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KPop Demon Hunters

2025 animated film by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

KPop Demon Hunters
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KPop Demon Hunters is a 2025 American animated musical urban fantasy film[8][9][10] directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans from a screenplay they co-wrote with Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan, based on a story conceived by Kang. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix, 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. The film follows a K-pop girl group, Huntrix,[a] who lead double lives as demon hunters; they face off against a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, whose members are secretly demons.

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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 musicians, 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 limited theatrical releases from August 23–24 and October 31 – November 2. The film garnered widespread acclaim and was named a cultural phenomenon by several publications, with praise for its animation, visual style, voice acting, writing, and music. It became the most-watched original title in Netflix history with 325 million views, and its sing-along theatrical release was both the widest for a Netflix film and the first to top the box office in the United States, surpassing Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022).

The film's soundtrack achieved similar success; it became the first film soundtrack on the Billboard Hot 100 to have four of its songs in the top ten, was certified Platinum by the RIAA in October 2025, and received five Grammy Award nominations. A short film, titled Debut: A KPop Demon Hunters Story, was rated in September by the MPA, while a sequel is planned to be released in 2029.

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Plot

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Long ago, demons preyed on humans, feeding their souls to their ruler Gwi-Ma. Eventually, three women became demon hunters and used their singing voices to create a magical barrier against demons called the Honmoon. As time passed, new trios of hunters emerged to maintain the Honmoon, with the ultimate goal of strengthening it into the Golden Honmoon—a final seal that would banish demons permanently.

In the present, the K-pop girl group Huntrix—comprised of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey—are the latest demon-hunting trio, trained by former hunter Celine. Rumi is secretly half-demon, a fact known only to her and Celine, who raised Rumi. Disquieted by the demonic patterns gradually spreading across her skin, Rumi pushes forward the release and live performance of Huntrix's new single, "Golden", hoping it will turn the Honmoon gold and thereby erase her patterns. However, as they prepare for the performance, Rumi begins to lose her voice.

In the demon world, Gwi-Ma grows enraged at his minions' failures. Five demons, led by former human Jinu, form a boy band called the Saja Boys to steal Huntrix's fans and weaken the Honmoon, in exchange for Gwi-Ma promising to Jinu to erase his painful human memories. Watching their debut, Huntrix quickly discover the Saja Boys' demonic nature and later attack them. As they fight, Jinu discovers Rumi's patterns, but helps hide them from her bandmates. Meeting privately, Jinu tells Rumi that feelings of shame enslave demons through voices from Gwi-Ma. He shares with her that 400 years prior, Gwi-Ma granted him a beautiful voice that helped his family emerge from poverty, but then condemned him to the demon world; Jinu now lives with guilt over his family's downfall.

As the Saja Boys grow more popular, the Honmoon is weakened, allowing more demon attacks to occur. With the Idol Awards approaching, Huntrix rush to produce a new song, "Takedown", to expose the Saja Boys. Rumi's discomfort with the song's harsh, demon-hating lyrics strains her relationship with Mira and Zoey. Rumi proposes a plan to Jinu: if he helps Huntrix win the Idol Awards and strengthen the Honmoon, he could freely stay in the human world. Later, Rumi tells Jinu that her shame about her demon heritage weakened her voice, but talking with him healed it. Jinu says that he no longer hears voices, thanks to Rumi, and agrees to sabotage the Saja Boys. Gwi-Ma summons Jinu, reminds him of the truth that he abandoned his family for a life of wealth and comfort, then threatens to amplify the tormenting voices if he reneges on their deal.

At the Idol Awards, Huntrix perform "Golden", having chosen to shelve "Takedown" due to the contention it caused between them. However, impostor demons sent by Jinu lure Mira and Zoey away from Rumi, while two other demons impersonate them to trick Rumi into performing "Takedown", during which they reveal her demon patterns. She flees the stage and runs into the real Mira and Zoey, who feel betrayed upon learning of her hiding her demon nature and collusion with Jinu from them. Rumi confronts Jinu for tricking her, and he admits to lying about his past. Gwi-Ma, strengthened by the influx of consumed souls and decaying Honmoon, enters the human world and casts a trance over the public, including Mira and Zoey, drawing them to the Saja Boys' performance. A desperate Rumi meets with Celine and asks her to end her life. Celine refuses and discusses plans to restore the status quo. Rumi lashes out at Celine for never fully loving her and repudiates the now-destroyed Honmoon, before abruptly leaving.

Rumi interrupts the Saja Boys' performance with an improvised new song addressing her shame and self-acceptance, which breaks Mira and Zoey out of Gwi-Ma's trance. Reunited, Huntrix fight back and free the crowd. A repentant Jinu sacrifices himself to save Rumi from an attack by Gwi-Ma, giving his restored soul to reinforce her; the empowered Huntrix defeat Gwi-Ma and the remaining Saja Boys, re-sealing the demons and creating a new Honmoon.

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

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Voice cast

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  • Arden Cho as Rumi, the lead vocalist and leader of Huntrix, who wields a saingeom sword in combat.[14] Rumi is the daughter of a demon father and a deceased demon hunter mother.[15][13]
    • Ejae provides Rumi's singing voice.
    • Rumi Oak as young Rumi.
  • May Hong as Mira, the visual and main dancer of Huntrix,[13] who wields a gokdo polearm in combat.[14] She comes from a wealthy background and is considered the black sheep of her family due to her rebellious nature.[13]
  • Ji-young Yoo as Zoey, the main rapper and lyricist of Huntrix; she also serves as the group's maknae by being the youngest member.[13] She wields shinkal throwing knives in combat.[14] Zoey is Korean American, and was raised in Burbank.[13][16]
    • Rei Ami provides Zoey's singing voice.
  • Ahn Hyo-seop as Jinu, leader of the Saja Boys. He is accompanied by a blue pet tiger and a six-eyed magpie.[17]
  • Yunjin Kim as Celine, a former demon hunter and K-pop idol who fostered Rumi following her mother's death.[13][16]
  • Joel Kim Booster as Romance Saja
    • Samuil Lee provides Romance Saja's singing voice.
  • Alan Lee as Mystery Saja
    • Kevin Woo provides Mystery Saja's singing voice.
  • SungWon Cho as Abby Saja[13][19][b]
    • Neckwav provides Abby Saja's singing voice.
  • Danny Chung as Baby Saja
  • Daniel Dae Kim as Healer Han, an eccentric doctor.[13][16]
  • Ken Jeong as Bobby, the energetic agent and manager of Huntrix.[13][16]
  • Lee Byung-hun as Gwi-Ma, the king of demons, who takes the form of a giant fiery mouth.[13] Lee reprises the role in the Korean dub of the film.[21][22]

Liza Koshy voices a television host who interviews Huntrix.[16] Maggie Kang, Nathan Schauf, and Charlene Ramos provide additional voices.[23]

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Production

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Development

Maggie Kang first pitched the idea that eventually became KPop Demon Hunters to Aron Warner in 2018, while he was working on the production of Wish Dragon (2021) for Sony Pictures Animation.[24] In March 2021, the film, under the working title K-Pop: Demon Hunters, was announced to be underway at Sony. Kang and Chris Appelhans would direct with writing duo Hannah McMechan and Danya Jimenez writing the script, with Warner and Michelle L. M. Wong serving as producers.[3][25][26] Mingjue Helen Chen and Ami Thompson were also announced as production designer and art director, respectively.[3]

It was conceived by Kang who wanted to make a film utilizing Korean culture; she "delved into mythology and demonology for something that could be visually unique" compared to mainstream media.[27] She also called the film her "love letter to K-pop" and to her Korean background.[3] Kang explained that when developing the history of the demon hunters, they decided to play into Korean shamanism, and specifically the historical usage of song and dance as part of the rituals of Korean shaman women.[28] On character design, Kang highlighted wanting to differentiate the main characters from "Marvel female superheroes that were just sexy and cool and badass" and instead combine those elements with "girls who had potbellies and burped and were crass and silly and fun".[29] She was also influenced by the films of Bong Joon Ho, which combine multiple different tones in a way that, to Kang, gives a feeling of animation to them.[27] She and Appelhans specifically cited Bong's monster movie, The Host (2006), as an inspiration for blending genres and moods.[30][31] Appelhans later came on board after Kang told him her initial ideas for the film; he planned to take a long break after having directed Wish Dragon (2021).[27] He stated that he "always wanted to do a film about the power of music—to unite, bring joy, build community."[3] McMechan and Jimenez were approached to screenwrite for the film by Nicole Perlman; speaking to Variety, McMechan explained that though the two "had never done animation before, and we didn't know anything about K-pop", they were "exactly what [co-director] Maggie [Kang] had been looking for, with our friendship and us being young girls".[32]

The name Huntrix portmanteaus hunter with the Latin feminine agent noun suffix -trix, to evoke the idea of women warriors.[33] The three members of Huntrix were modeled after K-pop girl groups like Itzy, Blackpink, and Twice. Kang commented that 2NE1 and Blackpink provided an early reference.[34] The character of Rumi was originally created by Kang and her husband, Radford Sechrist, for Sechrist's comic Plastic Walrus, before later being repurposed and reshaped by Kang for KPop Demon Hunters.[35][17] The character of Mira was inspired by Korean model Ahn So Yeon (professionaly known as Ellis Ahn).[36][37][38] The Saja Boys were inspired by Korean boy bands such as Tomorrow X Together, BTS, Stray Kids, Ateez, BigBang, and Monsta X.[39] Korean actor and singer Cha Eun-woo was a key influence for Jinu, the group's leader.[40] The names of the members of the Saja Boys, with the exception of Jinu, serve as labels describing different K-pop archetypes.[41] The term Saja dually alludes to the jeoseung saja (저승사자; 監齋使者), a figure in Korean folklore comparable to the Grim Reaper,[14] and to the Korean word for lion, saja (사자; 獅子), with the image of a lion head being used for the Saja Boys' logo, and the band's fandom being referred to as "the Pride".[42]

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 Huntrix "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".[14] Additionally, the weapons Huntrix 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.[43] 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 fully take on the appearance of the jeoseung saja.[44] Appelhans commented on the visual storytelling present in Huntrix's performance costuming; the costumes Huntrix wear when performing "Golden" symbolize "their kind of MacGuffin of a dream", aspiring for perfection and irreproachability, with the tearing away of Rumi's costume at the end of the film's second act representing the disruption of that dream.[44] Appelhans further noted this usage of costuming as part of an effort to have the workings of K-pop be reflected within the film in a way that also integrated with the film's plot.[44]

Casting

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Arden Cho, May Hong, and Ji-young Yoo voice Rumi, Mira, and Zoey respectively

The castings for the characters' voice actors and singing voices were done at separate times, with the singers being cast earlier.[45] 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".[45][46] 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.[47] 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.[48][49] In April 2025, Ji-young Yoo was revealed to star in the film as Zoey.[50][51] The rest of the cast was announced later that month.[1]

Animation

The film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks in both its Vancouver and Montreal facilities with Josh Beveridge as the head of character animation.[27] Appelhans highlighted visual inspiration as being drawn from multiple sources, including music videos, concert stage lighting, editorial photography, Korean dramas, and anime.[27] Kang explained that after watching Sony's Spider-Verse films, which are animated in a hybrid 2D-3D style, it was decided to eschew the use of 2D elements, choosing instead to focus on 3D animation, with "faces and the look and feel of anime" being particular inspirations for the film's style.[27] Beveridge similarly noted the inspiration of "2D aesthetics but with three-dimensional language", making the film entirely in 3D CGI, and that the film should have a "very bold graphic look".[27] Beveridge also highlighted shifting the characters' faces to reflect the film's tone, from glamorous appearances for more triumphant moments, to more aggressive sequences that feature greater line work and angularity in character faces, to comedic moments in which a more Chibi-esque style is used.[27] The first major scene to be animated for the film was the initial encounter between Huntrix and the Saja Boys, which, according to Beveridge, acted as a proof of concept for the character designs.[52] Kang emphasized the crew's effort to authentically represent Korean identity through character animation, such as through eye and mouth shapes.[44] Although the characters speak English, the film's animators designed the characters to use mouth shapes specific to the Korean language while speaking.[44] For action scenes, the filmmakers made use of glitter effects inspired by the South Korean film The Villainess (2017), with Beveridge noting that the effect gave the scenes a feeling of dance-fighting, and with Kang noting that "[y]ou can get pretty violent if you put a lot of glitter on".[52]

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A Korean folk painting of the Tiger and the Magpie

Hanh Nguyen, for Salon, highlighted that the animation of Jinu's pet tiger and magpie—which the creative team call Derpy and Sussie respectively[53][54]—are based on minhwa, a type of Korean folk art that was popular during the Joseon period.[17] Images of tigers, magpies, and pine trees are the focus of the Hojak-do genre of minhwa; the portrayal of these animals in the film took cues from the satirical, anti-authority character that Hojak-do took on during the 17th century.[17][55] 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".[55] 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".[55] Sechrist was also a story artist for the film and designed the tiger; he explained that the blue color of the tiger's fur possibly originated with production designer Helen Mingjue Chen wanting to make the character feel more magical.[17] Kang commented that Derpy was initially conceived without a clear role in the film; however, they did not want him to be just a sidekick.[17] The team was inspired by a painting by Chen of a tiger statue 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 means for Rumi and Jinu to exchange messages and communicate, "and then the bird tagged along".[17] Kang also stated that while the animals "live between these two worlds", they are not demons, with their nature being left mysterious.[56]

Choreography

The choreography for the animated dance sequences in the film was worked on by Jam Republic's Jo Na-In, The Black Label's Leejung Lee, and the group K-Tigers.[57] Jo, a South Korean dancer and choreographer, created the sequences for "Golden" and "Takedown".[57][58] The choreography for "How It's Done" was done by Lee, and the choreography for "Your Idol" was done by K-Tigers' Ha Seong-jin; choreography for the "Soda Pop" sequence was worked on by Lee and Ha.[58][59] In an interview, Jo stated that she was inspired by "Golden" itself when developing the choreography for the song–"I focused on the storytelling that needed to be conveyed through the animation. I tried to concentrate more on expressing the lyrics and emotions."[58] On the animation aspect, Jo explained that she "made the movements bigger and more expansive" as well as keeping "close attention to details like facial expressions and fingertips to ensure they come across well onscreen".[57]

Fight scene choreography was contributed to by K-Tigers, including Taemin–who acted as the film's martial arts director—and Ha Seong-jin.[59][60] When interviewed, Ha explained that he "decided to weave Taekwondo elements into [the Saja Boys'] choreography. This way, it could showcase Taekwondo not just as sport, but also as something aesthetically powerful."[59] Josh Beveridge when discussing the fight choreography, noted the deliberate dance-fighting feel to the action, explaining that "[s]ome of those fight choreographers had done some idol training, and in between the moves, they'd make these cute little adjustments. That is where the personality is."[52]

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Music

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Main article: KPop Demon Hunters (soundtrack)
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Ejae performed as the singing voice of Rumi on the film's soundtrack.

When comparing the songs of Huntrix 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". This is to contrast with the honesty and emotional vulnerability of Huntrix's 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".[34] Kang and Appelhans sought the expertise of known K-pop producers to develop the film's soundtrack.[54] 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.[51][61][62] The soundtrack was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 8, 2025, with sales exceeding 1 million units.[63]

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.[64] 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).[65] The BBC highlighted that Huntrix and the Saja Boys—with "Golden" and "Your Idol" respectively—topped the US Spotify chart with Huntrix 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.[66][67] "Golden", the album's second single, eventually reached number one on the Billboard Global 200,[68] number one on the US Billboard Hot 100,[69][70] and in South Korea became the third song in 2025 to achieve a perfect all-kill on the charts,[71] as well as breaking the record for most number of hourly perfect all-kills of all time.[72][73][74] Additionally, the film's soundtrack became the first in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to feature four of its songs in the top ten, which include "Golden", "Your Idol", "Soda Pop", and "How It's Done".[75] It is the first film soundtrack since Waiting to Exhale (1995) to feature at least three of its songs in the top 10.[76]

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Themes

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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".[77] 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".[77] Kang commented that when developing 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 others.[41]

Stephen Thompson of NPR and Taylor Henderson of Out magazine both similarly noted aspects of queer coding and queer allegory within Rumi's story,[78][79] with Henderson writing that "[w]hile there aren't explicitly LGBTQ+ characters in the film, Rumi's struggle feels quite queer-coded. From an early age, Rumi's aunt instructed her to hide that part of herself from the world. The hiding grew into a deep shame, and she holds contempt for the half-demon part of herself."[79] Sulman Aziz Mirza, in Psychiatric News, highlighted the focus on "shame, identity, and healing" in the film—in particular, Rumi hiding her demonic heritage and patterns "isolates Rumi in shame, forcing her to skip bonding rituals like bathhouse visits and ultimately silencing her voice".[80] However, "Rumi and Jinu, both burdened by shame, begin to heal through music".[80] Mirza called shame a universal experience so "Rumi's patterns could symbolize anything: depression, queerness, trauma, neurodivergence, or being biracial".[80]

Writing for The Korean Herald, academic Kim Seong-kon identified the three main themes of the film as: "1. The world is not simply made of good and evil, or angels and demons. 2. Do not be ashamed of differences. 3. Hybridity is a strength, not a weakness".[81] Academics Putu Marvitta Adira Prastiwi and Nissa Puspitaning Adni elaborate on themes of gender equality and female empowerment present in the film, writing "[t]he solidarity and emotional support among the Huntrix members form[s] a crucial foundation for building an autonomous and empowering female community, while simultaneously critiquing patriarchal pressures that demanded women hide their imperfections and vulnerabilities. Rumi's internal conflict and rejection of the demand to conceal her true self emphasize[s] the necessity of dismantling oppressive symbolic systems so that women could express themselves fully and authentically."[82]

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Release

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When the film was first announced by Sony in March 2021, a release timetable was not set.[3] In April 2022, it was first reported that Netflix registered a filing for the film.[83][84] The film was confirmed to be coming to Netflix in February 2023, in a Business Insider interview with Sony Pictures film CEO Tom Rothman.[85] The release of KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix was the result of a 2021 agreement between Netflix and Sony.[5][86][87] According to Matthew Belloni of Puck, this agreement entailed Sony giving Netflix "a first look at certain live-action and animated film projects", with Netflix in turn guaranteeing to greenlight a certain number of projects for joint development, which it would release and have control over.[5] Under the terms of this deal, Netflix paid Sony $125 million to cover both the budget for KPop Demon Hunters and a premium worth 25% of the budget;[5][88] in exchange, Netflix would maintain all film rights, and would not need to pay any profit participation.[5]

In June 2024, the film was announced to be released in 2025.[89] 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. 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.[90] The sing-along version was subsequently released on Netflix, separately from the original version.[91] The film then had a second theatrical sing-along release from October 31 – November 2.[92] These theatrical releases were enough to satisfy the eligibility requirements for the Oscars, but were not able to qualify the film for the BAFTA awards.[93][94]

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Reception

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Box office

The sing-along version of KPop Demon Hunters was released in theaters on August 23, 2025.[95][96] It debuted in 1,700 theaters, dethroning the 698-theatre release of Netflix's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022). It was initially projected to gross $18 to $20 million during its opening weekend.[97] It was the company's best-performing theatrical release, beating out Glass Onion ($13.1 million in 2022).[98] It was the first Netflix film to finish in first place over the weekend.[99] Netflix did not report grosses.[96] In the United States and Canada, KPop Demon Hunters made $19.2 million,[7][98] ahead of Weapons, which was expected to remain in first during its third weekend.[98]

Jeremy Fuster of TheWrap wrote that its 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); he said it would have made $100 million domestically had it not first been streamed.[c][100] Matt Schimkowitz of The A.V. Club wrote that the film's theatrical release drew many moviegoers who had likely streamed it.[97] Ben Fritz of The Wall Street Journal noted that the film's acclaim led Netflix to make it a rare theatrical release.[99]

Critical response

KPop Demon Hunters received wide acclaim from both critics and audiences,[101][102] who praised its animation, music, voice acting, and story.[103] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 90 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. 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."[104] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[105]

Brandon Yu, for The New York Times, wrote that 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".[106] 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".[107] 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".[107] David Tizzard of The Korea Times praised the film for its representation of Korean culture, saying that it "quietly captures the texture of everyday life with an intimacy rarely seen in global content".[108] Tizzard added 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".[108] Yu noted that it "shares a kind of lineage" with Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Verse and, while they share similar visual styles, 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".[106]

On the voice cast, Jeff Ewing of Collider commented that the actresses for the members of Huntrix "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". In addition, "Ahn Hyo-seop is great as the clever, charismatic demon/boy band lead Jinu".[109] Isaiah Colbert of Io9 praised "the phenomenal voice work of its main cast" along with the 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".[110] He also wrote that the film "explores music as both a haven and a form of emotional expression", as did "Turning Red and, surprisingly, Sinners", but said it stands out by embracing "the magical girl anime aesthetic".[110]

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". This is accompanied by 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".[111] Chapman wrote 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".[111] Peter Debruge, for Variety, wrote that "because the nimble, genre-hopping movie is set in the world of K-pop" the audience might not fully recognize the film as being a musical.[112] 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".[112] Tizzard wrote that the magpie and tiger are no "arbitrary flourish", but "direct citations from Korea's folk art tradition" which the film "reinterprets ...with affection".[108]

Egan wrote 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".[113] Tizzard wrote that the music is "produced by real industry heavyweights", and that it "is laced with lyrical nuance, and integrates seamlessly with the narrative".[108] Similarly, Goldberg wrote that the songs, while being catchy, have plot stakes which "helps keep the tension going throughout the film".[107] Kelechi Ehenulo of Empire called the film a "delightful, hugely original addition" to Netflix's catalogue, saying it plays like a crossover between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Popstars: The Rivals, noting its watchability and its story about "generational burdens of shame and fear" and embracing who you are, while saying that despite issues with being predictable and rushing "towards the end," these flaws can be pushed away, writing that the film "deserves every bit of its global domination."[114]

Angela Garcia of SLUG wrote 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", which is "a testament to the enticing world building and likable characters" but also shows "how many ideas were here that were ultimately left underdeveloped".[115] Chapman also highlighted the short runtime, which he felt was both a benefit to the film at certain points, and the film's main 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, underwhelming climax that is "an overly easy resolution that doesn't give these lovable girls the ending they deserve".[111] 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".[107] Matthew Belloni of Puck wrote 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".[5] Belloni wrote 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".[5]

Accolades

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Impact

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Attendees of a theatrical sing-along screening, cosplaying as the film's characters

On July 29, 2025, Netflix announced that KPop Demon Hunters had become the platform's "most watched original animated film of all time".[131][132] On August 26, the company said the film had been watched 236 million times, passing Red Notice (2021) as its most-watched film.[133][134][135] The Hollywood Reporter stated in late August that according to the company's internal figures, the film "had a remarkably consistent run over the summer," and predicted this meant it would "stick around for a while longer in Nielsen's charts."[136] On September 3, Netflix stated that the film had passed 266 million views, overtaking the first season of Squid Game (2021) to become Netflix's most-watched title.[137]

The film's popularity has been described as surprising and unexpected;[138] its streaming success was compared by Nate Jones of Vulture to that of Disney's Encanto (2021).[139] Drew Taylor of TheWrap said the film was "a force just about everywhere," citing the popularity of the soundtrack album, and Netflix's official shop adding a section for the film, with t-shirts and plushies among the "top 5 best-selling items of the year".[140] Others called the film an "animated sensation",[141] a "potential gold mine" for Netflix,[142] a "smash hit movie",[143] and the "biggest hit of Hollywood's summer."[144] The Cut said that the film's "hunky characters ... culturally specific story line ... [and] infectious soundtrack" were reasons for its popularity, with Yoohyun Jung of The Boston Globe suggesting that the film weaving "Korean cultural elements ... into its storytelling" was another reason for why it is popular.[145]

In late September, Luminate made a presentation at the All That Matters conference in Singapore about insights from global and APAC music, saying that "cross-promotion across TV, film and music," as is the case for the film, with over two-thirds of audio streams from the film's soundtrack coming from "outside the U.S.," is unlocking "fresh demographics and discovery paths." Luminate also described the film as a "transmedia hit."[146] Sara Leila Sherman and Morton Sherman wrote in Psychology Today that the film became "more than entertainment," with sing alongs bringing people together, and described the film as "a global phenomenon."[147] On September 12, Lars Brandle wrote on Billboard that the film's soundtrack "proves impossible to slay" as it accounted for "seven singles in the top 20" and continued to lead the ARIA Singles Chart for "a seventh consecutive week."[148] In an article published the same day on Billboard, Thomas Smith said that for the sixth week in a row, the song "Golden" from the film had been the #1 single in the UK, and was the second-ever K-pop song to "hit the top spot" within the UK itself.[149]

The film also made its way into sports and other popular culture. On September 2, at the U.S. Open, Novak Djokovic, after winning a tennis match with Taylor Fritz did a dance inspired by the song "Soda Pop".[150] The film was also featured in a Saturday Night Live sketch on its season premiere hosted by Bad Bunny, and included cameos from Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami performing 30-second snippets from the songs "Golden" and "How It's Done" live, with Bowen Yang portraying the character Jinu and singing lyrics from "Soda Pop".[151][152][153] On October 7, Ejae, Nuna and Rei Ami gave a full-length performance of "Golden" during an episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, along with being interviewed by the host.[154][155][156] On November 4 it was announced that the singers would perform during the 99th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, alongside balloons themed after the film.[157]

Korean wave

KPop Demon Hunters has been noted, within the context of the Korean Wave, for a global increase in popularity of South Korean culture and media; this increased popularity has acted as a form of soft power for the country.[158][159][160] Some, like Korean cultural scholar Park Jihyon, said that the film's popularity could likely become a "very important turning point in the history of the Korean Wave."[161] Researchers such as Xin Fan and Salas Supalakwatchana have commented on the film as "a major cultural product within the Korean soft power landscape", and as a demonstration of how "animation can serve as an effective medium for cultural representation, capable of merging entertainment value with strategic cultural promotion."[159] Cho Jae-hyon of Hankook Ilbo opined that KPop Demon Hunters represents a "new phase" of the Korean Wave where "the production and consumption of Korean-themed content" occurs abroad rather than being created within South Korea and then exported.[162] Moon Dong-yeol of The Hankyoreh similarly argued that KPop Demon Hunters represents this phase's denationalization, where "we can no longer define [the Korean Wave] simply as something that was 'made in Korea'".[163]

Grace Kao, for Foreign Policy, argued that "at its core, KPop Demon Hunters is a rebuke of" the localization trend where "some entertainment companies are embracing K-pop groups and songs that use local cultural elements over strictly Korean ones".[158] She commented the film "shows that consumers are not looking for a product stripped of Korean cultural elements or Koreans themselves" and that media "does not need to emulate American or any other pop culture to be successful".[158] Michelle Yee Hee Lee of The Washington Post wrote that within South Korea, the film had taken the country "by storm," even embraced by businesses and governments, due to its "broad appeal" as an animated film, with products, art classes based around themes from the film, and "renewed interest" in the country's "history and heritage".[161] Kao highlighted that not only does the film's "visual choices" reflect Korean culture but also the plot "honors Korean heritage and identity", noting "many of the songwriters and artists involved in the film are part of the Korean diaspora, and K-pop itself owes much to Koreans who moved from Australia, Canada, and the United States to Korea to participate in the music industry".[158]

Cho commented that a "striking change can be seen in who makes K-content" as "many foreign creators, often based outside Korea, are now producing works" which are "inspired by Korea's history and culture", highlighting that this film's production team "was largely non-Korean".[162] Cho stated that this phase of the Korean Wave has also been influenced by Korean diaspora creators, noting that "KPop Demon Hunters director Maggie Kang, a Korean Canadian, drew on her childhood memories of K-content to create the film".[162] Moon stated that KPop Demon Hunters "is a typical example of" the denationalized Korean Wave, highlighting that the film was distributed by Netflix, its production was by a Japanese company, it was directed by a Korean Canadian, had Korean actors in the "English voice cast and members of popular girl group Twice sang some of the songs in the soundtrack, making the work a collaboration that transcended all national borders".[163] Moon opined that the film's success "indicates that the Korean Wave has entered a new phase" and that "no longer is it a unilateral process of content being produced in Korea and exported to the outside world" but instead "it circulates and is recreated within a global network, following a multidirectional flow".[163]

Hae-rin Lee of The Korea Times said the film's global popularity boosted tourism in South Korea, with fans who are interested in "destinations and experiences tied to Korea's pop culture" visiting recording studios, museum shops, cafés, and other attractions, including locations shown in the film, like Namsan, Naksan Park Fortress Trail, and Bukchon Hanok Village. Some businesses have released products related to the film, while fans are said to be embracing the food the film's main characters are shown eating, with Lee saying this indicates how "pop culture is shaping culinary trends."[164] Sookyung Seo of The Korean Economic Daily wrote that partially due to the film's popularity drew over "1.36 million international travelers" arrived in Seoul, saying it was a "23.1% increase" from the same month in 2024, and an "18% higher than in July 2019," according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's data, and said to be the "largest monthly tally ever recorded."[165]

Fandom

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May Hong, Danny Chung, Alan Lee, the stage host, and fans of the film at GalaxyCon in St. Louis, Missouri on October 11, 2025

The film has been noted as a cultural phenomenon by a variety of media outlets, many highlighting the film's soundtrack, characters, and story, as well as homages to anime and representation of fandom and Asian cultures.[166][167][168] Others noted that following the film's release, dance sequences went "viral on TikTok" and social media was flooded with fanart of characters from the film.[140] Within South Korea, fans called the fandom "KeDeHun".[161] The film's success was also seen as a "watershed moment for representation" of Asian characters in pop culture, with children not having to look to "Pixar or Disney princesses for costume inspiration."[169]

BBC News reported on dance classes themed on K-pop, particularly songs from the film, in Belfast, and said that K-pop has gained increased visiblity thanks to the film's success.[170] Alex Vadukul of New York Times noted that an intense fandom had formed around Huntrix and the Saja Boys, and noted that May Hong, who voices Mira, said it was "crazy being on the receiving end of [the film's] fandom.[171] Yvonne Kim of The Atlantic said that the film transforms fandom "from a hobby into an action of creation". She added that the film acknowledges the "sometimes-parasitic relationship between artist and listener" and the "unilateral power" of performers" and said that the film's fans are not different from "real-life, ordinary people who devote themselves to K-pop".[172]

There has been an internet challenge involving ramen noodles, based on ramyun eaten by Rumi, Zoey, and Mira, while singing the song "How It's Done", during the film. It was reported that this resulted in severe burns and hospitalization among some fans who tried to recreate this scene, with doctors and hospitals warning about the dangers of eating instant noodles in extremely hot water, suggesting people eat the noodles more carefully.[173][174][175] During the 2025 Halloween season, KPop Demon Hunters-related costumes saw significant popularity, with Google searches for costumes of the film's characters dominating search rankings,[176][177][178] and with costumes from major retailers like Spirit Halloween quickly becoming sold out.[179][180] Local news media from across the United States similarly noted the high popularity of KPop Demon Hunters costumes.[181]

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Future

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Sequel

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",[28] such as potential backstories for Mira and Zoey.[182] 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."[183] 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."[5]

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.[184] 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. KPop Demon Hunters' 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".[185] In August 2025, Belloni reported that Sony had just began negotiations with Kang and Appelhans "to return for a follow-up".[5] On August 26, Pamela McClintock of The Hollywood Reporter stated that Sony Pictures was "in talks with Netflix to make an animated sequel".[88] On November 5, 2025, it was announced that a sequel is planned for release in 2029.[186]

Short film

On March 29, 2023, Sony announced that their LENS mentorship program would produce a short film based on KPop Demon Hunters after the release of the Spider-Verse short film The Spider Within.[187] In September 2025, the film, Debut: A KPop Demon Hunters Story, was rated PG by the MPA.[188][189]

Other media

Rumi, Mira, and Zoey were added to the video game Fortnite as purchasable skins on October 2, 2025.[190] On the same month, it was announced that Netflix had granted KPop Demon Hunters toy licenses to both Hasbro and Mattel, with toys based on the film scheduled to be sold at retail beginning in 2026.[191]

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Notes

  1. [a]
    Pronounced /ˈhʌntrɪks/ HUN-triks[11][12] and stylized in all caps as "HUNTR/X".[1][5][13]
  2. [b]
    Also referred to as Abs Saja.[20][19]
  3. [c]
    The most recent animated film to do so up until that point was Despicable Me 4 (2024).

References

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