Cinema from the Spectrum

If you’re someone who has followed the Korean wave in the mid-2010s, it’s likely you might have come across the world of K-Pop through songs like Psy’s “Gangnam Style” or the rise of acts like BTS or Blackpink. And as someone who has already been to four K-Pop concerts within the past few years (I’ve seen Twice, Itzy, aespa, and Blackpink, all of whom put on very fun shows), naturally a movie being made about that world would be of great interest to me. And then there came KPop Demon Hunters, a brand new animated movie built within that realm so that fans all across the world can get their fill. To say the least, the film is a delight from start to finish, and being a fan of K-Pop won’t be a necessity to enjoy this movie. If you just let yourself be taken in by the ride, then what Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans bring here should be a treat.

This film revolves around the lives of Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) – a trio that comprises the K-Pop act Huntr/x (pronounced “hun-trix”). In addition to their impeccable stage presence, the three of them also fight off supernatural enemies with the creation of a magic barrier called the Honmoon. But after having completed a world tour, we learn that Rumi is also partially a demon, which causes her to start losing her voice after performing a new single. Meanwhile, the king of the demons, Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun) devises a new strategy with the help of another demon, Jinu (Ahn Hyeo-seop), to form a K-Pop boy band in order to weaken the Honmoon. This sends the girls into action once again, as Rumi begins to deal with her own identity crisis about her own demon origins. Under lesser filmmakers, it’d be easy enough to see KPop Demon Hunters as being a cynical cash-in on a popular trend. But even when it’s telling a family-friendly adventure about a hugely manufactured world like that of modern K-Pop, it’s still very endearing from start to finish.

Given the film’s title, it delivers exactly what it promises: a soundtrack full of bops and a lot of demon-busting action to boot. With songs that take inspiration from acts like Blackpink, BTS, and even including songs performed by members of Twice (including their own “Strategy”), the same infectious energy rings from start to finish. These are songs that feel like they could only be born out of a very clear love of K-Pop music, considering that many of these also have contributions from Red Velvet and Twice collaborator Ejae (who also provides Rumi’s singing voice), and Blackpink’s producer Teddy Park. But even the animation gives you the sense that the choreography of many K-Pop music videos has so thoroughly studied, which also lends itself very beautifully to the film’s action sequences.

All this could only have been made possible with animation that’s just a treat for the eyes from start to finish. Comparisons to Sony Pictures Animation’s own Spider-Verse films feel very inevitable, but when you add the influence from anime films, KPop Demon Hunters carries a distinctive look. Every minute of this movie simply looks vibrant, calling back to the most colourful music videos that you’d remember seeing from the K-Pop world. It all looks like as much of a spectacle as you could want any movie about K-Pop to be, let alone one made from outside of South Korea.

That love of K-Pop isn’t limited just to the music, but the very specificities of what makes the culture surrounding K-Pop so unique. This of course can be felt from the rabid fandoms but also the massive contrasts we see between their lives on stage and outside. They have immaculate presences on the stage, but behind the scenes, they aren’t just great friends, they’re immense goofballs. But it also extends its way into the competitive nature of K-Pop acts trying to win over fans, especially as HUNTR/X are finding themselves going up against the demonic Saja Boys. It’d be one thing for these moments to provide an incredible diss track in “Takedown” (performed by Twice’s own Jihyo, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon), but it also helps add to a thematic resonance in Rumi’s own arc, especially when she finds herself entangled with the Saja Boys’ own Jinu.

KPop Demon Hunters doesn’t waste any time getting right down to the point, but even at a little over 90 minutes you can’t help but feel like it’s rather slight. It doesn’t ever feel like anything about this world, down to the familiar territory of fantastical romance as we’re seeing between Arden Cho’s Rumi and Ahn Hyeo-sop’s Jinu, is underdeveloped. But it also feels like you get the sense that this movie crams so much into that short period of time that not everything about this movie had as much time to breathe otherwise. Even the climactic scenes all feel a tad too convenient, especially because the demon lord Gwi-ma never carries that presence one would hope for. It’s a shame, considering the fact that Lee Byung-hun’s casting is ingenious, even though it might seem a bit tired to have him playing a villain role once again after playing the Front Man in Squid Game.

Sometimes, that might be enough for what it is. As someone who sees themselves a K-Pop fan, I felt like I got everything I could have wanted out of a movie called KPop Demon Hunters. Though I wonder how much of that same joy will translate onto anyone who isn’t nearly as invested in it. Frankly, it can’t be much of a surprise that this movie became such a massive hit when K-Pop is perhaps more prominent than it has ever been. To that end, I had a blast, and only found myself wanting to relive the most fun moments from every K-Pop show I’d been to within the past few years.

Watch the trailer right here.

All images via Netflix.

Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans
Screenplay by Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans
Produced by Michelle Wong
Starring Arden Cho, Ahn Hyeo-sop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, Lee Byung-hun
Premiere Date: June 20, 2025
Running Time: 96 minutes