Maggie Kang, director of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' revealed the inspiration behind her work, which incorporates Korean elements.
On the afternoon of 22nd, a press conference for the Netflix film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' was held with director Maggie Kang (Kang Min-ji) at 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 hidden heroes protecting the world behind the glamorous stage.
Maggie Kang, who was born in Korea and immigrated to Canada at the age of 5, candidly shared her thoughts when asked about her reason for creating a work set in Korea for her directorial debut: "When I was little, in 2nd or 3rd grade, a teacher asked us, 'Where did you come from?' I said 'South Korea,' but that person couldn't find Korea on the map. Even when I said I was between China and Japan, they still couldn't find it. I pointed out the color differences, and it came up as a 'less developed second world country,' which shocked me. I thought that from that moment on, I wanted to do something for our country. Even at a young age, I realized this is how our country is perceived. From that point forward, I had the desire to uplift our country."
Regarding the detailed portrayal of Korean culture in the work that has attracted attention, she noted: "When I see Korean content made overseas, there are often many inaccuracies. In the past, there have been many works like 'Mulan' that are fantasy-based and have a Chinese story but depict things in a kimono style. As Asians, that sometimes doesn't feel right. I wanted to create a genuine Korean film, accurately reflecting Korean culture and details. This wasn't just my effort; many of our team members were Koreans. It was all a team project where if something was incorrect, we would fix it together while compiling feedback, 'I don't understand the sign.'"
When asked if she expected the Korean elements in 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' to be loved worldwide, she said: "The story and characters are the most important parts of a movie. I believe that if we create a universal story, everyone will understand it, and I wanted to show various aspects of our culture. I wanted to show everything as it is, without hiding anything. I thought that even if they don't understand now, they will understand it someday."
On the topic of combining K-pop with demon hunting, she explained: "From the very beginning, I wanted to make a film about our culture. I thought the image of the grim reaper is quite different from that in the U.S. The concept of dokkaebi (a traditional Korean mythical creature) has a special place in our culture, and thinking about that naturally led to the idea of a demon hunter. K-pop was integrated at the end. I wanted to create a K-pop movie at Hollywood studios 7 or 8 years ago, but I couldn't get any opportunities, and I thought, 'Why not try it myself?' Thus, the concept combining demon hunters and K-pop emerged in an interesting way, showcasing female characters in a musical while revealing their double life. That was how that concept was formed."
Meanwhile, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' was released on Netflix on June 20th.
[Photo] Netflix
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