530,000 Pack Seoul Fireworks Festival as ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Hit ‘Soda Pop’ Lights Up the Sky

Seoul's night sky just got a K-pop-powered makeover.

Around 530,000 spectators gathered in Seoul on September 5 for the 2026 Seoul International Fireworks Festival, where one of the night's biggest surprises came from Netflix's global phenomenon “KPop Demon Hunters.”

The British fireworks team opened the show with a spectacular display synchronized to “Soda Pop,” one of the breakout songs from the hit animated film's soundtrack.

🎆 “Soda Pop” Lights Up Seoul

The fireworks began shortly after 8 p.m. over the Han River in Seoul's Yeouido district.

The United Kingdom team opened the international showcase, launching red, gold and green fireworks while “Soda Pop” from “KPop Demon Hunters” played across the festival.

The combination quickly became one of the night's most recognizable K-culture moments as spectators watched the soundtrack hit come to life over the Seoul skyline.

🔥 530,000 People Gather in Yeouido

According to estimates from organizers and police, approximately 530,000 people attended the festival.

The massive annual event took place around Yeouido and the Han River, with spectators filling viewing areas to watch teams from three countries compete for the sky.

🎆 Event: 2026 Seoul International Fireworks Festival

📅 Date: September 5, 2026

📍 Location: Yeouido, Seoul

👥 Crowd: Approx. 530,000

🌎 Teams: South Korea, United States & United Kingdom

✨ Theme: Find Your Light

🇬🇧 UK Opens, 🇺🇸 U.S. Follows, 🇰🇷 Korea Delivers the Finale

The British team kicked off the international fireworks showcase with “Soda Pop.”

The United States followed with a dramatic display accompanied by “O Fortuna” from Carl Orff's “Carmina Burana.”

South Korea's Hanwha team then took over for the grand finale, closing the festival with roughly 20 minutes of fireworks over the Han River.

🌈 “Find Your Light”

This year's festival was presented under the theme “Find Your Light.”

The 2026 event was also held several weeks earlier than in recent years, largely because of the timing of the Chuseok holiday later in September.

A special pre-festival event was also held for the first time since the festival began in 2000.

From Netflix to the Seoul Skyline

The use of “Soda Pop” shows just how far the cultural reach of “KPop Demon Hunters” has extended.

What began as music from an animated Netflix film has moved beyond the screen, becoming part of real-world K-culture events — and this time, the backdrop was one of Seoul's biggest annual celebrations.

For thousands watching from the Han River, “Soda Pop” wasn't just playing through speakers. It was lighting up the Seoul sky.

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Sources: Yonhap News Agency, Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul International Fireworks Festival. September 2026.