Korean culture marked 2025 with unprecedented global successes, from record-breaking streams and museum visits to historic awards in theater and music. Hits like the animation "KPop Demon Hunters" and the finale of "Squid Game" propelled Korean content worldwide, while K-pop groups reunited and new controversies emerged. The year highlighted both expansion and challenges in the industry.
The year 2025 saw Korean culture reach new heights across entertainment and heritage sectors. Netflix's animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," released on June 20, drew over 500 million views, becoming the platform's most-watched movie ever. It inspired singalong theater events in countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico, New Zealand, and Korea. The soundtrack single "Golden," by the fictional group Huntrix, secured five Grammy nominations and an Academy Awards shortlist spot for Best Original Song.
The National Museum of Korea recorded its first-ever annual visitor total exceeding 6 million, with merchandise sales hitting 35.6 billion won ($23.9 million) by November. Exhibits like the "Room of Quiet Contemplation," featuring two gilt-bronze pensive Bodhisattva statues, and the playful "Dress Like a Museum Exhibit" event, where participants dressed as artifacts such as Silla-era gold earrings, boosted engagement. Elements from Korean folklore, like tiger and magpie paintings and the nobleman's hat "gat," appeared in popular media, further popularizing heritage.
In theater, the musical "Maybe Happy Ending," co-created by Will Aronson and Hue Park, became the first original Korean production to win Tony Awards, claiming six including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Set in future Seoul with robot protagonists Oliver and Claire, it premiered on Broadway in November 2024 starring Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen, and opened a sold-out run in Korea in October.
K-pop's influence grew beyond music. BLACKPINK's Rosé released the solo single "APT." with Bruno Mars, gaining traction in North America and Europe. Multinational acts like HYBE's KATSEYE, JYP's GIRLSET, SM's dearALICE, and HYBE's SANTOS BRAVOS adopted K-pop models for Western markets. BTS completed military service by June 21 with Suga's discharge, paving the way for a 2026 group comeback. NewJeans returned to Ador on November 12 after a court upheld their contracts on October 30.
The Korean box office struggled, with no film reaching 10 million admissions. Foreign animations led, including Disney's "Zootopia 2" at 6.4 million viewers and Japan's "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Infinity Castle" at 5.68 million. Local hit "My Daughter is a Zombie" managed 5.63 million. "Squid Game" Season 3, released June 27, ended the series atop charts in every country, building on prior Emmy and Golden Globe wins.
Conductor Chung Myung-whun became the first Asian music director of La Scala, starting in 2027. Scandals affected stars: actor Kim Soo-hyun in a legal dispute, comedian Park Na-rae pausing activities over harassment claims, restaurateur Paik Jong-won facing hygiene issues, and actor Cho Jin-woong retiring due to a past record.
