A film about a demon-slaying K-pop band probably wasn’t a concept many would’ve thought of. However, someone was able to turn that concept into a movie called Kpop Demon Hunters. The film began streaming on Netflix on June 20th, 2025. Kpop Demon Hunters is about a K-pop band named HUNTRIX that consists of three singers and demon slayers named Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. Their goal is to protect South Korea from demons. But things start going downhill when a demon boy band named the Saja Boys begin to win over the souls of South Korea. HUNTRIX must do everything they can to not let the demons in, but they will also have to face many challenges to do so.
Rumi, Mira, and Zoey are extremely well-written characters. They each have their own interesting personality and story, which intrigues the audience to learn more about the HUNTRIX members. The Saja Boys have different ways of representing themselves, mainly through how they dress and the names they’ve taken on. The Saja Boys seem to have interesting backstories, yet viewers only get Jinu’s – the lead singer of the Saja Boys. It’s similar with Rumi, the lead singer of HUNTRIX, as her backstory goes more in depth than Mira’s and Zoey’s. But Rumi, Mira, and Zoey’s personalities and lives throughout the film are important to the story because they give the audience an idea of what they have went through in order to become the current HUNTRIX members.
One big reason why Kpop Demon Hunters stands out from other films is because of its intricate animation quality and style. The animation is unique because it uses different styles such as 3D and 2D frames. The color palette pops out and helps set the tone of each scene. Each and every facial expression is spot on because the animators put effort into exaggerating expressions and movements. The movements of the characters and effects are animated in a cartoonish and anime way, which is another reason why the film is eyecatching. Kpop Demon Hunters was animated by Sony Pictures Animation – an American animation studio. However, the film was directed by Maggie Kang, a Korean-Canadian film director, which makes the film more special because it is more accurate and connected to Korean culture.
Each song told a powerful and meaningful story, such as facing challenges, discovering identity, and falling in love. It is very easy to build a connection and understand characters through lyrics. None these songs weren’t meant to be filler songs, but they were meant to be important parts of the plot. The songs were written by a diverse team of Koreans, Americans, and Korean-Americans. The vocals were spectacular as they were crisp and clear. The harmonization was terrific as each part was balanced with the others. The fluent pronunciation of English and Korean lyrics was amazing and spot on, as it is not always easy to switch between two different languages in a song. The movie felt like a K-pop concert due to its animated choreography, lyrics, expressions, and vocals.
Many fans are waiting for a sequel, although numerous want a prequel so that they can learn more about HUNTRIX and the Saja Boys. They feel there is more to learn about both bands. Those who want a sequel want to see if Gwi Ma – the ruler of all demons and the demon realm – will make a comeback. Many were also dissatisfied with the ending of the film because it felt like an unfinished love story between Rumi and Jinu. Some say the film doesn’t need to be elaborated on and that even if the ending wasn’t satisfying enough, the movie is great on its own. Overall, Kpop Demon Hunters received a positive response, so much that Sony Pictures Animation is considering expanding on it.
