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Tobias Jesso Jr. You may know his name from his 2015 solo album Goon. Or maybe from his work on various popular songs, such as “When We Were Young” by Adele and “Alive” by Sia. Or even from his rece
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February 23, 2023
HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”.
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February 21, 2023
Folk singer. Songwriter. Canadian. Polyglot. All of these titles belong to Gina Lam, also known by her stage name Ginalina. In November 2022, she released her latest album titled Going Back: Remembe
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February 21, 2023
Rihanna is an illustrious artist. She is among the best selling female artists of all time, and was one of the greatest hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s. She has since grown to become the richest...
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February 20, 2023
Streaming is now the driving force of the music industry, making up 84% of the industry revenue in the U.S. While streaming is much more convenient for listeners, many artists argue that it is near im
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February 23, 2023
Who is the greatest rapper of all time? Is it even possible to crown just one person? Well, Billboard and Vibe did exactly that. And, according to them, that person is Jay-Z. In honor of Hip-Hop’s
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February 18, 2023
Kaytranada (Louis Celestin) is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. He is a highly acclaimed electronic artist, having earned two Grammys and countless other awards for his work. Kaytranada has
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February 17, 2023
What happens when a famous music producer takes an interest in self-help books? The Creative Act is your answer. But who is Rick Rubin? Without a doubt, Rubin has an impressive track record in the
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February 14, 2023
The music industry is a place full of musicians, producers, and creators who have the magical ability to make those perfect sounds we hear everyday through our digital devices. We want to listen close
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February 14, 2023
What do popular video games franchises Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Star Fox all have in common? They were all produced and published by Nintendo, and the iconic music themes that you hear in...
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February 8, 2023
Being a successful woman in the music industry is no easy feat. Not only do they deal with the typical trials and tribulations of being a musician, but there are also gender-specific challenges.
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February 8, 2023
“Is it just me, or are songs getting shorter these days?” This is a question I have often pondered, especially in the last few years. It appears that in the era of social media, attention spans are
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What happens when a fictional K-pop boy band outsells the real ones?
In a twist straight out of a dystopian idol fanfic, the animated groups Huntr/x and Saja Boys—created for Netflix’s explosive action film K-Pop Demon Hunters—have managed to dominate real-life music charts. Within 72 hours of the film’s release, both groups’ songs surged past millions of streams, dethroning titans like BTS, Stray Kids, and BLACKPINK on Spotify’s Global Viral 50.
And no—this isn’t a simulation. It’s 2025’s most surreal pop culture moment.
Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters, a fantasy-action flick blending K-pop glamor with demon-slaying chaos, introduced the world to two fictional groups: Huntr/x, a goth-laced, EDM-heavy quintet, and Saja Boys, a more melodic, trap-meets-traditional fusion group with heavy Korean mythology influences.
Both bands were voiced by real K-pop idols and trained dancers, with music written and produced by actual Korean hitmakers (including producers tied to SM Entertainment and HYBE). The result? Tracks that didn’t just sound real—they hit harder than half the summer’s actual comebacks.
By the end of opening weekend, “Blood Moon Rises” by Huntr/x had racked up over 17 million Spotify streams. Saja Boys' breakout ballad “Eclipse Love” was trending in more than 20 countries on TikTok.
Here’s where the lines between fiction and fandom got fuzzy:
Even wilder? These groups began charting above real-life BTS solo projects and BLACKPINK’s latest comeback, igniting a frenzy across Stan Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok.
The response from the K-pop fandom was a rollercoaster of awe, confusion, and obsession.
Quotes from fan forums and social media say it all:
Skeptics called it “industry manipulation,” while others pointed out the ironic perfection: polished visuals, airtight choreography (motion-captured by top-tier dancers), and zero risk of dating scandals or military enlistment.
But for many, that was the point. Fans weren’t just enjoying the music—they were in on the joke, and loving every second of it.
The meteoric rise of Huntr/x and Saja Boys isn't just a viral moment—it’s a commentary.
In a world where K-pop idols are marketed as near-perfect, digital-age creations anyway, Netflix’s fictional bands may represent the “final evolution” of idol culture: completely controlled, controversy-free, yet emotionally real through storytelling and music. It's a marketing genius with a cyberpunk twist.
Critics are already asking: are we approaching an era where virtual idols are more sustainable—and more profitable—than real ones?
Meanwhile, fans are busy arguing about who’s hotter: Huntr/x’s brooding leader Joon, or Saja Boys’ mystical main vocalist Ryeon.
Regardless of where you stand, the Spotify success of these fictional acts is no longer a fluke—it’s history. Huntr/x and Saja Boys have cemented themselves not just as part of a film, but as real players in the K-pop machine.
It’s a crossover episode between fandom, fiction, and the future of music—and we’re all just lucky to be watching it happen live.
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