In 2025, the Korean culture strengthened its global footprint, expanding beyond K-pop and TV dramas into musicals and traditional arts.
The year's defining sensation was Netflix's animated film "KPop Demon Hunters", which blended K-pop dynamism and Korean shamanistic tradition into storytelling centered on embracing one's whole identity.
The film became the most-watched title in Netflix's history across both film and television categories, surpassing the monumental success of "Squid Game."
Directed by Korean Canadian filmmaker Maggie Kang, the U.S. production follows Huntr/x, a fictional girl group that battles evil spirits using the power of music.
The movie's influence extended well beyond streaming charts. The National Museum of Korea has welcomed more than 6 million visitors this year, its highest annual total since opening 80 years ago, while sales of its official merge line, "Mu:ds", surged on the back of the film's popularity.
