A scene from “KPop Demon Hunters” is seen in this image provided by Netflix. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — The runaway global success of Netflix’s animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters is reverberating far beyond the streaming charts — fueling an unexpected boom in Korea’s secondhand market for traditional-inspired merchandise.
According to industry data released on Monday, listings tagged with “magpie-tiger,” a motif featured in the film, surged 357 percent on used-goods platform Bungaejangter between June 20, the show’s release date, and September 29, compared with the previous three-month period. Total transaction value jumped 164 percent.
In the animation, the tiger “Duffy” and magpie “Seo” serve as mystical messengers who carry letters between protagonists Jin-woo and Lumi. Their design — striped fur, round paws, and vivid orange eyes — echoes the traditional minhwa folk-art depictions of tigers, suggesting that Korean heritage inspired the characters’ creation.
The tiger character Duffy and the protagonist Lumi from K-Pop Demon Hunters. President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea cited the tiger ‘Duffy’ and the Grim Reaper as the most striking characters. Tigers once thrived across the Korean Peninsula, but indiscriminate hunting led by the Japanese during the colonial era drove them to extinction in Korea. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
The craze has spilled over to real-world institutions. Mentions of the National Museum of Korea soared by 1,000 percent on the same resale platform, with transaction values rising 573 percent, as fans scrambled to find sold-out museum items such as magpie-tiger pins.
Interest in other Korean cultural icons has climbed as well. Transactions of miniature replicas of the Pensive Bodhisattva — a contemplative Buddhist statue the museum first released in 2020 — rose 88 percent in volume and 65 percent in value, solidifying its status as a leading K-culture souvenir.
The animated feature itself has shattered records, becoming the first Netflix title to surpass 300 million cumulative views and ranking No. 1 globally last month. Its original soundtrack, “Golden,” topped Billboard’s Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks — a landmark moment for both K-pop and animated music.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
