In this week’s The Contenders, the last charts rung to climb is the hardest for the surprise pop story of the year.

Before KPop Demon Hunters premiered on Netflix’s 2025 schedule, I had the chance to interview its directors, Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang. During that discussion, I asked them a question that could easily spark debate,

And it's not just the film that's a summer hit. The “KPop Demon Hunters” soundtrack has topped the charts — debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's Soundtracks chart and No. 8 on the all-genre Billboard 200.