Maggie Kang, director of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' explained the background of the women's narrative and the unembellished female figures embedded in the work.
On the afternoon of the 22nd, a press conference was held for Netflix's movie 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' with director Maggie Kang (Kang Min-ji) at the CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Yongsan, Seoul.
'K-Pop Demon Hunters' is an action fantasy animation that tells the story of K-Pop superstars 'Lumi', 'Mira', and 'Joy' as they serve as hidden heroes protecting the world behind the glamorous stage.
When asked if the intention was to combine shamanism and K-Pop to capture the comprehensive artistic aspects of 'gut', Maggie Kang said, "Of course. I thought of 'gut' as the first concert. I wanted to show the shaman culture found in our culture," adding, "It seems to be perfectly connected with Huntress. The idea of defeating evil spirits through music and dance is something in our culture, so I couldn't help but create a connection. Through that concept, I was proud that even a short opening scene could show our history."
Regarding the use of shamanism as a motif to portray a women's narrative, she pointed out, "I found it interesting that most shamans are women. Wearing men's clothing during a gut does have an impact. Historically, it has been traditional; I think it's progressive and a symbol of feminism. Therefore, naturally, I thought it was appropriate to connect with the Korean shamans that I wanted to address in the women's narrative."
In particular, regarding the unembellished and confident female image presented by the Huntress members, Maggie Kang said, "The most crucial aspect of my desire to create this type of female character was my motivation to make the film. Animation often doesn't allow female characters to be unattractive. I learned from making other films that they can't be too funny or seem foolish. In my work, I wanted to depict women making genuine funny faces and eating food awkwardly. I wanted to see women like me. So I wanted to show those traits openly without hiding them, presenting truly comedic women."
Meanwhile, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' was released on Netflix on June 20th.
[Photo] Netflix
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