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Huntrix in the film 'Kpop Demon Hunters.' Photos courtesy of Netflix
If you’ve scrolled through social media lately, especially within K-pop circles, you've likely come across the buzz around “KPop Demon Hunters,” the animated musical-action film that’s quickly gaining popularity online.
The film, which dropped June 20 on Netflix, follows a chart-topping K-pop girl group who secretly moonlight as demon hunters.
Whether it’s the film’s presence on your feed, its quirky premise or just plain curiosity pulling you in, we list down a few reasons why “KPop Demon Hunters” might be worth adding to your watchlist.
Fresh story
While many K-dramas and documentaries have explored the world of K-pop, “KPop Demon Hunters” offers a fresh take, cleverly blending the catchy music and flashy choreography with supernatural elements and exhilarating action sequences.
At the heart of the film is Huntrix, a girl group whose three members live double lives as demon hunters. Through their music, the team also maintains a magical barrier that keeps malevolent forces at bay.
But trouble brews with the arrival of the Saja Boys, a five-member boy band who quickly rise in popularity. The twist? They’re not just industry rivals, but demons in disguise.
Saja Boys
The hunters-versus-demons narrative, wrapped in K-pop aesthetics, feels especially well-suited for animation. Notably, the film is produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the same studio behind the hit “Spider-Verse” franchise.
Beyond the spectacle, “KPop Demon Hunters” also delivers meaningful messages, most notably about self-acceptance. However, we won’t go into detail to avoid spoilers.
The film also weaves in a romantic subplot, allowing for classic K-drama moments, complete with a slow-motion scene perfectly timed to a soundtrack that amplifies the emotional (or “kilig”) effect.
Fictional idols
Set against the backdrop of the K-pop industry, the film is likely to immediately appeal to K-pop fans, who might find the fictional groups easily likable as they closely resemble real-life K-pop bands, each member showcasing a distinct personality and fulfilling a role within their team.
In Huntrix, for example, Rumi emerges as a potent vocalist of pop-star royalty, as her mother was once part of a girl group herself. There’s also the effortlessly cool Mira, widely recognized by fans as the group’s visual and lead dancer, and the quirky maknae (youngest member) Zoey, who also takes on the roles of rapper and lyricist.
On social media, fans have been speculating about the real-life idols who inspired the film’s characters, sharing side-by-side comparisons, according to Forbes, who talked to director Maggie Kang about the actual K-pop stars who influenced Huntrix and the Saja Boys.
Catchy original songs
With original idol groups, it’s only fitting that the film features an original soundtrack to match. To bring the music to life, the production enlisted K-pop producers, including Teddy Park, co-founder of The Black Label and the creative force behind the hits of groups like 2NE1 and Blackpink, according to Tudum.
The producer lineup also includes Lindgren, known for his work with BTS and TWICE; Stephen Kirk, who has collaborated with BTS and Tomorrow X Together; and Jenna Andrews, another BTS collaborator.
The original songs include the girl crush-leaning “Takedown” and “How It’s Done,” and the empowering anthem “Golden” for Huntrix. The Saja Boys, meanwhile, perform the bright “Soda Pop” and hard-hitting “Your Idol.”
The soundtrack also includes a few familiar songs, including “Strategy” by TWICE and “Love, Maybe” by MeloMance. TWICE members Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung even recorded a special version of “Takedown.”
Filipino Broadway icon Lea Salonga also lends her voice as the singing counterpart of the character Celine, a mentor figure to Huntrix.
Filipino fans online have been raving about Netflix’s option to stream the film with Filipino audio, which includes localized versions of the original soundtrack.
Voice actors
The voice cast includes Korean-American talents such as “Teen Wolf” star Arden Cho, who voices Rumi, and comedian Joel Kim Booster, who plays a member of the Saja Boys.
Joining them are English-speaking Korean actors, including “Business Proposal” lead Ahn Hyo-seop as Saja Boys leader Jinu, and former U-KISS member Kevin Woo, who provides the singing vocals to one of the Saja Boys members.
Adding star power, “Squid Game” actor Lee Byung-hun takes on the role of the demon king Gwi-Ma, while Daniel Dae Kim and Ken Jeong lend their voices to supporting characters.
Truthfully, there are plenty more reasons to check out “KPop Demon Hunters” (we’ll just add: the tiger and bird characters are irresistibly cute). However, we’ll leave the rest for future audiences to discover. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself playing Huntrix or Saja Boys tracks on repeat long after the credits roll.