LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10 -- Time has named K-Pop Demon Hunters its 2025 Breakthrough of the Year, a fitting crown for an animated feature that shattered Netflix records, redefined success in the streaming era, and captured the global zeitgeist in a whirlwind of catchy pop anthems and a powerful message of self-acceptance.

From sold-out sing-along screenings in Brooklyn to its soundtrack dominating the Billboard charts, the 95-minute film about a trio of K-pop stars who secretly fight soul-eating demons has become a true cultural phenomenon, making its journey from a risky original concept to a global sensation all the more remarkable.

By all conventional Hollywood wisdom, K-Pop Demon Hunters should have failed, Time said in its feature.

It...