Lee Jae-myung, the President of Korea, and director Meggy Kang discussed the success of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters', which is creating a global syndrome.
On the afternoon of the 20th, Arirang TV conducted a live broadcast of 'K-Pop: The Next Chapter' with President Lee Jae-myung. In attendance were President Lee Jae-myung, director Meggy Kang of the Netflix movie 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' (abbreviated as Kedehun), and TWICE members Jeongyeon and Jihyo, who discussed the popularity of 'Kedehun' and K-Pop.
'Kedehun' is an action fantasy animation film depicting the story of the K-Pop superstar girl group Huntrix fighting demons behind the glamorous stage. It was released on Netflix on June 20 and ranked second among Netflix's all-time films. Additionally, the OST 'Golden' topped the Billboard Hot 100, creating a sensation.
The popularity of the work is attributed to details rooted in Korean culture, such as the tiger character Duffy and the grim reaper visuals depicted in a boy group. In this regard, director Meggy Kang stated, "The image of the grim reaper, with its hat and black attire, is very iconic and cool. That kind of image has already come out a lot in K-Pop. I really wanted to make it like a real music video."
He also expressed strong satisfaction by saying, "I wanted to show this color and this look with the lighting. This was the first time I used such color tones in animation. We spent a lot of time on that. After finishing, our production team all clapped. I felt so much pride." Recently, the character Duffy has been reported to enjoy popularity similar to Labuboo, the flagship product of a Chinese character company. In response, director Meggy Kang commented, "Duffy will likely be seen a lot as a key ring hanging from bags," with a smile.
Most importantly, director Meggy Kang emphasized the Korean details appreciated in 'Kedehun', stating, "Things like bathhouses may seem strange to others, but that's not the case. In Iceland, there are many outdoor spas. So, I think of this as a Korean-style outdoor spa and understood it that way." He further stated, "Our family went to Toronto when I was 5. We thought we would keep returning to Korea. So, we stayed in Korea every summer. I think that strong connection created the (authenticity)."
Moreover, director Meggy Kang mentioned, "It seems that Netflix and Sony were looking for such a film," referencing the interest from Netflix and production company Sony Pictures after 'Kedehun' was released. He explained, "My partner Chris Appelhanes previously worked on 'Wish Dragon.' It's an animated film that incorporates Chinese culture and it did well. After that, they asked if there were similar stories in Korea. I said, of course, there are. With Korean culture, it was even easier to explain. I have a strong pride in being Korean and wanted to make such a film," he said with a laugh.
Among them, TWICE members Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung drew attention by singing 'Take Down', a song of Huntrix members in the film. Thanks to the popularity of 'Take Down', it even climbed to the Billboard charts, achieving a career high for TWICE. As a currently active K-Pop girl group, how much did TWICE relate to Huntrix? Jeongyeon remarked, "When we go on world tours and meet fans, they sing with one heart and one mind, show us supportive signs, and come dressed in the same costumes. We could relate a lot to that."
Leader Jihyo also laughed, saying, "The moments of wearing pajamas or just looking for a sofa in our lodgings were quite similar to what we see in the film." He also joked, "Many of our members often go to traditional Korean medicine clinics for acupuncture." He added, "I found many commonalities with Huntrix," amusing the audience. Notably, he revealed, "When I was offered to participate in 'Kedehun', they sent all Huntrix's songs. I wanted to do all of them, but I ended up choosing the song I truly wanted to do," referring to 'Take Down', one of the OSTs sung by Huntrix in 'Kedehun'. Jihyo added, "'Golden' was also a candidate, and I thought about it, but I believe 'Take Down' fits us three really well, so we chose it."
Jeongyeon remarked, "'Take Down' was the hardest song since our debut." He admitted, "I wondered if I could really pull this off." Contrary to his nervousness, TWICE's 'Take Down' received acclaim from fans, including audience members who watched the film. Jeongyeon and Jihyo sang part of 'Take Down' live, eliciting applause.
In response to the voices from the audience, President Lee Jae-myung spoke naturally as well. Laughing, he said, "The tiger Duffy is really cute." He expressed emotion, saying, "In this brutal political scene, political resistance fundamentally involves getting injured, harmed, or even killed. But didn't we transform that into music and dance? It feels so natural. I think that's very beautiful. In the end, we overcame those difficulties."
Furthermore, President Lee Jae-myung indicated, "Isn't it said in Chinese classics that Koreans are adept at arts and music? The characteristics of people living on the Korean Peninsula are that they enjoy partying, express themselves well, and are a joyful, cultural nation. Even during the Japanese occupation, Kim Gu said our culture is strong. He thought of a nation with a strong culture, and we are actually heading toward being a nation with a strong culture."
He continued, "The most Korean thing becomes the most global thing," mentioning, "Our government's key strategy for industrial development includes the cultural industry. I believe tremendous culture must continue. That's truly remarkable," turning the spotlight to the active girl group TWICE and director Meggy Kang of 'Kedehun.'
In addition, director Meggy Kang expressed regarding the future direction of K-content, "It's about showing our true selves as they are without hiding anything." He elaborated, "As a director, the most important thing I need to protect is to show what I genuinely want instead of worrying about what others might think. Though it's scary and I feel fear, I believe I can build connections and relationships through that," emphasizing the consolidation with the world through Korean sentiments.
In response, President Lee Jae-myung discussed the phenomenon of large-scale performance venues being lacking in Korea, which makes Asia dome tours focus primarily on Japan, saying, "How playful is the tiger (Duffy)? The cultural essence of the Korean people is humor. A tiger can be terrifying enough to be called a 'pestilence', but that existence has been made so lovable and cute. It's essential to show everything as it is."
[Photo] Source: YouTube, provided by Netflix.
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