KPOP Demon Hunters Led Halloween Costume Searches
The Netflix film dominated U.S. online search volumes for Halloween costumes over the last year.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Science Fiction
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KPOP Demon Hunters has emerged as the most popular Halloween costume theme in the United States, securing over 1.6 million search queries. The film's characters, Rumi, Jinu, and Mira, captured the highest interest across all 50 states.
Why it matters
The trend highlights a major shift in pop culture influence, as streaming-exclusive content increasingly dictates seasonal shopping and consumer habits. The film maintained consistent search dominance following its release, outpacing established pop culture icons.
The film recorded 1,678,860 total costume searches across 300 tracked franchises. It notably achieved a search rate of 492 per 100,000 residents nationwide, while Utah led the country with 762 searches per 100,000 residents.
The players
Netflix
Netflix is a global streaming service that produces and distributes original entertainment content.
Rumi
Rumi is a central character featured in the KPOP Demon Hunters film.
Jinu
Jinu is a key character from the KPOP Demon Hunters film.
Mira
Mira is one of the primary characters appearing in the KPOP Demon Hunters film.
The details
Researchers utilized Google Keyword Planner data to track searches for over 300 costume franchises between September 2025 and August 2026. The study found that character-specific interest for Rumi alone reached 621,870 queries, helping the franchise sweep the top spot in every state.
Timeline
The film premiered on Netflix on June 20, 2025.
The film was the most searched costume theme from July 2025 to February 2026.
Data for the costume study was collected from September 2025 through August 2026.
October 2025 recorded 766,260 searches for the film.
Industry Dynamics
This phenomenon follows a pattern set by the Netflix Top 10 weekly viewership rankings by translating prolonged streaming success into tangible consumer retail demand. The shift indicates that high-performing digital releases now effectively replace traditional franchise powerhouses in seasonal fashion.
Consumers looking to adopt these trends may find increased inventory demand, potentially leading to sell-outs for Rumi and Jinu-inspired apparel. Buyers should check availability early, as the high search volume suggests these costumes will be highly visible this Halloween.
The takeaway
The dominance of this film suggests that streaming platforms are now the primary engines for creating seasonal cultural trends. Fans planning to dress as these characters should prepare for high competition in retail markets due to the film's broad popularity.
Further reading
For more on the intersection of streaming hits and fan culture, visit the Science Fiction section.
More information
View the foundational population metrics used for per-capita analysis at the US Census Bureau population data.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Broadway World.
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Do you typically base your Halloween costume choice on current movies and pop culture trends?
