Ahn Hyo-seop is joining the global rollout for "KPop Demon Hunters".
The Netflix animated feature, which debuted June 20, has racked up roughly 184 million views in eight weeks, becoming the streamer’s most-watched animated title to date.
The film has also dominated the charts worldwide: it ranked No. 2 among English-language original films, its OST single “Golden” topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and Global 200, swept every major chart in Korea, and set new records on Spotify. Riding that wave, Ahn―who lends his voice to Jinu of the in-story group “Saja Boys”―is drawing major attention of his own.
As Jinu, Ahn layers in finely tuned emotion using only his voice, bringing the character to life. New fans around the world are responding to his grounded performance, sharp character work, and the sincerity he’s shown through steady communication with fans―fueling a “Hyo-seop fever” that’s spread from North America to South America and Europe.
Thanks to that momentum, sing-along screenings set for August 23?24 across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. sold out instantly. With demand surging, additional showtimes have been added, expanding to more than 1,100 theaters.
Fresh off promo for the film "Omniscient Reader," Ahn will sit for an exclusive with USA TODAY and line up remote interviews across North and South America and India. In Korea, he’s also preparing special content with Netflix and director Maggie Kang.
U.S. media and industry insiders are also inviting him stateside. Alongside promotion for "Omniscient Reader," he’s in production on the SBS drama "Sold Out Again Today" (set for the first half of next year), coordinating a packed acting schedule with overseas commitments.
Ahn’s global calendar doesn’t stop there. With "Omniscient Reader" opening in more territories, he’ll kick off a Jakarta fan meeting on the 23rd, then appear on the 24th as the first Korean special guest at the 50th-anniversary celebration for Indonesia’s largest broadcaster, SCTV. The primetime live broadcast is expected to draw more than 10 million viewers, and local outlets are giving his appearance wall-to-wall coverage.
In a prior written interview, Ahn revealed he recorded his "KPop Demon Hunters" role remotely. He’s now handling parts of the promo tour the same way―showing up for a global project even amid a jam-packed schedule.
Photo = The Present Company, Netflix
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)