Hey beauty lovers! Big cultural moments don’t just stop at the box office they spill into fashion, music, and beauty. We’ve seen this before: when Barbie premiered in 2023, “Barbiecore” pink rippled across makeup counters, skincare packaging, and even wellness products. Now, in 2025, Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is shaping up to be the next case study in how pop culture can ignite beauty trends.

Pop Culture Power – A Global Hit

The film launched worldwide on June 20, 2025 as a Netflix original. Within days, it climbed the platform’s rankings to claim a coveted spot in the “Most Popular Movies” section, a recognition Netflix itself highlighted through its official channel Tudum. This confirmed not only strong viewership but also the movie’s ability to capture mainstream attention globally.

For K-beauty, this level of cultural visibility matters. A piece of media that dominates conversation at a global scale becomes fertile ground for beauty trends to emerge.

Built-In Beauty Aesthetics

What makes KPop Demon Hunters particularly relevant for beauty is its design language. According to animation and entertainment media interviews, the creative team intentionally blended K-pop performance aesthetics, anime-inspired visuals, and K-drama-style storytelling.

That fusion naturally highlights makeup, hair, and fashion. Character designs include bold palettes, graphic eye-looks, and fantasy-inspired styles visual cues that invite recreation by fans and makeup creators. This isn’t incidental styling; it’s a deliberately crafted visual identity that doubles as beauty inspiration.

Offline Expansion – Drone Show & Face Painting

The film’s cultural reach quickly extended offline. On September 7, 2025, Seoul’s Han River became the stage for a KPop Demon Hunters–themed drone show. Hundreds of drones painted scenes and characters from the movie in the night sky.

More importantly for beauty, the event included interactive experiences: face-painting booths where visitors could recreate character looks, photo zones for sharing, and official social media campaigns tied to the event. It turned film aesthetics into something tangible and participatory the kind of offline activation that solidifies beauty trends.

Tutorials & UGC Momentum

Meanwhile, across the U.S. and other markets, UGC (user-generated content) has been thriving. Local broadcasters like WSVN 7News ran on-air makeup tutorials themed “Demon Hunter Look,” while YouTube creators and Pinterest users began uploading detailed step-by-step recreations of eye makeup, custom palettes, and full cosplay-inspired looks.

This mirrors what happened with Barbiecore in 2023: when everyday creators began reinterpreting the aesthetic, the trend jumped from film stills into everyday makeup bags.

Search Spikes & K-Beauty Interest

The ripple effect is also visible in consumer behavior. According to KED Global, searches for “K-” related keywords including K-cosmetics spiked in the weeks following the film’s release. This suggests that the film’s cultural popularity is indirectly driving curiosity about Korean beauty, widening the funnel for potential new consumers.

The Precedent – Barbiecore’s Proof

None of this is without precedent. In 2023, NielsenIQ confirmed that “Barbiecore” significantly boosted sales across beauty and wellness. Makeup in pink packaging, nail polish shades, and skincare branded around the Barbie aesthetic all saw measurable lifts.

The lesson is clear: when a piece of pop culture dominates the cultural conversation, beauty sales follow. KPop Demon Hunters may be the next iteration of that pattern.

The Big Picture

KPop Demon Hunters has already achieved what few films do: breakout cultural recognition paired with grassroots creative participation. Its makeup aesthetics are being replicated online, its visuals are crossing into offline events like the Seoul drone show, and consumer interest in K-beauty is measurably rising.

At the same time, it’s important to note what hasn’t happened yet. Unlike Barbiecore, which quickly spawned limited-edition collections and brand collabs, KPop Demon Hunters hasn’t yet been tied to official K-beauty collaborations. That doesn’t diminish the momentum it just means we’re in the early impact phase, where user activity and brand interest are building.

If history is any guide, the next step could be beauty collabs, themed palettes, or brand campaigns that tap into the film’s visual identity. For now, what’s certain is that KPop Demon Hunters has opened another door for K-beauty to shine on the global stage.