Fictional K-pop bands zoom to top 10 of US music charts
 

A hugely popular K-pop musical animation has seen songs by its fictional bands zoom to the top 10 of music charts, rivalling the success of real-life K-pop groups.

KPop Demon Hunters is currently the most streamed movie on Netflix globally, clocking up more than 33 million views in just two weeks.

The song Your Idol by a boy band in the film, Saja Boys, has reached number two on Spotify in the US. This makes them the highest charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history, according to reports - surpassing kings of K-pop BTS.

Golden, a track by the film's fictional girl group Huntr/x, hit number three on the chart, equalling Blackpink as the highest-charting female K-pop group.

The film's soundtrack shot into the top 10 of the Billboard 200 in the US, making it the highest debut for a soundtrack so far this year.

Golden is being released as an official single by Republic Records, and Netflix is submitting it for awards consideration, according to Variety.

KPop Demon Hunters, which was produced by Sony Pictures Animation, was directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and was based on a story by Ms Kang.

Its success should perhaps not be too surprising as top producers including Teddy Park, who has worked with Blackpink, and BTS collaborator Lindgren were part of the team that created the album

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyl1zyv1y2o

Comprehension

What is the name of the musical animation mentioned in the article?
How many views did KPop Demon Hunters get on Netflix in two weeks?
What is the name of the fictional boy band in the film?
Which real K-pop group did Saja Boys surpass on US Spotify charts?
What is the name of the girl group in the movie?
Which chart did the movie’s soundtrack enter in the top 10?
What is special about the song Golden in terms of official release?
Which two well-known producers helped make the album?
What movie company produced KPop Demon Hunters?
Who created the original story for the film?

Discussion

Would you listen to music by a fictional band? Why or why not?
Why do you think KPop Demon Hunters became so popular?
Do you think animated bands can become as famous as real-life bands?
How do music streaming platforms (like Spotify) affect music popularity?
What makes K-pop different from other music genres?
Have you ever watched a musical animation? What did you like or dislike about it?
Do you think animation and music are a good combination? Why?
Would you go to a concert featuring songs from a movie?
What do you think about awards being given to songs from animated films?
If you could create a fictional music group, what would they be like?

Vocabulary

Fictional – not real; made up for a story, book, or movie
Streamed – watched or listened to online without downloading
Chart – a ranking list showing the most popular songs or albums
Surpass – to go beyond; to be better or higher than something else
Soundtrack – the collection of songs or music from a movie or show
Debut – the first time something appears or is introduced
Producer – someone who manages the creation of music, movies, or shows
Collaborator – a person who works together with another on a project