K-Pop Goes Cinematic – And Wins Big

A new Korean-pop-inspired animated film is dominating the music and streaming worlds after its June release. KPop Demon Hunters was only released at the end of last month, but it has already been streamed more than 33 million times in two weeks. It has topped Netflix global rankings in 93 countries since its 20 June debut, and it is currently number two worldwide.

Fans have taken to the internet to make their art of the fictional bands featured in the film, and a demand for a sequel is rising by the day.

Who are Huntr/x and Saja Boys? Success on Real-life Music Charts

In addition to racking up hundreds of millions of streams on Netflix, the two fictional bands featured in KPop Demon Hunters have also affected the real world music charts since their 20 June release. The songs by the film’s all-female good-girls-gone-bad band Huntr/x and their demon-boy costars Saja Boys have notched up higher streaming numbers than industry giants BTS and Blackpink, with seven of the songs from the short film appearing on Billboard Hot 100. In the Spotify US ranking, they have grabbed first and second places, an achievement previously unheard of for fictional artists.

The plot follows the three members of Huntr/x – Rumi, Mira, and Zoey – as they struggle to maintain their new status as international pop sensations while also managing to battle the supernatural forces they were destined to fight in the first place. The film also features battles against the Saja Boys against a backdrop of high-octane stage performances, slick fight choreography, and a theme of friendship, trust, and self-discovery. The short film is a melting pot of genres and has resonated with fans from different cultures thanks to a balance of comedy, drama, and fantasy.

The story and visuals will always be part of what draws in viewers, but it is the music that makes KPop Demon Hunters what it is today. The film’s Korean-Canadian co-director, Maggie Kang, has stated that she took inspiration from K-pop idols she had seen while growing up for the animations in the film. The music that they sing is also a central part of the film’s story, acting as a weapon against darkness and becoming imbued with magic. Every song in the movie also seamlessly blends into the plot, such that it does not at any time seem to break the story’s rhythm. “It gives the film a surprising level of maturity,” says Lashai Ben Salmi, a community leader with expertise in Korean culture in Europe.

An all-star team of composers and songwriters was put together to get just that quality. KPop Demon Hunters co-director Chris Appelhans and Kang worked closely with Korean label YGX Entertainment, enlisting superstars Teddy Park (producer, a.k.a. an integral part of Blackpink’s successes) and Grammy winner Lindgren (producer, producer of BTS’ and TWICE’s award-winning albums). Original songs were produced that could hold their own on a real-life K-pop album. Even a self-professed K-pop-disinterested Los Angeles content creator, Amanda Golka, has gotten caught up in the magic. “I have been blasting the soundtrack from Spotify every time I’m in the car,” she said. “It’s fascinating how music can be such a universal language.”

Tradition, Culture in Contemporary Pop Phenomenon

The film’s attention to cultural authenticity has been another factor in its rapid success, although Korean culture is nothing new to Western markets. K-pop, Korean dramas, and Korean cinema have long since gone mainstream in the United States and other Western markets, but KPop Demon Hunters has elevated its representation. Daily routines, such as traditional ways of dining and interacting with others, appear throughout the film, while scenes are set at significant landmarks throughout Seoul, such as ancient city walls, Hanuiwon clinics, public bathhouses, and Namsan Tower. This not only sidesteps the often-crippling sense of cliché but also provides Korean viewers with a long-overdue sense of respectful representation.

In addition to hiring K-pop veterans and enlisting cultural consultants, the KPop Demon Hunters team flew to South Korea to film and photograph cultural details themselves. They explored traditional folk villages and Myeongdong streets, snapping pictures of both the environment and traditional clothing and dress. The animation department also took these factors into account. In the English-language version of the film that was eventually released, the characters speak English but are animated with Korean lip movements and nuanced and culturally appropriate responses to their surroundings. Some Korean words and song lyrics are also incorporated into the script.