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KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters
On a platform, members of Huntrix (from left to right: Mira, Rumi, and Zoey) as Demon Hunters, stand on a stage holding combat weapons with a larger digital banner showing them in their normal outfits promoting the band's world tour appearing behind them. The skyline of Seoul, including the N Seoul Tower, is seen in the background.
Release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
  • Danya Jimenez[1]
  • Hannah McMechan[1]
  • Maggie Kang[1]
  • Chris Appelhans[1]
Story byMaggie Kang[1]
Produced byMichelle Wong[2]
Starring
Edited byNathan Schauf[3]
Music byMarcelo Zarvos[1]
Production
company
Distributed byNetflix[1]
Release date
  • June 20, 2025 (2025-06-20)
Running time
100 minutes[5]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100 million[6]
Box office$19.2 million[7]

KPop Demon Hunters is a 2025 American animated musical urban fantasy film[8][9][10] produced by Sony Pictures Animation and released by Netflix. It was directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans from a screenplay they co-wrote with the writing team of Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan, based on a story conceived by Kang. The film stars the voices of Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Lee Byung-hun. It follows a K-pop girl group, Huntr/x,[a] who lead double lives as demon hunters; they face off against a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, whose members are secretly demons.

KPop Demon Hunters originated from Kang's desire to create a story inspired by her Korean heritage, drawing on elements of mythology, demonology, and K-pop to craft a visually distinct and culturally rooted film. The film was reported to be in production at Sony Pictures Animation by March 2021, with the full creative team attached. The film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks and was stylistically influenced by concert lighting, editorial photography, and music videos as well as anime and Korean dramas. The soundtrack features original songs by several talents, and a score composed by Marcelo Zarvos.

KPop Demon Hunters began streaming on Netflix on June 20, 2025, while a sing-along version of the film received a two-day limited theatrical release from August 23 to 24, 2025. The film earned widespread critical acclaim, with praise for its animation, visual style, voice acting, writing, and music. Its soundtrack album also saw major success, reaching number one and top ten positions on multiple music and streaming charts.

Plot

[edit]

Long ago, demons preyed on humans, feeding their souls to their ruler Gwi-Ma. Eventually, three women became demon hunters and sealed the demons away with a magical barrier called the Honmoon. Their legacy continued across the generations, with each new trio using their singing voices to maintain the Honmoon, working to eventually strengthen it into the Golden Honmoon – a final seal that would banish demons from the human world permanently.

In the present, the K-pop girl group Huntr/x – comprised of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey – is the latest demon-hunting trio under the guidance of Celine, a previous hunter who raised Rumi. After completing their world tour, Huntr/x release and prepare for the first live performance of a new single, "Golden", until Rumi begins losing her voice due to her secret demon heritage, which only Celine knows about. As a child, Rumi was told by Celine that turning the Honmoon gold would erase her demon marks.

In the demon world, Gwi-Ma grows enraged at his minions' failures. Five demons, led by former human Jinu, form a K-pop boy band called the Saja Boys to steal Huntr/x's fans and weaken the Honmoon, in exchange for Gwi-Ma erasing Jinu's human memories. Huntr/x quickly discovers the Saja Boys' demonic nature while encountering them during their debut. Jinu discovers Rumi's demon marks as they fight, but helps hide it from her bandmates.

Meeting her privately, Jinu tells Rumi that feelings of shame enslave demons through voices from Gwi-Ma. He reveals that around 400 years earlier, Gwi-Ma granted him a beautiful voice that helped him and his family emerge from poverty, but then condemned him to the demon world; Jinu now lives with guilt over his family's subsequent downfall.

As the Idol Awards approach, Huntr/x rush to produce a new song, "Takedown", to expose the Saja Boys while their popularity skyrockets. Mira grows suspicious when Rumi questions if "Takedown" is too hateful toward demons. Torn between her identities, Rumi proposes a plan to Jinu: if he helps Huntr/x win the Idol Awards and strengthen the Honmoon, he could freely stay in the human world. Later, Rumi confides in Jinu that her shame over her heritage weakened her voice, but talking with him healed it. Jinu states that he no longer hears voices thanks to Rumi, and agrees to sabotage the Saja Boys. Gwi-Ma summons Jinu, reminding him of their deal and the truth that he abandoned his family for a life of wealth and comfort, before threatening to return the tormenting voices unless he obeys him.

At the Idol Awards, the Saja Boys fail to appear, and Huntr/x perform "Golden", having chosen to shelve "Takedown" due to the contention it caused within the group. However, impostor demons sent by Jinu split Mira and Zoey from Rumi, then pose as them to trick Rumi into performing "Takedown", during which they publicly reveal her demon marks. She flees the stage and runs into the real Mira and Zoey, who feel betrayed upon learning of her heritage and collusion with Jinu. Rumi confronts Jinu for tricking her, and he admits to lying about his past. Gwi-Ma casts a trance over Mira, Zoey, and the public, drawing them to the Saja Boys' final performance designed to shatter the weakened Honmoon and unleash him. Rumi meets with Celine and desperately asks her to end her life. Celine refuses and offers to conceal the events, but Rumi lashes out at Celine for never fully loving her before leaving.

Rumi interrupts the Saja Boys' performance with a new song addressing shame and self-acceptance, breaking Gwi-Ma's trance. Reunited, Huntr/x fight back and free the crowd. A repentant Jinu sacrifices himself to save Rumi from Gwi-Ma, giving his restored soul to her; the empowered Huntr/x defeat Gwi-Ma and the Saja Boys, re-sealing the demons and creating a new Honmoon.

Afterward, Rumi, no longer ashamed of her marks, reconciles with Mira and Zoey, and they later meet with their fans in public.

Voice cast

[edit]
  • Arden Cho as Rumi, the lead vocalist and leader of Huntr/x, who wields a saingeom sword in combat.[13][14] Rumi is the daughter of a demon father and her late mother Ryu Mi-yeong, who was a demon hunter and K-pop idol.[15][16]
    • Ejae provides Rumi's singing voice.
    • Rumi Oak as young Rumi and young Fan.
  • May Hong as Mira, the visual and main dancer of Huntr/x,[16] who wields a gokdo polearm in combat.[13][14] She comes from a wealthy background and was considered the black sheep of her family due to her rebellious nature.[16]
  • Ji-young Yoo as Zoey, the main rapper, lyricist, and maknae of Huntr/x,[16] who wields shinkal throwing knives in combat.[13][14] Zoey is Korean American, and was raised in Burbank.[16][17]
    • Rei Ami provides Zoey's singing voice.
  • Ahn Hyo-seop as Jinu, leader of the Saja Boys and a demon with a past that haunts him. He is accompanied by a blue pet tiger and a six-eyed magpie.[18]
  • Yunjin Kim as Celine, a former demon hunter and K-pop idol who fostered Rumi.[16][17]
  • Ken Jeong as Bobby, the agent and manager of Huntr/x.[16][17]
  • Lee Byung-hun as Gwi-Ma, the king of demons, who takes the form of a giant mouth of fire.[16] Lee reprises the role in the Korean dub of the film.[20][21]
  • Daniel Dae Kim as Healer Han, an eccentric doctor.[16][17]
  • Joel Kim Booster as Romance Saja
    • Samuil Lee provides Romance Saja's singing voice.
    • Booster also voices Variety Show Host 1 and Idol Host.
  • Alan Lee as Mystery Saja
    • Kevin Woo provides Mystery Saja's singing voice.
  • SungWon Cho as Abs Saja[22][23][b]
    • Neckwav provides Abs Saja's singing voice.
  • Danny Chung provides Baby Saja's singing voice.
  • Liza Koshy as Host
  • Maggie Kang as:
    • Flight Attendant Demon and Crying Demon
    • Newscaster

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

In March 2021, a film with the working title K-Pop: Demon Hunters was announced to be underway at Sony Pictures Animation. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans would direct with writing duo Hannah McMechan and Danya Jimenez writing the script and Aron Warner and Michelle L. M. Wong serving as producers.[4][24][2] Mingjue Helen Chen and Ami Thompson were also announced as production designer and art director, respectively.[4]

It was conceived by Kang who wanted to make a film "set in Korean culture"; she "delved into mythology and demonology for something that could be visually unique" compared to "mainstream media".[25] She also called the film her "love letter to K-pop" and her "Korean roots".[4] On character design, Kang highlighted wanting to differentiate from "Marvel female superheroes that were just sexy and cool and badass" and instead have "girls who had potbellies and burped and were crass and silly and fun" leading to the creation of "something that encompassed all of those elements".[26] She was also influenced by "how Bong Joon Ho juggles so many different tones in his films to where they feel very animated".[25] Appelhans came on board later on after Kang told him her initial ideas for the film; he planned to take a long break after having directed Wish Dragon (2021).[25] He stated that he "always wanted to do a film about the power of music – to unite, bring joy, build community."[4] Kang explained that when developing the history of the demon hunters they decided to play into "the shaman women from Korean culture" as historically these women would "sing and dance to protect their village and their communities".[27]

The three members of Huntr/x were modeled after K-pop girl groups like Itzy, Blackpink, and Twice. Kang commented that 2NE1 and Blackpink provided an early reference.[28] The character of Mira was inspired by Korean model Ahn So-yeon.[29] The Saja Boys were inspired by Korean boy bands such as Tomorrow X Together, BTS, Stray Kids, Ateez, BigBang, and Monsta X.[30] Korean actor and singer Cha Eun-woo was a key influence for Jinu, the group's leader.[31] Jinu is the only Saja Boy who "has a real name" while "the rest of the band members have names that are more descriptive of K-pop archetypes".[32] Baek Byung-yeul of The Korea Times stated the styling of both groups connects to "the past and the present of Korea" – the members of Huntr/x "wear 'norigae' pendants integrated into modern K-pop fashion, while Saja Boys perform in black hanbok and traditional horsehair hats for their song 'Your Idol,' evoking the image of the jeoseung saja, the Korean equivalent of the grim reaper".[14] Additionally, the weapons Huntr/x wields are rooted in "traditional Korean objects".[14] Max Kim of the Los Angeles Times noted the historical nods to Korean artists "who are seen today as the progenitors of contemporary K-pop" such as the Jeogori Sisters, The Kim Sisters and S.E.S..[33] Kang highlighted the visual journey in the character design such as the Saja Boys starting in a "bubble gum pop, very saccharine, super sweet look" and shifting darker until they "look like the iconic Grim Reaper with the hat".[34] Appelhans commented that one of the design challenges were the costumes since they also acted as "plot points", noting that the gold outfits worn during the "Golden" song symbolize "their kind of MacGuffin of a dream" where Huntr/x aspire for perfection and being "beyond reproach".[34] However, at the second act's end, the ideal is visually represented as broken as "Rumi is standing there" with the dream "literally and physically in tatters".[34]

A Korean folk painting of the Tiger and the Magpie

Hanh Nguyen, for Salon, highlighted that Jinu's pet tiger and magpie – which the creative team call Derpy and Sussy respectively – are based on minhwa, "a style of Korean folk art popular during the [Joseon period], with the Hojak-do genre specializing in images of tigers, magpies, and pine trees"; the depiction of these animals together changed over time "to become more satirical by the 17th century".[18] Park Han-sol of The Korea Times wrote that minhwa was often "whimsical" with "mischievous details" and depictions of tiger and magpie delivered "a playful jab at those in power".[35] She commented that the film's gag of the magpie stealing the tiger's hat "feels like an affectionate nod to the long-running visual joke".[35] Story artist Radford Sechrist explained that "Derpy's bright blue hue" possibly originated with production designer Helen Mingjue Chen wanting to give "the tiger a more magical feel" and confirmed that Sussy has "six eyes total, three on each side".[18] Kang commented that Derpy was initially conceived as a "fun character" without a clear role, however, they did not want him to be just "a sidekick".[18] The team was inspired by a painting by Chen of "a statue of a tiger turning into a real tiger" next to an open shirt Jinu which led to the idea of Derpy being Jinu's pet, eventually becoming "a mailbox basically" to help the characters communicate "and then the bird tagged along".[18] Kang also stated that while the animals "live between these two worlds", they are not demons and it is left mysterious.[36]

Casting

[edit]
Arden Cho and Ahn Hyo-seop voice Rumi and Jinu respectively.

The castings for the characters' voice actors and singing voices were done at separate times, with the singers being cast earlier.[8] Ejae was originally brought onto the production as a songwriter, before later being offered the role of Rumi's singing voice; in an interview with Genius Korea, Ejae attributed her casting to "the directors [getting] used to hearing [her] voice in the demos".[8][37] Arden Cho, the voice actress for Rumi, initially auditioned for the role of Celine, only subsequently trying out for the role of Rumi due to the encouragement of co-director Maggie Kang.[38] Park Jin-young was initially envisioned for the role of Gwi-Ma, due to the character originally being conceptualized with a more flamboyant and comedic personality. However, this was dropped as the character was developed into a more menacing and traditionally antagonistic figure, leading instead to the casting of Lee Byung-hun.[39][40] In April 2025, Ji-young Yoo was revealed to star in the film as Zoey.[41][42] The rest of the cast was announced later that month.[1]

Animation

[edit]

The film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks in both its Vancouver and Montreal facilities with Josh Beveridge as the head of character animation.[25] Appelhans highlighted inspiration was drawn from "music videos, editorial photography, K-dramas, concert lighting, a touch of anime".[25] Kang explained that after watching Sony's Spider-Verse films, which are animated in a "hybrid 2D-3D style", it was decided to "pull away from every 2D element in our movie" and "[take] a lot of inspiration from faces and the look and feel of anime" with the aim of doing "a CG version of it".[25] Beveridge similarly noted the inspiration of "2D aesthetics but with three-dimensional language" and that the film should have a "very bold graphic look".[25] Beveridge also highlighted shifting the characters' faces to reflect the film's tone, from "high-glamour moments" where "they need to feel like pop stars in an animated world", to "animated aggro" which has "faces with a lot more line work, a lot more angularity", to "hyper-ridiculous" moments referred to as "Chibi, or demi-Chibi", with characters having "super-cute and exaggerated features".[25] Kang emphasized the crew's effort to authentically represent Korean identity through character animation, such as "mouth shapes and eye shapes that were very Korean".[34] Although the characters speak English, Kang explained that the animators designed "mouth shapes that you would only make as a Korean person, with our Korean language".[34]

Music

[edit]
Main article: KPop Demon Hunters (soundtrack)

When comparing the songs of Huntr/x and the Saja Boys, Appelhans explained they "wanted the Saja Boys' songs to be super catchy, but slightly hollow, like there's no real soul underneath" which contrasts with the "emotionally vulnerable and honest" Huntr/x songs – "the idea was that the surface-level part of your heart might be obsessed with the boys, but the deeper part is moved by the girls".[28] The film's original songs were written by Danny Chung, Ido, Vince, Kush, Ejae, Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk, Lindgren, Mark Sonnenblick, and Daniel Rojas; and produced by Teddy Park, 24, Ido, Dominsuk, Andrews, Kirk, Lindgren, and Ian Eisendrath. Marcelo Zarvos composed the score. The soundtrack also features the voices of Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami, Andrew Choi, Kevin Woo, samUIL Lee, Neckwav, and Lea Salonga. The soundtrack was released on June 20, 2025; the lead single "Takedown" is performed by Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Chaeyoung of Twice.[42][43][44]

In the United States, the soundtrack album holds the highest debut on the Billboard 200 chart for soundtracks released in 2025, debuting at number eight, and is the first soundtrack of 2025 to reach the top ten.[45] The album is also the highest-charting animated film's soundtrack album on the chart since Metro Boomin's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) at number seven, as well as the first Netflix soundtrack to reach number one on the Top Soundtracks since Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 (2022).[46] The BBC highlighted that Huntr/x and the Saja Boys – with "Golden" and "Your Idol" respectively – topped the US Spotify chart with Huntr/x hitting "number two on the chart, surpassing Blackpink as the highest-charting female K-pop group", and the Saja Boys becoming "the highest charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history", surpassing BTS.[47] "Golden", the album's second single, eventually reached number one on the Billboard Global 200,[48] number one on the US Billboard Hot 100,[49] and in South Korea became the third song in 2025 to achieve a perfect all-kill on the charts,[50] as well as breaking the record for most number of hourly perfect all-kills of all time.[51][52]

Release

[edit]

When the film was first announced in March 2021, a release timetable was not set.[4] Later on that same month, the film was listed to have a release type of theatrical.[24] In April 2022, it was reported that Netflix registered a filing for the film.[53][54] The film was confirmed to be coming to the streamer in February 2023, in a Business Insider interview with Sony Pictures film CEO Tom Rothman.[55] In 2021, Sony entered into concurrent agreements with Netflix.[56][57][6] According to Matthew Belloni of Puck, this included both "an output deal with Netflix for its theatrical films" and "a separate 'direct-to-platform' arrangement".[6] Under the latter, Sony agreed to give Netflix "a first look at certain live-action and animated film projects", with Netflix guaranteeing to "greenlight a minimum number" for joint development which "Netflix would release and control".[6] KPop Demon Hunters is among the titles produced under this direct-to-platform deal. Belloni reported that, under the terms of the arrangement, "Sony would be paid a prenegotiated premium on top of the budgets for the films", with sources indicating that the premium "was 25 percent of the budgets, capped at $20 million per film", and that "Netflix would keep all the rights and pay no profit participation".[6] Pamela McClintock of The Hollywood Reporter highlighted that Netflix covered the "entire $100 million budget in addition to paying Sony a fee of $25 million"; "Sony also receives a piece of soundtrack sales", "music publishing fees for certain songs" and "a portion of the money Netflix is paying Sony's animation company".[58]

In June 2024, the film was announced to be released in 2025.[59] In April 2025, it was revealed by an animator that the film would be released in June, while later that month, it was announced for a release date of June 20, 2025.[1] In addition to streaming on Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters had a limited theatrical release at select cinemas in California and New York. Billboard noted this release was "just enough to satisfy the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' highly specific eligibility requirements".[60] A sing-along version of the film was released theatrically in select theaters in North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand from August 23–24, 2025.[61][62][63][64] This version was subsequently released on Netflix.[65]

Reception

[edit]

Audience viewership

[edit]

On July 29, 2025, Netflix announced that KPop Demon Hunters had become the platform's "most watched original animated film of all time".[66][67] It was then reported on August 26 that KPop Demon Hunters had surpassed Red Notice (2021) as the platform's most-watched film, being viewed 236 million times in the ten weeks following its premiere.[68][69]

Box office

[edit]

The sing-along version of KPop Demon Hunters debuted in theaters on August 23, 2025[70][71] and was initially projected to gross between $18–20 million from 1,700 theatres during its opening weekend.[72] It was the widest ever theatrical release for a Netflix release, beating out the 698 theatres that Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) opened in, and became the first Netflix film to finish in first place over the weekend.[73] It also became the best-performing theatrical release for the platform, beating out Glass Onion ($13.1 million in 2022).[74] However, Netflix opted out of reporting grosses.[71]

In the United States and Canada, KPop Demon Hunters made $19.2 million at the box office during its two days from 1,700 theaters,[7][74] ahead of Weapons, which was expected to remain in first during its third weekend.[74] Jeremy Fuster of TheWrap highlighted that despite KPop Demon Hunters being released on streaming in June 2025, its short theatrical release was set to open higher than the three-day opening weekends of The Bad Guys 2 ($22 million) and Elio ($20.8 million). With the 2025 summer season seeing no animated films gross over $100 million domestically,[c] Fuster opined that KPop Demon Hunters would have crossed that mark despite its rapid popularity being attributed to its release on Netflix.[75]

Matt Schimkowitz of The A.V. Club commented that while Netflix generally avoided general theatrical releases, the limited release window showed high demand from audiences who most likely have already seen the film on Netflix.[72] Ben Fritz of The Wall Street Journal similarly noted such, stating that Netflix generally avoided theatrical releases for their films outside of limited releases for awards eligibility "and to satisfy A-list filmmakers".[73] The decision to release KPop Demon Hunters theatrically was brought on due to the acclaim it has attained.[73]

Critical response

[edit]

KPop Demon Hunters received widespread acclaim from both critics and audiences,[76][77][78] who praised its animation, music, voice acting, and story.[79] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 71 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Animated with infectious energy and vibrant colors, KPop Demon Hunters is jaunty family entertainment with a terrific soundtrack to boot."[80] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[81]

Brandon Yu, for The New York Times, stated KPop Demon Hunters "is an original universe that is charming, funny and artfully punchy", commenting that it "is funniest when it pokes at pop culture that is highly manufactured, from K-pop to K-dramas to mass-produced singing competitions".[82] Matt Goldberg of TheWrap commented that the plot would "be painfully overwrought if not for the terrific thread of comedy" throughout the film, noting it "knows when to poke fun at K-pop and K-drama tropes".[83] David Tizzard of The Korea Times called the film "outrageously good" and praised its representation of Korean culture, saying that it "quietly captures the texture of everyday life with an intimacy rarely seen in global content".[84] Tizzard also commented that it is not only "a love letter to K-pop" but it is "also a sharply observed, sometimes unflinching look at the culture that surrounds it".[84] Yu noted that it "shares a kind of lineage" with Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Verse and while it shares a "similar visual style", what the film "borrows mostly is a more holistic and technical sense of the cinematic" with "fluid" action, "striking" art, and music that serves as a "dynamic storytelling tool".[82] Isaiah Colbert of Io9 similarly commented that "the animation team at Sony Pictures Animation didn't skimp, delivering yet another visual treat with decadent and vibrant animation" after their success with Spider-Verse; he highlighted the "bold and expressive" character designs which allows Huntr/x to shift from idol protagonists to "the kind of approachable girls with gremlin-like tendencies".[85] Toussaint Egan of IGN opined that the film "knows how to tackle serious subject matter without taking itself too seriously which, along with its stunning production value and exciting action sequences, makes for a wholly entertaining experience".[86] Goldberg praised Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans "for understanding that even though their setting may be outlandish, they still have to treat the stakes as real".[83] Jeff Ewing, for Collider, stated that the film lands "a beautifully bonkers fantasy premise" and has "interesting lore around demons, music, and hunters, which is novel yet feels rich".[87] Peter Debruge, for Variety, called the film "fast and efficient", and while the "human-demon rom-com plot might be predictable", he thought KPop Demon Hunters was "more entertaining" than Pixar's Elio (2025).[88]

On the voice cast, Ewing commented that the actresses for the members of Huntr/x "have clearly distinct personalities and a strong collective dynamic", noting that "May Hong and Ji-young Yoo land Mira and Zoey" respectively and "Arden Cho gives a complex and emotional vocal performance as lead Rumi"; additionally, "Ahn Hyo-seop is great as the clever, charismatic demon/boy band lead Jinu".[87] Colbert also praised "the phenomenal voice work of its main cast" along with film's authentic "musicality" which "ensures that the songs are so catchy that even the most reluctant K-pop critic would find themselves bobbing their head and humming along to the chorus".[85] He also commented that the film "explores music as both a haven and a form of emotional expression", which is similar to both "Turning Red and, surprisingly, Sinners", but noted it stands out by embracing "the magical girl anime aesthetic".[85] Wilson Chapman of IndieWire thought the most "impressive" aspect of the film's music was how the directors Kang and Appelhans found "smart, varied ways to stage the songs" such as a demon fight for "How It's Done", a music video "emulating the high-budget endeavors of real-world groups" for "Golden", a creation montage for "Takedown", and a "spirited dance number" for "Soda Pop".[89] Chapman stated that "versatility with how it flexes its musical muscles makes the K-pop trappings more than just a goofy gimmick but a central and vital component of its storytelling".[89] Debruge noted that "because the nimble, genre-hopping movie is set in the world of K-pop" the audience might not be aware they are "watching a musical".[88] He also highlighted the "adorable animal sidekicks, which come in the form of a grinning tiger demon and a black bird in a tiny gat (hat), both designed to look like they've stepped straight out of Korean folklore".[88] Tizzard stated that including the magpie and tiger is not an "arbitrary flourish", but are instead "direct citations from Korea's folk art tradition" which the film "reinterprets ... with affection".[84] Egan highlighted that "the fight sequences, with their flashy choreography and anime-inflected verve, lean heavily on musical numbers featuring originals songs penned by a who's who list of popular Western artists and Kpop mainstays" and that it is a "visually sumptuous action fantasy with the kind of heartfelt chest belters that are sure to make ardent converts of fans of animated musicals".[86] Tizzard highlighted that the music is "produced by real industry heavyweights", stating that "the music slaps", it "is laced with lyrical nuance, and integrates seamlessly with the narrative".[84] Similarly, Goldberg noted that the "catchy" songs have plot stakes which "helps keep the tension going throughout the film".[83]

Angela Garcia of SLUG Magazine opined that due to the short runtime, KPop Demon Hunters "leaves you feeling like it's only scratched the surface of both the world and characters".[90] Garcia explained that "in some ways this is a testament to the enticing world building and likable characters, because the audience wants to know more and spend more time with this story and characters", however, "it also shows just how many ideas were here that were ultimately left underdeveloped".[90] Chapman also highlighted the short runtime, which he felt was both a "boon at points" and the film's "fatal flaw" – by moving quickly, the film lacks depth at points, such as Mira and Zoey receiving the "short shrift storyline wise", "not digging nearly enough into the resentment Rumi feels towards ... Celine", and a "rushed climax" which is "slightly underwhelming" and is "an overly easy resolution that doesn't give these lovable girls the ending they deserve".[89] Similarly, Colbert's main criticism was an "overly convenient" resolution as the ending was "so neatly tied up that it loses some of the depth that its setup promised".[85] Ewing felt the film could have spent more time building "up the other characters' emotional lives" and highlighted that the audience is "a bit shortchanged on Rumi's actually-very-important background".[87] Goldberg also noted an occasional tonal "whiplash" and explained it is "not so much that the movie needs to discard the emotional elements, but if they were going to head in that direction, then they needed to provide stronger arcs for Zoey and Mira, who largely play as comic relief until the film's climax".[83] Matthew Belloni of Puck noted that while "Sony Pictures did make one of the biggest movie sensations of the summer – a project from its animation division that cost more than $100 million to produce and will likely become a billion-dollar franchise" – the majority of the film's "value has and will accrue to Netflix" since "Sony offloaded it rather than develop it solo and release it in theaters".[6] Belloni opined that "this is arguably Netflix's first animated megahit after many, many attempts" and for "film chief Dan Lin, this is a studio chairman's dream: a relatively cheap superhit with a clear runway for exploitation across many businesses", while Sony's film chief Tom Rothman "gotta be kicking himself over this one".[6]

Themes

[edit]

The film's plot explores the power of community and friendship in overcoming cultural pressures. Arden Cho, who voices Rumi, said that "without Mira and Zoey, she wouldn't have made it".[91] According to the filmmakers, Rumi's arc parallels the experience of coming out, especially in terms of parental and societal expectations. Co-director Maggie Kang noted that the character's journey was deliberately written to mirror the process of revealing one's true self: "Rumi's story [is] like she's coming out of the closet and coming clean to her parents who [want] her to be something that she's not".[91] The final song, "What It Sounds Like", serves as a conclusion to the battle between the two fictional bands; while being an "inspirational pop song", it also dwells on Rumi's journey on battling her inner demons.[43] Kang commented that when developing the song and Rumi's story they "talked a lot about mixed heritage" as well as "queer identity, and addiction and falling back into addiction. We kind of described the demon part of you" where someone is hiding part of themselves "from the world".[32]

Future

[edit]

In an interview with Screen Rant, director Maggie Kang expressed interest in a potential sequel and side stories to flesh out the universe of the film. She said that many questions that were raised remain unanswered fully and that "there are a lot of pockets that we can explore",[27] such as potential backstories for Mira and Zoey.[92] Director Chris Appelhans told People that "there are so many unanswered questions, in a good way, and so many avenues that could be their own story."[93] Matthew Belloni of Puck noted that, under the 2021 agreement between Sony and Netflix, Sony holds "the contractual right to produce" future installments of KPop Demon Hunters; however, "the follow-up movies will go directly to Netflix, barring the unlikely event of [Netflix] co-C.E.O. Ted Sarandos suddenly coming around on theaters."[6]

In July 2025, TheWrap reported that, following the success of the film, Netflix has begun considering several potential follow-up projects, including two sequels, a television series, a short film, and a stage musical.[94] In a statement to Newsweek, Netflix Films chairman Dan Lin commented that the company was "excited to explore what could be the next adventure for Huntrix. KPDH's success comes from its original, fresh story so if we do embark on a sequel, we would want to take our time to make sure that any future stories we tell with our favorite demon hunters retains the flair and uniqueness of the first film".[95] In August 2025, Belloni reported that Sony had "just started" negotiations with Kang and Appelhans "to return for a follow-up".[6] On August 26, Pamela McClintock of The Hollywood Reporter stated that "Sony Pictures is in talks with Netflix to make an animated sequel".[58]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Pronounced as "Huntrix" (/ˈhʌntrɪks/).[11][12]
  2. ^ Also referred to as Abby Saja.[16][23]
  3. ^ The most recent animated film to do so up until that point was Despicable Me 4 (2024).

References

[edit]
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