[비즈한국] Sometimes, others know me better than I do myself. They objectively point out things I hadn't realized and view them from a fresh perspective. That’s exactly what I thought while watching the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters." "K-Pop Demon Hunters" is a story about Huntrix, a world-famous K-pop girl group, who are actually hunters fighting against demons.
They maintain the "Soul Gate" that protects the world from demons through the power of song, but then "Saja Boyz," a boy group of grim reapers who received orders from the ultimate villain Gwi-ma, debuts to plunge the world into chaos. Beyond the core premise of K-pop, idols, and grim reapers—all key elements of Korean idol culture and shamanistic beliefs—every single minute detail is illuminated in a fresh light. While it is the result of participation from various Koreans, including the Korean-descent director who wrote the original concept, the production company is Sony Pictures Animation. It’s as if others have managed to bring out my strengths better than I could myself.
The very setting of K-pop idols fighting demons is nothing short of "out-of-this-world." Honestly, before the trailer dropped, I assumed it would be a childish animation for young K-pop fans worldwide. However, the short pre-release trailer sparked unexpected anticipation with its high-quality animation and meticulous, clever depiction of Korean culture. Since its release on June 20, the reaction has been truly explosive. According to the streaming aggregator FlixPatrol, "K-Pop Demon Hunters" hit number one in the Netflix film category in 26 countries worldwide, including the U.S., as of June 23. The ratings are also excellent, with Naver Movie users giving it a score in the high 9s. Just like one netizen's review—"This isn't for kids, right? It's right up my alley as someone in my 40s"—it is enjoying popularity across generations.
First of all, what stands out is how well it expresses the subtle characteristics of K-pop culture, which has become familiar to us and the rest of the world, regardless of whether one is a K-pop fan or not. You can't help but giggle at the fan culture elements like light sticks and photo cards, or the 90-degree bowing between senior and junior groups to show respect on idol variety shows. It doesn't just feature iconic locations like N Seoul Tower, the fortress walls of Naksan Park, and Bukchon Hanok Village; it also naturally includes scenes of the protagonist, suffering from a sore throat before a performance, visiting a traditional Korean medicine clinic to get herbal medicine, or devouring K-snacks like ramen, gimbap, and hotteok. It even captures the unique Korean habit(?) of placing a tissue under the spoon when setting the table.
And what about the catchy songs? Starting with Huntrix’s first track, "How It’s Done," performed while they take down demons disguised as flight attendants and pilots inside a private jet and land on the concert stadium stage, the music is full of charm. It boasts a level of quality that would be well-received even if it were an actual single released by groups like ITZY, BLACKPINK, or TWICE, who served as models for Huntrix.
Whether it’s "Golden," which directly carries the film's message; "Takedown," a diss track by Huntrix featuring the voices of TWICE members; "Soda Pop," which maximizes the refreshing vibe of Saja Boyz; its contrasting dark-concept counterpart "Your Idol"; or "Free," a duet between Huntrix leader Lumi—who hides the secret of being a hunter while bearing a demon mark—and Saja Boyz leader Jin-woo—who follows Gwi-ma’s orders to erase painful memories—every song grabs the ear immediately. A star-studded lineup of active top-tier K-pop figures participated, including the production team at THE BLACK LABEL (Teddy, 24, and Vince), choreographer Lee Jung, the international dance crew Jam Republic (runners-up in "Street Woman Fighter 2"), and the group TWICE, to flawlessly perfect the performances of these realistic K-pop idols.
The three members of Huntrix—Lumi, Mira, and Joey—are voiced by Arden Cho, Meeyoung Hong, and Yujin Yang, while actor Ahn Hyo-seop plays the leader of Saja Boyz, Jin-woo. Several renowned actors also appear: Kim Yunjin as Celine, the mentor of Huntrix; Ken Jeong as Bobby, their manager; and Daniel Dae Kim as a quack doctor. And finally, the ultimate villain, Gwi-ma, is voiced by none other than Lee Byung-hun, who notably performed the role in both English and Korean.
After enjoying "K-Pop Demon Hunters," there is one side effect: you find yourself humming the songs of Huntrix and Saja Boyz, yet there is a severe lack of "fan content" to dive into further. If these were real-world idols, there would be an endless stream of content, from dance practice videos and music video behind-the-scenes footage to dance challenges and live performance fancams. Fans are already leaving comments on YouTube expressing their desire to see more versions of Huntrix and Saja Boyz.
Also, releasing merchandise for the scene-stealing characters Duffy the tiger and Seo-ssi the magpie seems urgent. Duffy and Seo-ssi are characters inspired by traditional Korean folk paintings of tigers and magpies; the "dim-witted cuteness" of Duffy, who seems possessed by a cat, and Seo-ssi, a three-eyed magpie wearing a traditional hat, is absolutely "out-of-this-world." Internal merchandise has already appeared on various online communities, and given their current popularity, I wouldn't be surprised if mass production is being considered (please, just make a Duffy keychain first, okay?).
"K-Pop Demon Hunters" has Korean DNA but was created with foreign capital and planning. It can be seen as a case similar to "Minari," which produced the first Korean-born Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress. The short animation "Magic Candy," which recently gained popularity with an unusual 110,000 viewers, is based on a picture book by author Baek Hee-na, yet the production company is Japan's Toei Animation. While it fills me with a sense of "national pride" that the potential of Korean culture has been recognized abroad, it also leaves a slight feeling of regret, wondering if such things couldn't have been attempted in Korea as well. Is that just a "boomer" way of thinking in this day and age?
Who is the writer, Jung Soo-jin?
Having worked at various magazines, I have covered and written about films, travel, and pop culture. While I don't want to fall behind on trends, I’ve become an old-school person who predicts only the most obvious clichés while watching the latest dramas. I am currently drifting through the vast world of OTT platforms, trying to regain my lost sense of intuition. My current wish is for a unified OTT subscription plan.