What K-pop Demon Hunters can teach marketers about cultural connection

Source: Netflix

Fan culture is the new growth engine

A recent report by Sociallyin shows that campaigns built around participation, shareable sounds, trends, or memes can generate up to three times more engagement than traditional paid posts.

The agency notes that audiences today want to be collaborators, and not just consumers, turning creative ideas into living, shareable moments.

That dynamic is playing out in real time with Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters, which has overtaken Squid Game as the platform’s most-watched title with more than 325 million views.

The animated K-pop fantasy has also topped global charts and fueled Oscar buzz, driven largely by fan-created remixes, choreography, and reaction videos.

For brands, it’s a reminder that cultural dominance works best when it feels effortless, not omnipresent.

“What’s happening with Kpop Demon Hunters shows how fans can become the most powerful part of a marketing strategy,” said Keith Kakadia, marketing strategist and CEO of Sociallyin.

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“People don’t just want to watch something; they want to belong to it. When fans start sharing, remixing, and joking about your brand, that’s when you know it’s crossed from marketing into culture. But the key is to keep it real and give people space to breathe. If a brand starts chasing every viral moment, it stops feeling authentic, and that’s when the magic fades.”

How brands can build fan-powered momentum

1. Design for participation, not perfection.

   Create campaigns that invite fans to remix, duet, or reinterpret your content. Virality often starts when people feel free to make it their own, not when brands control every frame.

2. Pace your presence.

   Saturation can turn enthusiasm into exhaustion. Stagger releases, vary content types, and leave space for organic conversations instead of flooding every platform at once.

3. Reward creators within your community.

   Spotlight fan art, reactions, and remixes on your official channels. Recognition builds loyalty faster than any incentive program.

4. Listen to the humour.

   Even jokes or “light complaints” are signals of engagement. Use social listening tools to understand when interest peaks and when it’s time to shift tone or slow down.

5. Keep storytelling at the centre.

Whether it’s a 30-second clip or a full campaign, stories create connection. Fans rally around emotion and identity, not algorithms.

Keith noted, “Virality fades fast, but connection sticks. When people feel part of your story, they’ll keep showing up long after the campaign ends, and that’s the difference between attention and loyalty.”