Introduction

Over the weekend of August 23rd and 24th, Netflix released their hit movie “KPop Demon Hunters” in theaters across the country for a special singalong event. I had previously watched the movie from the comfort of my own home over the summer and enjoyed its upbeat, yet meaningful nature. I was excited to see the movie on the big screen, and my expectations were, once again, exceeded. 

Some people might look at a movie titled “KPop Demon Hunters” and laugh or shake their heads. With such a title, some audiences might turn away for a few reasons, such as a distaste for K-pop music or a feeling of unseriousness that clouds the title. However, I can safely say that whether you like K-pop or not, this movie has something in it for you. From the addicting music to the character arcs, there is something to love about every minute of the film. “KPop Demon Hunters” is Netflix’s most successful film to date, racking up over 230 million views in the two months since its streaming release. Managing to become the most-watched movie of all time on such a powerhouse of a streaming service speaks for itself: “KPop Demon Hunters” is a global phenomenon.

Premise

“KPop Demon Hunters” follows a handful of characters. The main character, Rumi, is in a K-pop girl group with two other members, named Zoey and Mira. Their group, HUNTR/X (also called “Huntrix”), serves to protect the world from demons with their songs. This is a reference to Korean folklore, with their secret identities and use of specific weapons to hunt demons all weaving together different aspects of Korean mythology. Through their music, Huntrix works to seal the Honmoon and turn it gold, which is the barrier that keeps the demons from the human world.

Huntrix’s rival boy group are called the Saja Boys. This group is made up of five demons—fan favorite and main male character, Jinu, with bandmates Abby, Romance, Mystery, and Baby—that disguise themselves as beautiful, fame-ready humans. The Saja Boys are on a mission to steal Huntrix’s fans and, with that, tear the Honmoon and allow the demons to roam the human world and eat souls freely. Naming the group Saja Boys is actually a play on words. In Korean, jeoseung saja means “grim reaper,” often used to describe a figure responsible for guiding souls to the afterlife in Korean mythology. Saja means “lion,” so while the quintet is technically called Lion Boys, the group name is actually a clever way to reference what the members are at their core and their mythological roots. 

Thoughts

My favorite thing about “KPop Demon Hunters” is definitely the soundtrack. The songs are all infectiously catchy in their own ways, with well-written lyrics and beats you cannot help but want to bop your head to. Within this, I love all of the overarching references to real-life K-pop groups, K-pop songs, and Korean dramas made throughout the movie. The Saja Boys are all based off of iconic K-pop idols, with inspiration being pulled from members of BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, ASTRO, Monsta X, BIGBANG, and TXT, as well as well-known actor, Nam Joo-hyuk, for Jinu. As someone who has been enjoying K-pop and K-dramas for a decade, seeing nods to K-dramas like “Business Proposal” and the use of EXO’s “Love Me Right” in the film made it feel much more personal and special. 

The difference between watching “KPop Demon Hunters” at home and seeing it in cinemas for me was, truly, the excitement. Every single person in the theater was brimming with energy, thrilled to see the characters we love and hear the songs we cannot stop listening to on a huge movie screen. Since the two day event was a singalong special, I welcomed the chance to sing every lyric of these two fictional K-pop group’s songs. From Huntrix’s powerful “Golden” to the Saja Boys’ archetypal, addicting “Soda Pop,” I couldn’t hold back from muttering the words as I watched the film for the third time. 

Conclusion

Watching “KPop Demon Hunters” feels like the embodiment of what it means to have fun. The movie is energetic and engaging while being a creative, detailed, and meaningful story surrounding self-acceptance, honesty, and community. If you are one of the few people who still haven’t seen it, I encourage you to take in all that this film has to offer. Help keep the Honmoon sealed and watch Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters!”

Poster image from Fandango.

Make sure to check out our latest article, Emma’s Same Time Next Summer Review!