger viewers. Nielsen reported that 48 percent of the movie’s audience fell between the ages of 2 and 11, helping it remain on the Streaming Top 10 list for 25 consecutive weeks. Its breakout song, “Golden,” also became a major crossover success, spending eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and earning an Academy Award nomination for best original song, following the film’s Golden Globe wins earlier this month.

Netflix previously reported that KPop Demon Hunters accumulated 482 million global views over a six-month period, setting a platform record. Nielsen’s numbers reflect U.S.-only consumption, while Netflix’s data includes worldwide viewing.

The nearest competitor in Nielsen’s annual rankings was Moana 2, which recorded 9.4 billion minutes watched on Disney+. Combined with the original Moana, the franchise surpassed 15 billion minutes total. Other high performers included Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix and Wicked, which split viewership between Peacock and Prime Video.