The first overseas animated production featuring Korean K-pop idols, "Kpop Demon Hunters," continues to gain popularity in its second week after release. "Kpop Demon Hunters" ranked first in Netflix's overall rankings from June 23 to 29. The cumulative viewing time has surpassed 55.7 million hours.
The film "Kpop Demon Hunters," released by Netflix on the 20th of last month, is a K-pop animation in the urban fantasy genre. From singers of the 1950s inspired by Kim Sisters to the "Huntrix" characters inspired by BLACKPINK and TWICE, the K-pop singers in the film are depicted as exorcists chasing evil spirits. Their songs create a protective barrier known as "Hongmun" to prevent evil spirits from coming to the surface.
"Huntrix" draws its power from K-pop fans. The more fans enjoy the music and content, the closer they get to completing the "Golden Hongmun," which completely blocks evil spirits. Aware of this fact, the members of Huntrix intensify their activities. Despite a grueling schedule filled with concerts across the globe, they focus on the completion of Hongmun while releasing a new song titled "Golden."
The smooth development is short-lived. Just before the completion of the Golden Hongmun, a crisis strikes. The voice of Huntrix's leader, Rumi, suddenly begins to fade. A symbol representing evil spirits is etched onto her neck. Rumi is, in fact, a hybrid of a hunter and an evil spirit. She is destined to drive away evil spirits, but at the same time, she falls into deep confusion due to the contradiction of being an evil spirit herself.
As if that weren't enough, a boy group of evil spirits known as "Saja Boys" appears, stealing fans and threatening the position of Huntrix. Feeling a sense of crisis just before the completion of the Golden Hongmun, the leader of the evil spirits, "Gui-ma," devises a scheme to snatch away Huntrix's fans with five evil spirits in tow. With exceptional vocal talent, overwhelming stage presence, and meticulous fan service, Saja Boys quickly breach the Hongmun barrier.
The film intensely portrays Rumi's journey to accept her contradictory identity as both a hunter and an evil spirit, leading to the climax. In the moment she embraces the darkness she had been avoiding, Rumi grows into a singer who resonates more deeply with people's hearts. Through this journey, the film confronts the complexities of human nature and emphasizes the value of the courage to acknowledge them.
"Kpop Demon Hunters" sparked concerns about the blending of Korean and Japanese culture with news that the Japanese corporation Sony Pictures Animation was involved in its production. However, the film dispelled these worries by finely incorporating Korean details, such as Namsan Tower, Korean cuisine, sign swords, and Traditional Korean tiger motifs. In particular, members of the music industry praised how "K-pop singers eating ramen and their facial expressions on stage were depicted very realistically."
The released soundtracks are also a source of enjoyment. To preserve the unique K-pop sensibility, Sony Pictures collaborated with Teddy, the representative producer of YG, and producers from The Black Label to create the music. Korean artists also participated in the production, enhancing its quality. Thanks to its popularity, the soundtrack "Kpop Demon Hunters Soundtrack" reached a peak of No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart.