[2025 Top 10 Culture News] Korean culture rewrites record books

From global streaming phenomenon to historic firsts on Broadway and classical music stages, 2025 was a year of both expansion and reckoning for Korean culture. K-pop continued to redefine its reach across music, animation and tours, while "KPop Demon Hunters" reshaped how K-pop and Korean heritage are consumed globally. Korean musical theater broke new ground with a Tony Award win, while the domestic film industry confronted challenges amid changing audience trends. Major transitions — from BTS completing military service to the "Squid Game" saga coming to an end — highlighted both the expanding influence of Korean culture and the new challenges it faces on the global stage. 'KPop Demon Hunters,' where K-pop becomes global cultural language One of this year’s most unexpected global cultural breakouts is the movie “KPop Demon Hunters.” Since its release on June 20, the supernatural action-comedy animation has amassed well over 500 million views as of December, becoming the most-watched film in Netflix’s history. Its popularity expanded beyond the streaming platform, sparking s