2025-12-15

케이팝 데몬 헌터스 - 위키백과 KPop Demon Hunters

케이팝 데몬 헌터스 - 위키백과, 우리 모두의 백과사전


케이팝 데몬 헌터스

위키백과, 우리 모두의 백과사전.
케이팝 데몬 헌터스
KPop Demon Hunters
감독
각본
  • 다냐 히메네스[1]
  • 해나 맥메찬[1]
  • 매기 강[1]
  • 크리스 아펠한스[1]
제작
  • 미셸 웡
  • 애런 워너
원작매기 강[1]
출연
편집네이선 샤우프[2]
음악마르셀루 자르부스[1]
제작사소니 픽처스 애니메이션[3]
배급사넷플릭스[1]
개봉일
  • 2025년 6월 20일
시간100분[4]
국가미국
언어영어

《케이팝 데몬 헌터스》(영어: KPop Demon Hunters)는 2025년 공개된 미국의 뮤지컬, 판타지, 코미디 애니메이션 영화이다. 소니 픽처스 애니메이션이 제작하고 넷플릭스가 배급한다. 매기 강과 크리스 아펠한스가 감독을 맡았으며, 매기 강이 구상한 이야기를 바탕으로 강, 아펠한스, 해나 맥메찬, 다냐 히메네스가 각본을 썼으며, 성우진은 아든 조, 안효섭, 메이 홍, 유지영, 김윤진, 대니얼 대 킴, 켄 정, 이병헌으로 구성되어 있다. K-pop 걸 그룹 헌트릭스(HUNTR/X)가 악마 사냥꾼으로서 이중생활을 하며, 비밀리에 악령 라이벌 보이 밴드 사자 보이즈(Saja Boys)의 멤버들과 대결하는 이야기를 그린다.

케이팝 데몬 헌터스는 한국 문화에 영감을 받은 이야기를 만들고자 했던 강 감독의 바람에서 비롯되었으며, 신화, 악마학, K-pop 요소를 활용하여 시각적으로 독특하고 한국의 전통문화 요소가 담긴 영화를 제작했다. 2021년 3월 소니 픽처스 애니메이션에서 제작 중인 것으로 보도되었으며, 모든 크리에이티브 팀이 참여했다. 소니 픽처스 이미지워크스에서 애니메이션화되었으며, 콘서트 조명, 사진, 뮤직 비디오의 구성은 한국 드라마와 일본의 애니메이션의 영향을 받았다. 사운드 트랙에는 마르셀루 자르부스가 작곡했으며, 여러 아티스트가 주제곡에 참여했다.

케이팝 데몬 헌터스는 2025년 6월 20일 넷플릭스에서 공개되었으며, 매우 긍정적인 평가를 받았다.

같은 해 4월 30일에 개봉되었던 거룩한 밤 데몬 헌터스와는 비교가 되는 요소가 많이 있다. 거룩한 밤 데몬 헌터스는 헌터가 등장하고 악당을 물리치는 슈퍼히어로급 한국영화지만 해당 작품은 헌터가 등장하고 악당을 물리치는 것은 동일하지만 뮤지컬 영화이자 작중 한국어가 많이 나오는 미국 영화이다.

줄거리

오랫동안 악마들은 인간을 공격하고 그들의 영혼을 먹어치워 악마왕 귀마를 먹여 살렸다. 세 명의 여성이 악마 사냥꾼으로 나타나 악마들을 물리치고, 그들을 인간 세계에서 봉인하기 위한 혼문이라는 장벽을 만들었다. 이 유산은 노래를 통해 혼문을 유지하는 다음 세대로 전해졌다. 현재의 사냥꾼 세대는 K-pop 걸그룹 헌트릭스로, 루미, 미라, 조이로 구성되어 있으며, 루미를 키운 전직 악마 사냥꾼 셀린의 멘토링을 받고 있다. 악마들을 물리치고 월드 투어를 마친 헌트릭스는 새 싱글을 발표할 준비를 하지만, 루미는 목소리를 잃기 시작한다. 그녀가 부분적으로 악마라는 것이 밝혀진다. 과거에 셀린은 그녀에게 모든 악마를 물리치면 악마들을 영원히 봉인할 황금 혼문이 만들어지고, 그녀의 악마 표식도 제거될 수 있다고 말한다.

한편, 악마 세계에서는 귀마가 부하들의 실패에 분노한다. 진우라는 악마는 새로운 계획을 제안한다. 팬들로부터 비밀리에 에너지를 흡수하여 혼문을 약화시키는 K-pop 보이 그룹을 결성하는 것이다. 헌트릭스는 새로운 보이 밴드인 사자 보이즈를 만나게 된다. 거의 속을 뻔했지만, 그들은 뭔가 이상하다는 것을 감지한다. 그들은 사자 보이즈가 악마임을 확인하지만 싸움에서 그들을 막지 못한다. 진우는 루미의 혈통을 알게 되고 미라와 조이에게 비밀로 한다.

그는 루미와 개인적으로 만나, 악마들은 귀마가 속삭이는 목소리를 통해 수치심과 비참함에 의해 지배된다는 것을 밝힌다. 진우는 400년 전 귀마가 자신에게 가난한 가족을 돕는 아름다운 목소리를 주었던 이야기를 들려준다. 진우는 궁정 연예인이 되었지만 결국 악마 세계로 추방당하고, 가족이 모든 것을 잃은 것에 대한 죄책감에 시달린다.

아이돌 시상식이 다가오자, 헌트릭스는 사자 보이즈를 폭로하기 위한 새로운 노래를 만들려 서두르지만, 그들의 인기는 높아지고 팬들은 두 그룹을 엮기 시작한다. 미라는 루미가 자신들의 노래가 악마들에게 너무 증오심을 담고 있는지 의문을 제기하면서 점점 의심을 품는다. 두 세계 사이에서 갈등하는 루미는 악마들에게 공감하며, 진우에게 사자 보이즈가 자신들이 시상식에서 우승하고 혼문을 재편하는 데 도움을 주면 자유로워질 수 있다고 제안한다.

악마 무리가 지하철 차량의 모든 사람을 죽인 후, 미라는 노래를 다시 쓰는 대신 사람들을 구하는 데 집중해야 한다고 주장한다. 루미는 진우에게 자신의 출신에 대한 수치심 때문에 목소리가 손상되었지만, 그와 이야기하면서 치유되었다고 고백한다. 함께 노래한 후, 진우는 더 이상 귀마의 목소리를 듣지 못하고 아이돌 시상식에서 사자 보이즈를 방해하겠다고 맹세한다. 귀마는 그와 대면하여, 진우가 숨기고 있는 진실, 즉 명성을 얻자마자 가족을 버렸다는 사실과 그들의 계약을 상기시킨다. 귀마는 고통스러운 목소리를 되돌려주겠다고 위협한다.

아이돌 시상식에서 사자 보이즈는 불참하고, 헌트릭스는 악마 증오 대신 단결에 초점을 맞춘 "Golden"을 공연한다. 그러나 미라와 조이로 위장한 가짜 악마들이 루미를 속여 "Takedown"을 부르게 하여, 루미의 악마 표식이 모두에게 드러난다. 무대에서 도망쳐 진짜 미라와 조이를 만나고, 루미가 자신의 혈통과 진우와의 공모를 인정하자 배신감을 느낀다. 루미는 진우와 대면하고, 진우는 잔인하게 모든 것이 거짓이었다고 말한다. 루미는 여전히 부정하지만, 결국 그는 폭발하여 명성을 얻었을 때 가족을 버렸다고 인정하며 귀마가 말한 것을 확인시킨다.

귀마는 미라, 조이, 그리고 대중에게 최면을 걸어 사자 보이즈의 마지막 공연으로 유인한다. 이 공연은 혼문을 부수고 귀마를 해방시키기 위해 계획되었다. 셀린은 상황을 은폐하겠다고 제안하지만, 루미는 거절하고 자신의 악마적인 면모를 받아들인다. 셀린에게 왜 자신을 온전히 사랑하지 않았냐고 쏘아붙인 후 떠난다.

마지막 공연 중에 루미는 수치심, 두려움, 불안에 맞서는 새로운 노래로 끼어들고, 이는 미라와 조이에게 걸린 최면을 깨뜨린다. 두 사람은 루미와 합류하여 악마들을 물리치기 시작하고, 관객들을 해방시킨다. 귀마는 루미를 거의 죽일 뻔하지만, 진우가 자신을 희생하여 그녀를 구하고 복구된 영혼을 그녀에게 주어, 루미, 미라, 조이가 귀마와 나머지 사자 보이즈를 물리치고 악마들을 봉인하며 혼문을 복원할 힘을 얻는다.

루미는 마침내 소녀들과 함께 편안히 지내며, 더 이상 자신의 혈통을 부끄러워하지 않는다. 나중에 헌트릭스는 대중 속에서 팬들과 만난다.

등장인물/성우

  • 아든 조/신나리 - 루미: 헌트릭스의 리더로, 사망한 악마 사냥꾼 어머니 류미영과 악마 아버지 사이에서 태어났다.
    • EJAE가 루미의 노래를 담당한다.
    • 루미 오크는 어린 루미와 어린 팬을 연기했다.
  • 안효섭/민승우 - 진우: 사자 보이즈의 리더. 과거의 그림자에 시달리는 악마이다.
  • 메이 홍/김도영 - 미라: 가족이나 친구에게 합당하지 않다고 깊이 믿고 있다.
  • 유지영/김예림 - 조이: 캘리포니아주 버뱅크 출신의 한국계 미국인 작곡가이자 래퍼로, 친구들과의 관계에서 불안감에 시달린다.
    • 레이 아미가 조이의 노래 목소리를 담당한다.
  • 김윤진/전숙경 - 셀린: 루미의 양어머니이자 루미의 어머니와 함께 싸웠던 전직 악마 사냥꾼이다. 흑백 논리로 악마들을 물리치는 데 집착하며, 회색 지대를 받아들이지 않는다.
  • 조엘 킴 부스터/최현식 -
    로맨스: 사자 보이즈의 멤버,
    버라이어티 쇼 진행자 1,
    아이돌 진행자
    • 샘유일 리가 로맨스의 목소리를 담당한다.
  • 앨런 리/임채빈 - 미스터리: 사자 보이즈의 멤버
    • 케빈 우가 미스터리의 목소리를 담당한다.
  • 조성원/이현 - 앱스: 사자 보이즈의 멤버
    • 넥웨이브가 앱스의 목소리를 담당한다.
  • 대니 정 - 베이비의 노래 목소리
  • 라이자 코시 - 진행자
  • 대니얼 대 킴 - 한의사
  • 켄 정/이상호 - 바비: 헌트릭스의 매니저
  • 이병헌 - 귀마: 악마왕. 매우 강력하며 약점과 불안감을 이용해 인간을 조종한다.

제작

사전 제작

2021년 3월, 소니 픽처스 애니메이션에서 K-Pop: Demon Hunters라는 가제가 붙은 영화가 제작 중이라고 발표되었다. 매기 강과 크리스 아펠한스가 연출을 맡고, 각본가 듀오 한나 맥메칸과 대냐 히메네스가 각본을 쓰며, 아론 워너와 미셸 L. M. 웡이 프로듀서로 참여할 예정이었다.[3][5][6] 밍주 헬렌 첸과 아미 톰슨이 각각 프로덕션 디자이너와 아트 디렉터로 발표되었다.[3]

매기 강 감독은 한국 문화를 배경으로 한 영화를 만들고 만들기 위해 신화학과 악마학을 조사했다.[7] 캐릭터 디자인에 대해 강 감독은 섹시하고 멋지고 터프한 마블 여성 슈퍼히어로와는 차별화된 배가 나오고 트림을 하고 천박하고 바보 같고 재미있는 소녀들을 원했다고 강조했다.[8] 또한 "봉준호 감독의 영화 안에 다양한 톤과 장르가 섞이는 진행 방식에서 영향을 받았다.[9][7] 아펠한스 감독는 원래 위시 드래곤 (2021) 연출 후 휴식을 취하려고 했으나 매기 강 감독이 영화에 대한 초기 아이디어를 말한 후 합류했다.[7] 그는 "음악의 힘, 즉 단결하고, 기쁨을 주고, 공동체를 건설하는 음악의 힘에 대한 영화를 항상 만들고 싶었다"고 말했다.[3] 강 감독은 악마 사냥꾼의 역사를 개발할 때 한국의 무당에서 영향을 받았다고 말했다.[10]

헌트릭스의 세 멤버는 ITZY, BLACKPINK, 트와이스와 같은 K-pop 걸 그룹을 모델로 했다. 강 감독은 2NE1과 블랙핑크가 초기 레퍼런스를 제공했다고 언급했다.[11] 미라 캐릭터는 한국 모델 안소연에서 영감을 받았다.[12] 사자 보이즈는 투모로우바이투게더, 방탄소년단, Stray Kids, 에이티즈, 빅뱅, 몬스타엑스와 같은 한국 보이 밴드에서 영감을 받았다.[13] 그룹의 리더인 진우는 한국 배우이자 가수인 차은우와 남주혁을 모델로 했다.[14][15] 강 감독은 사자 보이즈가 귀여운 모습으로 시작해서 저승사자처럼 보일 때까지 더 어두워지도록 설정했다.[16]

까치호랑이의 한국 민화

스토리 아티스트 래드포드 시크리스트는 더피의 밝은 파란색 색상은 프로덕션 디자이너 헬렌 밍주 첸이 호랑이에게 더 마법 같은 느낌을 주고 싶었기 때문일 수 있다고 설명하며, 서씨가 각 면에 세 개씩 눈 6개를 가지고 있다고 밝혔다.[17] 매기 강 감독은 더피가 처음에는 재미있는 캐릭터로 구상되었지만 명확한 역할이 없었으며, 단지 조연으로 만들고 싶지는 않았다고 말했다.[17] 팀은 첸의 그림에서 영감을 받았는데, "호랑이 동상이 실제 호랑이로 변하는" 그림 옆에 열린 셔츠를 입은 진우가 있었고, 이는 더피가 진우의 애완동물이라는 아이디어로 이어졌으며, 결국 캐릭터들이 소통하는 데 도움이 되는 "기본적으로 우편함"이 되었고 "그 후 새도 따라왔다"고 말했다.[17] 강 감독은 또한 동물들이 이 두 세계 사이에서 살고 있지만 악마는 아니라고 말했다.[18]

캐스팅

아든 조와 안효섭은 각각 루미와 진우의 목소리를 연기했다.

캐릭터의 성우와 노래 목소리 녹음 별도의 시기에 이루어졌으며, 가수들이 먼저 캐스팅되었다.[19] EJAE는 원래 작곡가로 제작에 참여했지만, 나중에 루미의 노래 목소리 역할을 제안받았다. 지니어스 코리아와의 인터뷰에서 EJAE는 자신의 캐스팅이 "감독들이 데모에서 [자신의] 목소리를 듣는 데 익숙해졌기 때문"이라고 말했다.[19][20] 루미의 성우를 맡은 아든 조는 처음에는 셀린 역할에 오디션을 보았으나, 매기 강 감독의 제안으로 루미 역할에 도전했다.[21] 박진영이 처음에는 귀마 역할로 , 캐릭터가 더 위협적이고 전통적인 악당으로 발전하면서 이병헌이 캐스팅되었다.[22][23] 2025년 4월, 유지영이 조이 역으로 영화에 출연하는 것이 밝혀졌다.[24][25] 나머지 출연진은 그 달 후반에 발표되었다.[1]

애니메이션

소니 픽처스 이미지워크스의 밴쿠버와 몬트리올 사무실에서 조시 베버리지가 애니메이션 총감독을 맡았다.[7] 아펠한스 감독은 "뮤직 비디오, 편집 사진, K-드라마, 콘서트 조명, 일본 애니메이션"에서 영감을 받았다고 밝혔다.[7] 매기 강 감독은 소니의 스파이더버스 영화들을 본 후 2D-3D 스타일이 혼합되도록 애니메이션화했다고 설명했다.[7] 베버리지 감독도 2D 스타일을 3D로 표현하고 영화가 "매우 대담하고 그래픽적인 모습"을 가져야 한다는 영감을 언급했다.[7] 베버리지 감독은 또한 영화의 분위기를 반영하기 위해 공연 장면에서는 애니메이션 세계의 팝스타처럼 전투 장면에서는 더 많은 선과 각진 얼굴을, 지나치게 우스꽝스러운 순간에는 매우 귀엽고 과장된 특징을 가진 캐릭터들을 만들었다고 말했다.[7] 강 감독은 애니메이터들이 "한국인만이 만들 수 있는 입 모양과 눈 모양"과 같이 캐릭터 애니메이션을 통해 한국인의 정체성을 진정성 있게 표현하기 위해 노력했다고 강조했다.[16] 캐릭터들이 영어를 사용하지만, 강 감독은 애니메이터들이 "한국어 사용자만이 만들 수 있는 입 모양"을 디자인했다고 설명했다.[16]


음악

 이 부분의 본문은 KPop Demon Hunters (사운드트랙)입니다.

사운드트랙은 대니 정, IDO, 빈스, KUSH, EJAE, 제나 앤드류스, 스티븐 커크, 린드그렌, 마크 존엔블릭, 다니엘 로하스가 작곡했으며, 테디 박, 24, IDO, DOMINSUK, 앤드류스, 커크, 린드그렌, 이안 아이젠드라스가 프로듀싱했다. 마르셀루 자르부스가 악보를 작곡했다. 사운드트랙에는 오드리 누나, 레이 아미, 앤드류 최, 케빈 우, 샘유일 리, 넥웨이브, 레아 살롱가의 목소리도 포함되어 있다. 사운드트랙은 2025년 6월 20일에 발매되었으며, 리드 싱글 "Takedown"은 트와이스의 정연, 지효, 채영이 불렀다.[26][27][28]

목록

개봉

처음 발표된 2021년 3월에는 개봉 일정이 정해지지 않았다.[3] 같은 달 말, 극장 개봉으로 등록되었다. 2022년 4월, 넷플릭스가 이 영화에 대한 등록을 마쳤다는 보도가 있었다.[29][30] 2023년 2월 비즈니스 인사이더와 소니 픽처스 CEO 토머스 로스먼의 인터뷰에서 스트리밍 서비스에 출시될 것이 확정되었다.[31] 2024년 6월, 2025년에 개봉될 것이 발표되었다.[32] 2025년 4월, 한 애니메이터가 이 영화가 6월에 개봉될 것이라고 밝혔고, 같은 달 말에는 2025년 6월 20일로 개봉일이 확정되었다.[1]

평가

리뷰 애그리게이터 웹사이트 로튼 토마토에서 94% 17명의 평론가의 리뷰는 긍정적이다.[33][34] 가중 평균을 사용하는 메타크리틱은 이 영화에 100점 중 75점을 부여했으며 이는 4명의 평론가를 기반으로 "대체로 호의적인" 평가를 받았다.[35]

뉴욕 타임스의 브랜든 유는 "케이팝 데몬 헌터스"가 "매력적이고, 재미있고, 예술적으로 강력한 독창적인 세계"라고 평가하며, "K-pop부터 K-드라마, 대량 생산되는 노래 경연 대회까지 고도로 조작된 대중문화를 풍자할 때 가장 재미있다"고 평했다.[36] TheWrap의 맷 골드버그는 "이 영화 전체를 관통하는 훌륭한 코미디적 요소가 K-pop과 K-드라마의 전형적인 요소를 비웃을 줄 알기 때문에 플롯이 지나치게 복잡하게 느껴지지 않는다"고 평했다.[37] 유는 이 영화가 소니 픽처스 애니메이션의 "최근 히트작인 스파이더버스 프랜차이즈"와 "일종의 계보"를 공유하며, "유사한 시각적 스타일"을 공유하지만, "대부분은 영화적 측면에서 더 총체적이고 기술적인 감각을 빌려온다"고 언급하며, "유려한" 액션, "인상적인" 미술, 그리고 "역동적인 스토리텔링 도구" 역할을 하는 음악을 강조했다.[36] Io9의 이사야 콜베르트도 유사하게 "소니 픽처스 애니메이션의 애니메이션 팀이 아낌없이 또 다른 시각적 즐거움을 제공하며 화려하고 생동감 있는 애니메이션을 선보였다"고 평하며, 스파이더버스 성공 이후의 성과를 언급했다. 그는 "대담하고 표현력 있는" 캐릭터 디자인을 강조하며, 헌트릭스가 아이돌 주인공에서 "도깨비 같은 경향을 가진 친근한 소녀들"로 변모하는 것을 가능하게 한다고 했다.[38] IGN의 투상 에간은 이 영화가 "자신을 너무 진지하게 받아들이지 않고 심각한 주제를 다룰 줄 안다"며, "놀라운 제작 가치와 흥미진진한 액션 시퀀스와 함께 완전히 즐거운 경험을 선사한다"고 평했다.[39] 골드버그는 매기 강과 크리스 아펠한스 감독이 "설정이 기이할 수 있음에도 불구하고, 판돈을 실제처럼 다루어야 한다는 것을 이해하고 있다"는 점을 칭찬했다.[37] 콜라이더의 제프 이윙은 이 영화가 "아름답게 미친 판타지 전제"를 성공적으로 구현했으며, "악마, 음악, 사냥꾼을 둘러싼 흥미로운 전설을 가지고 있는데, 이는 새롭지만 풍부하게 느껴진다"고 평했다.[40]

성우진에 대해 이윙은 헌트릭스 "공연자들은 분명히 다른 개성과 강력한 집단적 역동성을 가지고 있다"고 평하며, "메이 홍과 유지영이 각각 미라와 조이를 잘 표현했다"고 언급했다. 또한 "아든 조는 리드 루미 역으로 복잡하고 감성적인 목소리 연기를 선보였다"고 덧붙였다. 게다가 "안효섭은 영리하고 카리스마 있는 악마/보이 밴드 리더 진우 역으로 훌륭하다"고 평했다.[40] 콜베르트 또한 "주연 배우들의 경이로운 목소리 연기"와 영화의 진정한 "음악성"을 칭찬하며, "노래들이 너무나 중독성이 강해 가장 내성적인 K-pop 비평가조차도 머리를 흔들고 후렴구를 흥얼거리게 될 것"이라고 언급했다.[38] 그는 또한 이 영화가 "메이의 새빨간 비밀과, 놀랍게도 씨너스"와 유사하게 "음악을 안식처이자 감정 표현의 한 형태로 탐구한다"고 언급했지만, "마법소녀 애니메이션 미학"을 포용함으로써 돋보인다고 지적했다.[38] 에간은 "화려한 안무와 애니메이션 스타일의 활력이 돋보이는 액션 시퀀스들은 인기 서양 아티스트와 K-pop 주역들이 작곡한 오리지널 곡들을 특징으로 하는 뮤지컬 넘버에 크게 의존한다"며, "시각적으로 화려한 액션 판타지로, 애니메이션 뮤지컬 팬들을 열렬한 신도로 만들 만한 진심 어린 흉성 발성 노래들이 특징이다"고 강조했다.[39] 골드버그는 "중독성 있는" 노래들이 플롯의 긴장감을 "영화 내내 유지하는 데 도움이 된다"고 지적했다.[37]

콜베르트의 주요 비판은 결말이 "너무 깔끔하게 마무리되어 설정이 약속했던 깊이의 일부를 잃는다"는 "지나치게 편리한" 해결책이었다.[38] 이윙은 영화가 "다른 캐릭터들의 감정선을 구축하는 데 더 많은 시간을 할애했어야 했다"고 생각하며, "루미의 실제로 매우 중요한 배경에 대해서는 관객들이 다소 불이익을 받았다"고 강조했다.[40] 유사하게, 골드버그는 간헐적인 분위기 "채찍질"을 지적하며, "영화가 감성적인 요소들을 버려야 하는 것은 아니지만, 그 방향으로 나아갈 것이었다면, 영화의 절정까지 주로 코믹 릴리프로 작용하는 조이와 미라에게 더 강력한 아크를 제공했어야 했다"고 설명했다.[37]

수상 목록

속편

매기 강 감독은 스크린랜트와의 인터뷰에서 속편이나 스핀오프 작품을 만들 의향이 있으나 아직까지 확정된 것은 없다고 밝혔다.[10]

케이팝 데몬 헌터스의 속편 제작이 확정되었다. 2029년 개봉을 목표로 하고 있다.[1]

===

『KPOPガールズ! デーモン・ハンターズ』（原題: KPop Demon Hunters）は、2025年6月20日にNetflixで配信開始されたアニメーション映画である[10][11]。

ミュージカル要素を入れたファンタジーアニメである。内容は、架空のK-POPガールズグループ「ハントリックス（HUNTR/X）」がアイドル活動を行いながら、人間の魂を奪おうとする悪霊を追い払うストーリーで、ライバルである悪霊の少年グループ「サジャ・ボーイズ（Saja Boys）」と舞台と舞台裏で戦う内容となっている[2]。

劇中のグループであるハントリックスの劇中歌『Golden（英語版）』がアメリカのヒットチャートBillboard Hot 100で通算8週1位を獲得し[12]、サウンドトラック『KPOPガールズ! デーモン・ハンターズ（英語版）』も同アルバムチャートBillboard 200で通算2週1位を獲得した[13]。なお、Netflixで91日間の再生回数が史上最多となる3億2500万回を突破し、登場キャラクターたちは2025年ハロウィン・コスチューム検索ランキングでトップ5を独占するなど、英米圏では社会現象を起こした[14]。

2025年8月には北米やイギリスなど、一部の国の映画館において、応援上映版が期間限定で特別上映され、全米興収1位を獲得した[15][16]。

===

KPop Demon Hunters

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
KPop Demon Hunters
On a platform, the members of Huntrix (from left to right: Mira, Rumi, and Zoey) stand on a stage, dressed as demon hunters and holding combat weapons. A large digital banner appears behind them, showing them in their normal outfits promoting the band's world tour. Under the platform they stand on, demons are held back by the Honmoon. The skyline of Seoul, including the N Seoul Tower, is seen in the background.
Official release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
  • Danya Jimenez
  • Hannah McMechan
  • Maggie Kang
  • Chris Appelhans
Story byMaggie Kang[1]
Produced byMichelle Wong
Starring
CinematographyGary H. Lee[2]
Edited byNathan Schauf[3]
Music byMarcelo Zarvos[1]
Production
company
Distributed byNetflix[1]
Release date
  • June 20, 2025
Running time
95 minutes[5]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100 million+[6]
Box office$24.6 million[7][8]

KPop Demon Hunters is a 2025 American animated musical urban fantasy film[9][10] directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans from a screenplay they co-wrote with Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix, the film stars the voices of Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Lee Byung-hun. The film follows a K-pop girl group, Huntrix,[a] who lead double lives as demon hunters; they face off against a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, whose members are secretly demons.

KPop Demon Hunters originated from Kang's desire to create a story inspired by her Korean heritage, drawing on elements of mythology, demonology, and K-pop to craft a visually distinct and culturally rooted film. The film was reported to be in production at Sony Pictures Animation by March 2021, with the full creative team attached. The film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks and was influenced by concert lighting, editorial photography, and music videos; it was also inspired by anime and Korean dramas. The soundtrack features original songs by several musicians, and a score composed by Marcelo Zarvos.

KPop Demon Hunters began streaming on Netflix on June 20, 2025, while a sing-along version of the film received limited theatrical releases on August 23 and 24 and October 31 to November 2. The film received praise for its animation, visual style, voice acting, writing, and music. It became the most-watched original title in Netflix history with 325 million views, and its sing-along theatrical release was both the widest for a Netflix film and the first to top the box office in the United States, surpassing Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022). KPop Demon Hunters garnered nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song ("Golden") at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards and 31st Critics' Choice Awards, and was featured in Time magazine as its 2025 Breakthrough of the Year.

The film's soundtrack achieved similar success; it became the first film soundtrack on the Billboard Hot 100 to have four of its songs in the top ten, was certified double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in October 2025, and received five Grammy Award nominations. A short film, titled Debut: A KPop Demon Hunters Story, was rated in September by the MPA, while a sequel is planned to be released in 2029.

Plot

Long ago, demons preyed on humans, feeding their souls to their ruler Gwi-Ma. Eventually, three women became demon hunters and used their singing voices to create a magical barrier against demons called the Honmoon.[b] As time passed, new trios of hunters emerged to maintain the Honmoon, with the ultimate goal of strengthening it into the Golden Honmoon—a final seal that would permanently banish demons.

In the present, the K-pop girl group Huntrix—composed of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey—are the latest demon-hunting trio, trained by former hunter Celine. Rumi is secretly half-demon, a fact known only to her and Celine, who raised Rumi. Disquieted by the demonic patterns gradually spreading across her skin, Rumi pushes forward the release and live performance of Huntrix's new single, "Golden", hoping it will turn the Honmoon gold and thereby erase her patterns. However, as they prepare for the performance, Rumi begins to lose her voice.

In the demon world, Gwi-Ma grows enraged at his minions' failures. Led by Jinu, a human-turned-demon, five demons form a boy band called the Saja Boys to steal Huntrix's fans and weaken the Honmoon, in exchange for Gwi-Ma promising to erase Jinu's painful human memories. Watching their debut, "Soda Pop", Huntrix quickly discover the Saja Boys' demonic nature and later attack them. As they fight, Jinu discovers Rumi's patterns, but helps hide them from her bandmates. Meeting privately, Jinu tells Rumi that feelings of shame enslave demons through voices from Gwi-Ma. He shares with her that 400 years prior, Gwi-Ma granted him fame and recognition that helped his family emerge from poverty, but then condemned him to the demon world; Jinu now lives with guilt over his family's downfall.

As the Saja Boys grow more popular, the Honmoon is weakened, allowing more demon attacks to occur. With the Idol Awards approaching, Huntrix rush to produce a new song, "Takedown", to expose the Saja Boys. Rumi's discomfort with the song's harsh, demon-hating lyrics strains her relationship with Mira and Zoey. Rumi proposes a plan to Jinu: if he helps Huntrix win the Idol Awards and strengthen the Honmoon, he could freely stay in the human world. Later, Rumi tells Jinu that her shame about her demon heritage weakened her voice, but talking with him healed it. Jinu says that he no longer hears voices, thanks likewise to Rumi, and agrees to sabotage the Saja Boys. Gwi-Ma summons Jinu, reminds him of the truth that he abandoned his family for a life of wealth and comfort, then threatens to amplify the tormenting voices if he reneges on their deal.

At the Idol Awards, Huntrix perform "Golden", having chosen to shelve "Takedown" due to the contention it caused between them. However, impostor demons sent by Jinu lure Mira and Zoey away from Rumi, while two other demons impersonate them to trick Rumi into performing "Takedown", during which they reveal her demon patterns. She flees the stage and runs into the real Mira and Zoey, who feel betrayed upon learning of her hiding her demon nature and collusion with Jinu from them. Rumi confronts Jinu for tricking her, and he admits to lying about his past. Gwi-Ma, strengthened by the influx of consumed souls and decaying Honmoon, enters the human world and casts a trance over the public, including Mira and Zoey, drawing them to the Saja Boys' performance set to feed him more souls. A desperate Rumi meets with Celine and asks her to end her life. Celine refuses and discusses plans to restore the previous status quo. Rumi lashes out at Celine for never fully loving her and repudiates the now-destroyed Honmoon, before abruptly leaving.

Rumi interrupts the Saja Boys' performance of a new song, "Your Idol", with an improvised new song addressing her shame and self-acceptance, which breaks Mira and Zoey out of Gwi-Ma's trance. Reunited, Huntrix fight back and free the crowd. A repentant Jinu sacrifices himself to save Rumi from an attack by Gwi-Ma, giving his restored soul to reinforce her; the empowered Huntrix defeat Gwi-Ma and the remaining Saja Boys, re-sealing the demons and creating a new Honmoon.

Afterward, no longer ashamed of her patterns, Rumi celebrates with Mira and Zoey, sharing tears of joy, and they later meet their fans in public.

Voice cast

Liza Koshy voices a television host who interviews Huntrix.[19] Maggie Kang, Nathan Schauf, and Charlene Ramos provide additional voices.[18]

Production

Development

Maggie Kang directly facing the camera while seated at a table
Creator and co-director Maggie Kang at the 30th Busan International Film Festival

Director Maggie Kang first pitched the idea that eventually became KPop Demon Hunters to film producer Aron Warner in 2018, while he was working on the production of Wish Dragon (2021) for Sony Pictures Animation.[26] On March 8, 2021, the film, under the working title K-Pop: Demon Hunters, was announced to be underway at Sony. Kang and Chris Appelhans would direct with writing duo Hannah McMechan and Danya Jimenez writing the script, with Warner and Michelle L. M. Wong serving as producers.[4][27][28] Mingjue Helen Chen and Ami Thompson were also announced as production designer and art director, respectively.[4]

It was conceived by Kang who wanted to make a film about Korean culture; she "delved into mythology and demonology for something that could be visually unique" compared to mainstream media.[29] She also called the film her "love letter to K-pop" and to her Korean background.[4] Kang explained that when developing the history of the demon hunters, they decided to play into Korean shamanism, and specifically the historical usage of song and dance as part of the rituals of Korean shaman women.[30] On character design, Kang emphasized wanting to differentiate the main characters from "Marvel female superheroes that were just sexy and cool and badass" and instead combine those elements with "girls who had potbellies and burped and were crass and silly and fun."[31] She was also influenced by the films of Bong Joon Ho, which combine multiple different tones in a way that, to Kang, gives a feeling of animation to them.[29] She and Appelhans specifically cited Bong's monster movie, The Host (2006), as an inspiration for blending genres and moods.[32][33] Appelhans later came on board after Kang told him her initial ideas for the film; he planned to take a long break after having directed Wish Dragon (2021).[29] He stated that he "always wanted to do a film about the power of music—to unite, bring joy, build community."[4] McMechan and Jimenez were approached to screenwrite for the film by Nicole Perlman; speaking to Variety, McMechan explained that though the two "had never done animation before, and we didn't know anything about K-pop", they were "exactly what [co-director] Maggie [Kang] had been looking for, with our friendship and us being young girls."[34]

Character design

The name Huntrix portmanteaus hunter with the Latin feminine agent noun suffix -trix, to evoke the idea of women warriors.[35] The three members of Huntrix were modeled after K-pop girl groups like Itzy, Blackpink, Twice, and 2NE1.[36][37] The character of Rumi was originally created by Kang and her husband, Radford Sechrist, for Sechrist's comic Plastic Walrus, before later being repurposed and reshaped by Kang for KPop Demon Hunters.[38][20] The character of Mira was inspired by Korean model Ahn So Yeon (professionally known as Ellis Ahn).[39][40][41] The Saja Boys were inspired by Korean boy bands such as Tomorrow X Together, BTS, Stray Kids, Ateez, BigBang, and Monsta X.[37] Korean actor and singer Cha Eun-woo was a key influence for Jinu, the group's leader.[42] The names of the members of the Saja Boys, with the exception of Jinu, serve as labels describing different K-pop archetypes.[43] The term Saja dually alludes to the jeoseung saja (저승사자; 監齋使者), a figure in Korean folklore comparable to the Grim Reaper,[16] and to the Korean word for lion, saja (사자; 獅子), with the image of a lion head being used for the Saja Boys' logo, and the band's fandom being referred to as "the Pride."[44][45][46]

Baek Byung-yeul of The Korea Times stated the styling of both groups connects to "the past and the present of Korea"—the members of Huntrix "wear norigae pendants integrated into modern K-pop fashion, while Saja Boys perform in black hanbok and traditional horsehair hats for their song 'Your Idol,' evoking the image of the jeoseung saja."[16] Additionally, Huntrix all wield traditionally Korean weapons.[16] Max Kim of the Los Angeles Times noted the historical nods to Korean artists "who are seen today as the progenitors of contemporary K-pop" such as the Jeogori Sisters, The Kim Sisters and S.E.S.[47] Kang described the visual journey in the character design such as the Saja Boys starting in a "bubble gum pop, very saccharine, super sweet look" and shifting darker until they fully take on the appearance of the jeoseung saja.[48] Appelhans commented on the visual storytelling present in Huntrix's performance costuming; the costumes Huntrix wear when performing "Golden" symbolize "their kind of MacGuffin of a dream", aspiring for perfection and irreproachability, with the tearing away of Rumi's costume at the end of the film's second act representing the disruption of that dream.[48] Appelhans further noted this usage of costuming as part of an effort to have the workings of K-pop be reflected within the film in a way that also integrated with the film's plot.[48]

Casting

Headshot of Arden Cho looking straight at the camera.
Closeup photo of May Hong. She is holding a microphone close to her face and looking off to her right, not directly toward the camera.
Closeup photo of Ji-young Yoo at a panel. She is looking off to her right, not directly toward the camera.
Arden Cho, May Hong, and Ji-young Yoo voice Rumi, Mira, and Zoey respectively

The castings for the characters' voice actors and singing voices were done at separate times, with the singers being cast earlier.[49] Ejae was originally brought onto the production as a songwriter, before later being offered the role of Rumi's singing voice; in an interview with Genius Korea, Ejae attributed her casting to "the directors [getting] used to hearing [her] voice in the demos."[49][50] Arden Cho, the voice actress for Rumi, initially auditioned for the role of Celine, only subsequently trying out for the role of Rumi due to the encouragement of co-director Maggie Kang.[51] Park Jin-young was initially envisioned for the role of Gwi-Ma, due to the character originally being conceptualized with a more flamboyant and comedic personality. However, this was dropped as the character was developed into a more menacing and traditionally antagonistic figure, leading instead to the casting of Lee Byung-hun.[52] In April 2025, Ji-young Yoo was revealed to star in the film as Zoey.[53][54] The rest of the cast was announced later that month.[1]

Animation

The film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks in both its Vancouver and Montreal facilities with Josh Beveridge as animation director.[29][55] Appelhans highlighted visual inspiration as being drawn from multiple sources, including music videos, concert stage lighting, editorial photography, Korean dramas, and anime.[29] Kang explained that after watching Sony's Spider-Verse films, which are animated in a hybrid 2D-3D style, it was decided to eschew the use of 2D elements, choosing instead to focus on 3D animation, with "faces and the look and feel of anime" being particular inspirations for the film's style.[29] Beveridge similarly noted the inspiration of "2D aesthetics but with three-dimensional language", making the film entirely in 3D CGI, and that the film should have a "very bold graphic look".[29] Beveridge also highlighted shifting the art style of the characters' faces to reflect the film's tone, from glamorous appearances for more triumphant moments, to more aggressive sequences that feature greater line work and angularity in character faces, to comedic moments in which a more chibi-esque style is used.[29] The first major scene to be animated for the film was the initial encounter between Huntrix and the Saja Boys, which, according to Beveridge, acted as a proof of concept for the character designs.[55] Kang emphasized the crew's effort to authentically represent Korean identity through character animation, such as through eye and mouth shapes.[48] Although the characters speak English, the film's animators designed the characters to use mouth shapes specific to the Korean language while speaking.[48] For action scenes, the filmmakers made use of glitter effects inspired by the South Korean film The Villainess (2017), with Beveridge noting that the effect gave the scenes a feeling of dance-fighting, and that "[y]ou can get pretty violent if you put a lot of glitter on."[55] A significant amount of detail was animated into the scenes throughout the film to represent Korean cultural details such as the Namsan Tower, Korean cuisine, the Naksan Wall, sign swords, and traditional tiger motifs which were included with a good deal of precision in accurate depiction.[9]

A vertical painting in watercolor on paper with primarily black, white, and gray tones. It depicts a stylized tiger with a humorous, exaggerated expression and yellow eyes sitting at the bottom and looking up toward a magpie perched on the branch of a gnarled pine tree above.
A Korean folk painting of the Tiger and the Magpie

Hanh Nguyen, for Salon, highlighted that the animation of Jinu's pet tiger and magpie—which the creative team call Derpy and Sussie respectively[56][57]—are based on minhwa, a type of Korean folk art that was popular during the Joseon period.[20] Images of tigers, magpies, and pine trees are the focus of the Hojak-do genre of minhwa; the portrayal of these animals in the film took cues from the satirical, anti-authority character that Hojak-do took on during the 17th century.[20][58] Park Han-sol of The Korea Times wrote that minhwa was often "whimsical" with "mischievous details" and depictions of tiger and magpie delivered "a playful jab at those in power."[58] She commented that the film's gag of the magpie stealing the tiger's hat "feels like an affectionate nod to the long-running visual joke."[58] Sechrist was also a story artist for the film and designed the tiger; he explained that the blue color of the tiger's fur possibly originated with production designer Helen Mingjue Chen wanting to make the character feel more magical.[20] Kang commented that Derpy was initially conceived without a clear role in the film; however, they did not want him to be just a sidekick.[20] The team was inspired by a painting by Chen of a tiger statue turning into a real tiger next to an open shirt Jinu, which led to the idea of Derpy being Jinu's pet, eventually becoming a means for Rumi and Jinu to exchange messages and communicate, "and then the bird tagged along."[20] Kang also stated that while the animals "live between these two worlds", they are not demons, with their nature being left mysterious.[59]

Choreography

The choreography for the dance sequences in the film was worked on by Jam Republic's Jo Na-In, The Black Label's Leejung Lee, and the group K-Tigers.[60] Jo, a South Korean dancer and choreographer, created the sequences for "Golden" and "Takedown".[60][61] The choreography for "How It's Done" was done by Lee, and the choreography for "Your Idol" was done by K-Tigers' Ha Seong-jin; choreography for the "Soda Pop" sequence was worked on by Lee and Ha.[61][62] In an interview, Jo stated that she was inspired by "Golden" itself when developing the choreography for the song indicating that "I focused on the storytelling that needed to be conveyed through the animation. I tried to concentrate more on expressing the lyrics and emotions."[61] On the animation aspect, Jo explained that she "made the movements bigger and more expansive" as well as keeping "close attention to details like facial expressions and fingertips to ensure they come across well onscreen."[60]

Fight scene choreography was contributed to by K-Tigers, including Taemin—who acted as the film's martial arts director—and Ha Seong-jin.[62][63] When interviewed, Ha explained that he "decided to weave taekwondo elements into [the Saja Boys'] choreography. This way, it could showcase taekwondo not just as sport, but also as something aesthetically powerful."[62] Josh Beveridge when discussing the fight choreography, noted the deliberate dance-fighting feel to the action, explaining that "[s]ome of those fight choreographers had done some idol training, and in between the moves, they'd make these cute little adjustments. That is where the personality is."[55]

Music

Main article: KPop Demon Hunters (soundtrack)
Ejae in a radio recording booth wearing headphones with a microphone near her.
Ejae performed as the singing voice of Rumi on the film's soundtrack.

When comparing the songs of Huntrix and the Saja Boys, Appelhans explained they "wanted the Saja Boys' songs to be super catchy, but slightly hollow, like there's no real soul underneath." This is to contrast with the honesty and emotional vulnerability of Huntrix's songs—"the idea was that the surface-level part of your heart might be obsessed with the boys, but the deeper part is moved by the girls."[36] Kang and Appelhans sought the expertise of known K-pop producers to develop the film's soundtrack.[57] The film's original songs were written by Danny Chung, Ido, Vince, Kush, Ejae, Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk, Lindgren, Mark Sonnenblick, and Daniel Rojas; and produced by Teddy Park, 24, Ido, Dominsuk, Andrews, Kirk, Lindgren, and Ian Eisendrath. Marcelo Zarvos composed the score. The soundtrack also features the voices of Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami, Andrew Choi, Kevin Woo, samUIL Lee, Neckwav, and Lea Salonga. The soundtrack was released on June 20, 2025; the lead single "Takedown" is performed by Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Chaeyoung of Twice.[54][64] The soundtrack was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 8, 2025, with sales exceeding 1 million units.[65]

In the United States, the soundtrack album holds the highest debut on the Billboard 200 chart for soundtracks released in 2025, debuting at number eight, and is the first soundtrack of 2025 to reach the top ten.[66] The album is also the highest-charting animated film's soundtrack album on the chart since Metro Boomin's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) at number seven, as well as the first Netflix soundtrack to reach number one on the Top Soundtracks since Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 (2022).[67] The BBC highlighted that Huntrix and the Saja Boys—with "Golden" and "Your Idol" respectively—topped the US Spotify chart, with Huntrix and the Saja Boys becoming the highest-charting female and male K-pop groups in the history of the US Spotify daily chart, surpassing Blackpink and BTS, respectively.[68][69] Though the film's two bands are not the first fictional K-pop groups to see virality,[70] outlets such as Entertainment Weekly have commented on the notability of Huntrix and the Saja Boys achieving levels of popularity and charting success rivaling real-world acts.[71] "Golden", the album's second single, eventually reached number one on the Billboard Global 200,[72] became the longest-lasting number one song by a fictional act on the US Billboard Hot 100,[73][74][75] and in South Korea became the third song in 2025 to achieve a perfect all-kill on the charts,[76] as well as breaking the record for most number of hourly perfect all-kills of all time.[77][78][79] Additionally, the film's soundtrack became the first in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to feature four of its songs in the top ten, which include "Golden", "Your Idol", "Soda Pop", and "How It's Done".[80] It is the first film soundtrack since Waiting to Exhale (1995) to feature at least three of its songs in the top 10.[81]

Themes

The film's plot explores the power of community and friendship in overcoming cultural pressures. Arden Cho, who voices Rumi, said, "Without Mira and Zoey, she wouldn't have made it." According to the filmmakers, Rumi's arc parallels the experience of coming out, especially in terms of parental and societal expectations. Co-director Maggie Kang noted that the character's journey was deliberately written to mirror the process of revealing one's true self: "Rumi's story [is] like she's coming out of the closet and coming clean to her parents who [want] her to be something that she's not."[82] Kang commented that when developing Rumi's story they "talked a lot about mixed heritage" as well as "queer identity, and addiction and falling back into addiction. We kind of described the demon part of you" where someone is hiding part of themselves from others.[43]

Stephen Thompson of NPR and Taylor Henderson of Out magazine both similarly noted aspects of queer coding and queer allegory within Rumi's story,[83][84] with Henderson writing that "[w]hile there aren't explicitly LGBTQ+ characters in the film, Rumi's struggle feels quite queer-coded. From an early age, [Celine] instructed her to hide that part of herself from the world. The hiding grew into a deep shame, and she holds contempt for the half-demon part of herself."[84] Sulman Aziz Mirza, in Psychiatric News, highlighted the focus on "shame, identity, and healing" in the film—in particular, Rumi hiding her demonic heritage and patterns "isolates Rumi in shame, forcing her to skip bonding rituals like bathhouse visits and ultimately silencing her voice." However, "Rumi and Jinu, both burdened by shame, begin to heal through music."[85] Mirza called shame a universal experience so "Rumi's patterns could symbolize anything: depression, queerness, trauma, neurodivergence, or being biracial."[85]

Writing for The Korean Herald, academic Kim Seong-kon identified the three main themes of the film as: "1. The world is not simply made of good and evil, or angels and demons. 2. Do not be ashamed of differences. 3. Hybridity is a strength, not a weakness."[86] Academics Putu Marvitta Adira Prastiwi and Nissa Puspitaning Adni elaborate on themes of gender equality and female empowerment present in the film, writing "[t]he solidarity and emotional support among the Huntrix members form[s] a crucial foundation for building an autonomous and empowering female community, while simultaneously critiquing patriarchal pressures that demanded women hide their imperfections and vulnerabilities. Rumi's internal conflict and rejection of the demand to conceal her true self emphasize[s] the necessity of dismantling oppressive symbolic systems so that women could express themselves fully and authentically."[87]

Release

When the film was first announced by Sony Pictures Animation in March 2021, a release timetable was not set.[4] In April 2022, it was first reported that Netflix registered a filing for the film.[88][89] The film was confirmed to be coming to Netflix in February 2023, in a Business Insider interview with Sony Pictures film CEO Tom Rothman.[90] The release of KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix was the result of a 2021 agreement between Netflix and Sony.[6][91][92] According to Matthew Belloni of Puck, this agreement entailed Sony giving Netflix "a first look at certain live-action and animated film projects", with Netflix in turn guaranteeing to greenlight a certain number of projects for joint development, which it would release and have control over.[6] Under the terms of this deal, Netflix paid Sony $125 million to cover both the budget for KPop Demon Hunters and a premium worth 25% of the budget;[6][93] in exchange, Netflix would maintain all film rights, and would not need to pay any profit participation.[6]

In June 2024, the film was announced to be released in 2025.[94] In April 2025, it was revealed by an animator that the film would be released in June, while later that month, it was announced for a release date of June 20, 2025.[1] In addition to streaming on Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters had a limited theatrical release at select cinemas in California and New York from June 20–26, 2025.[95] A sing-along version of the film was released theatrically in select theaters in North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand from August 23–24, 2025.[96] The sing-along version was subsequently released on Netflix, separately from the original version.[97] The film then had a second theatrical sing-along release from October 31 – November 2.[98] The June 2025 theatrical release was enough to satisfy the eligibility requirements for the Oscars.[95]

The subsequent theatrical releases did not meet the requirements to qualify the film for the BAFTA awards, due to the film's British theatrical run occurring two months after the film's streaming release, along with not having enough commercial screenings.[99][100] The British Academy rejected Netflix's exception appeal; according to Deadline, the film would have qualified if Netflix had released KPop Demon Hunters simultaneously in British theaters and on its streaming platform.[100]

Reception

Box office

The sing-along version of KPop Demon Hunters was released in theaters on August 23, 2025.[101][102] It debuted in 1,700 theaters, dethroning the 698-theatre release of Netflix's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022). It was initially projected to gross $18 to $20 million during its opening weekend.[103] It was the company's best-performing theatrical release, beating out Glass Onion ($13.1 million in 2022).[104] It was the first Netflix film to finish in first place over the weekend.[105] Netflix did not report grosses.[102] In the United States and Canada, KPop Demon Hunters made $19.2 million,[8][104] ahead of Weapons, which was expected to remain in first during its third weekend.[104]

Jeremy Fuster of TheWrap wrote that its theatrical release was set to open higher than the three-day opening weekends of The Bad Guys 2 ($22 million) and Elio ($20.8 million); he said it would have made $100 million domestically had it not first been streamed.[d][106] Matt Schimkowitz of The A.V. Club wrote that the film's theatrical release drew many moviegoers who had likely streamed it.[103] Ben Fritz of The Wall Street Journal noted that the film's acclaim led Netflix to make it a rare theatrical release.[105] Matthew Belloni of Puck noted that, due to the arrangement between Netflix and Sony for the film's production, most of the profit from the financial success of the film, and from any potentially subsequent franchise, would be accrued by Netflix, as the film's distributor, rather than by Sony. He further commented that for Netflix's film chief Dan Lin, "this is a studio chairman's dream: a relatively cheap superhit" with evident avenues for exploitation across multiple businesses being available, whereas Sony's film chief Tom Rothman "gotta be kicking himself over this one".[6]

Critical response

KPop Demon Hunters received wide acclaim from both critics and audiences,[107][108] who praised its animation, music, voice acting, and story.[109] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 90 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Animated with infectious energy and vibrant colors, KPop Demon Hunters is jaunty family entertainment with a terrific soundtrack to boot."[110] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[111]

Brandon Yu, for The New York Times, wrote that KPop Demon Hunters "is an original universe that is charming, funny and artfully punchy". Yu considered the film to share the same cinematic approach as the Spider-Verse animated films, also produced by Sony Pictures Animation, noting both as featuring effective usages of fluid action, striking art, and music that serves the storytelling.[112] Toussaint Egan of IGN similarly compared KPop Demon Hunters to Spider-Verse, while also highlighting the film's fight sequences, which he described as having "flashy choreography and anime-inflected verve".[113] Kelechi Ehenulo of Empire described the film as "play[ing] like a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Popstars: The Rivals", praising the film's watchability, its comedy, and its story about shame, generationally-imposed emotional burdens, and embracing who you are.[114]

Matt Goldberg of TheWrap commented that the plot would "be painfully overwrought" were it not for the comedy threaded throughout the film.[115] Goldberg and Yu both noted some of the film's best comedy as coming from poking fun at the culture and tropes surrounding K-pop, K-dramas, and other K-media.[115][112] David Tizzard of The Korea Times regarded the film as simultaneously being both "a love letter to K-pop", and an unflinchingly critical examination of K-pop culture. He additionally praised the film's representation of Korean culture, stating that it captures and displays aspects of everyday life in South Korea "with an intimacy rarely seen in global content."[116] Tizzard and Peter Debruge of Variety both highlighted the usage of the magpie and tiger in the film,[116][117] which Tizzard noted as being affectionately reinterpreted from Korean tradition.[116]

Isaiah Colbert of Io9 praised the film for having an authentic musicality, such that even those watchers who are not fans of K-pop "would find themselves bobbing their head and humming along".[118] Debruge commented that because of the film's setting and immersion within the world of K-pop, the audience might not fully recognize the film as being a musical.[117] Wilson Chapman of IndieWire thought the most impressive aspect of the music was the varied ways in which the film's songs are staged, such as a demon fight for "How It's Done", an opulent music video for "Golden", a creation montage for "Takedown", and an energetic dance number for "Soda Pop". Chapman considered this variation and versatility of the staging to be the means through which the film makes its K-pop elements "a central and vital component of its storytelling", rather than just being a gimmick.[119] Similarly, Tizzard noted a seamless integration of the film's music with its narrative, commenting that the songs "aren't throwaway jingles; they're emotional climaxes."[116] Goldberg wrote that the songs, while being catchy, have plot stakes that serve to maintain tension throughout the course of the film.[115]

Angela Garcia of SLUG wrote that due to the film's short runtime, KPop Demon Hunters "[feels] like it's only scratched the surface of both the world and characters", with many ideas having been left underdeveloped.[120] Chapman also highlighted the short runtime, which he felt was both a benefit to the film at certain points, and the film's main flaw; by moving quickly, the film lacks depth at points, such as Mira and Zoey not receiving enough story focus, or not fully exploring Rumi's resentment towards Celine, and results in a rushed, underwhelming climax that provides an overly easy resolution to the film.[119] Goldberg also noted an occasional tonal whiplash, and argued that stronger character arcs were needed for Zoey and Mira leading into the film's climax in order to bridge the divide between the film's comic relief and its more emotional moments.[115] Ehenulo stated that, despite issues with the film being predictable and rushed in its ending, these flaws can be pushed away, with the film being nonetheless deserving of its global success.[114]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
K-World Dream AwardsAugust 21, 2025Best OST"Golden"Won[121][122]
[123]
"Soda Pop"Nominated
MTV Video Music AwardsSeptember 7, 2025Song of Summer"Golden"Nominated[124]
Marie Claire Asia Star AwardsSeptember 20, 2025Director of the YearMaggie KangWon[125]
NRJ Music AwardsNovember 1, 2025Social Hit"Golden" (David Guetta Remix)Won[126]
Korean Association of Film Critics AwardsNovember 6, 2025FIPRESCI Award (Foreign)Maggie Kang and Chris AppelhansWon[127]
Los 40 Music AwardsNovember 7, 2025Best International New ArtistHuntrixWon[128]
Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema and TelevisionNovember 14, 2025Animation AwardMaggie KangWon[129]
Korea Grand Music AwardsNovember 14–15, 2025Best Virtual Artist"Golden" – HuntrixNominated[130]
"Soda Pop" – Saja BoysNominated
World Animation SummitNovember 17, 2025Movie of the Year AwardMaggie Kang and Chris AppelhansHonored[131]
Hollywood Music in Media AwardsNovember 19, 2025Original Song – Animated Film"Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Park Hong JunWon[132][133]
Song – Onscreen Performance (Film)"Golden" – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei AmiNominated
Soundtrack AlbumKPop Demon HuntersNominated
MAMA AwardsNovember 28–29, 2025Best OST"Golden"Won[134]
"Soda Pop"Nominated[135]
Music Visionary of the YearKPop Demon HuntersWon[134]
Song of the Year"Golden"Nominated[135]
"Soda Pop"Nominated
Atlanta Film Critics CircleDecember 3, 2025Best Animated FilmKPop Demon HuntersWon[136]
Best Voice PerformanceArden ChoWon
IndieWire HonorsDecember 4, 2025Spark AwardChris Appelhans, Maggie Kang, and EjaeHonored[137]
Variety Hitmakers AwardsDecember 6, 2025Variety's KPop Demon Hitmakers of the YearEjae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei AmiHonored[138]
Asia Artist AwardsDecember 6, 2025Best OST"Golden"Won[139]
Best Voice PerfromanceArden ChoWon
KALH HonorsDecember 7, 2025Pioneer AwardMaggie KangHonored[140]
Toronto Film Critics AssociationDecember 7, 2025Best Animated FeatureKPop Demon HuntersRunner-up[141]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics AssociationDecember 7, 2025Best Animated FilmWon[142]
Best Voice PerformanceArden ChoWon
Astra Creative Arts AwardsDecember 11, 2025Best SoundMichael Babcock, Tony Lamberti, Jeff Sawyer, Katie Halliday, Chris Diebold, and Trevor GatesNominated[143]
Chicago Film Critics AssociationDecember 11, 2025Best Animated FeatureKPop Demon HuntersWon[144]
Phoenix Critics CircleDecember 11, 2025Best Animation FilmWon[145]
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics CircleDecember 14, 2025Best Animated FeatureWon[146]
St. Louis Film Critics AssociationDecember 14, 2025Best Animated FilmNominated[147][148]
Best Music SoundtrackNominated
Best Vocal PerformanceArden ChoNominated
New York Film Critics OnlineDecember 15, 2025Best Use of MusicKPop Demon HuntersPending[149]
Best AnimationPending
San Diego Film Critics SocietyDecember 15, 2025Best Animated FilmPending[150]
Best Use of MusicPending
Seattle Film Critics SocietyDecember 15, 2025Best Animated FilmPending[151]
Austin Film Critics AssociationDecember 18, 2025Best Animated FilmPending[152]
Best Voice Acting/Animated/Digital PerformanceArden Cho and EjaePending
Melon Music AwardsDecember 20, 2025Song of the Year"Golden" – Huntrix (Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami)Pending[153]
Best OST"Golden" – Huntrix (KPop Demon Hunters)Pending
Time MagazineDecember 25, 2025Breakthrough of the YearKPop Demon HuntersHonored[154]
Critics' Choice Movie AwardsJanuary 4, 2026Best Animated FeatureKPop Demon HuntersPending[155]
Best Song"Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and TeddyPending
New York Film Critics CircleJanuary 6, 2026Best Animated FilmKPop Demon HuntersWon[156][157]
Astra Film AwardsJanuary 9, 2026Best Animated FeaturePending[158][143]
[159]
Best Voice Over PerformanceArden ChoPending
Best Original Song"Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and TeddyPending
Los Angeles Film Critics AssociationJanuary 10, 2026Best AnimationKPop Demon HuntersRunner-up[160]
Golden Globe AwardsJanuary 11, 2026Best Motion Picture – AnimatedPending[161]
Cinematic and Box Office AchievementPending
Best Original Song – Motion Picture"Golden" – Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Park Hong Jun, Ejae, and Mark SonnenblickPending
Gold Derby Music AwardsJanuary 28, 2026Record of the Year"Golden" – Huntrix (KPop Demon Hunters)Pending[162]
Grammy AwardsFebruary 1, 2026Song of the Year"Golden" – Ejae & Mark SonnenblickPending[163]
Best Song Written for Visual MediaPending
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance"Golden" – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei AmiPending
Best Remixed Recording"Golden" (David Guetta Remix) – David GuettaPending
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual MediaKPop Demon HuntersPending
African-American Film Critics AssociationFebruary 8, 2026Best Animated FeatureWon[164]

Impact

Group shot of four people wearing cosplay. The person on the left is dressed as Bobby. The other three are wearing Huntrix "Golden" outfits; one person is slightly crouched in front of the other two, holding a small blue tiger plush.
Attendees of a theatrical sing-along screening, cosplaying as the film's characters

The film has had a major impact as a result of its popularity, furthering the visibility and popularity of South Korean culture as part of the Korean Wave, along with inspiring an expansive fandom. On July 29, 2025, Netflix announced that KPop Demon Hunters had become the platform's "most watched original animated film of all time."[165][166] On August 26, the company said the film had been watched 236 million times, passing Red Notice (2021) as its most-watched film.[167][168][169] The Hollywood Reporter stated in late August that according to the company's internal figures, the film performed consistently over the course of the summer.[170] On September 3, Netflix stated that the film had passed 266 million views, overtaking the first season of Squid Game (2021) to become Netflix's most-watched title.[171]

The film's popularity has been described as surprising and unexpected;[172] its streaming success was compared by Nate Jones of Vulture to that of Disney's Encanto (2021).[173] Drew Taylor of TheWrap described the film a widespread phenomenon, citing the popularity of the soundtrack album, and Netflix's official shop adding a section for the film, with t-shirts and plushies being among top five best-selling items of 2025.[174] Others called the film an "animated sensation",[175] a "potential gold mine" for Netflix,[176] a "smash hit movie",[177] and the "biggest hit of Hollywood's summer."[178] The Cut noted that the film's characters, storyline, and soundtrack as reasons for its popularity, with Yoohyun Jung of The Boston Globe suggesting that the film weaving elements of Korean cultural into the story was another reason for why it is popular.[179]

In late September, Luminate made a presentation at the All That Matters conference in Singapore about insights from global and APAC music, saying that multi-media cross-promotion helped the film's performance, with over two-thirds of audio streams from the film's soundtrack coming from outside of the United States. Luminate also described the film as a "transmedia hit."[180] Sara Leila Sherman and Morton Sherman wrote in Psychology Today that the film became "more than entertainment," with sing alongs bringing people together.[181] On September 12, Lars Brandle reported on Billboard that the film's soundtrack made up seven of the top twenty songs on the ARIA Singles Chart, and had lead the chart for seven consecutive weeks[182] In an article published the same day on Billboard, Thomas Smith said that for the sixth week in a row, the song "Golden" from the film had been the number one single in the UK, and was the second-ever K-pop song to reach number one within the UK itself.[183]

The film also made its way into sports and other popular culture. On September 2, at the U.S. Open, Novak Djokovic, after winning a tennis match with Taylor Fritz did a dance inspired by the song "Soda Pop".[184] The film was also featured in a Saturday Night Live sketch on its season premiere hosted by Bad Bunny, and included cameos from Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami performing 30-second snippets from the songs "Golden" and "How It's Done" live, with Bowen Yang portraying the character Jinu and singing lyrics from "Soda Pop".[185][186][187] On October 7, Ejae, Nuna and Rei Ami gave a full-length performance of "Golden" during an episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, along with being interviewed by the host.[188][189][190] The singers repeated a performance of "Golden" during the 99th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on November 27, alongside a balloon themed after Jinu's pet tiger from the film.[191]

Korean Wave

KPop Demon Hunters has been noted, within the context of the Korean Wave, for a global increase in popularity of South Korean culture and media; this increased popularity has acted as a form of soft power for the country.[14][192][193] Some, like Korean cultural scholar Park Jihyon, said that the film's popularity could likely become a major turning point in the Korean Wave's history.[194] Researchers such as Xin Fan and Salas Supalakwatchana have commented on the film as "a major cultural product within the Korean soft power landscape", and as a demonstration of the medium of animation as being "capable of merging entertainment value with strategic cultural promotion".[192] Cho Jae-hyon of Hankook Ilbo opined that KPop Demon Hunters represents a new phase of the Korean Wave, in which Korean-themed content would be produced abroad rather than being created within South Korea and then exported. With KPop Demon Hunters, Cho highlighted film's production team as largely being non-Korean.[195] Moon Dong-yeol of The Hankyoreh similarly argued that KPop Demon Hunters represents a denationalization of the Korean Wave, not being limited to production solely within South Korea.[196]

Both Cho and Min Seong-jae of The Korea Times have highlighted this new phase of the Korean Wave has also been influenced by Korean diaspora creators,[195][197] with Cho noting that "Maggie Kang, a Korean Canadian, drew on her childhood memories of K-content to create the film."[195] Grace Kao, for Foreign Policy, similarly noted the presence of many Korean diaspora songwriters and artists as part of the making of KPop Demon Hunters, and compared this to the indebtedness of K-pop to diaspora Koreans participating in music industries of the United States, Canada, and Australia.[14] Kao additionally characterized KPop Demon Hunters as a rebuke of a localization trend within K-pop, where local cultural elements are given emphasis over strictly Korean ones.[14] She commented the film "shows that consumers are not looking for a product stripped of Korean cultural elements or Koreans themselves" and that it is not necessary for media to emulate American pop culture in order to achieve success.[14]

Michelle Yee Hee Lee of The Washington Post wrote that within South Korea, the film had been overwhelmingly embraced by the country, even by businesses and governments, due to its broad appeal as an animated film, with products, art classes based around themes from the film.[194] Hae-rin Lee of The Korea Times said the film's global popularity boosted tourism in South Korea, with fans interested in South Korea pop culture visiting recording studios, museum shops, cafés, and other attractions, including locations shown in the film, like Namsan, Naksan Park Fortress Trail, and Bukchon Hanok Village. Some businesses have released products related to the film, while fans are said to be embracing the food the film's main characters are shown eating.[198] The National Museum of Korea in Seoul drew more than five million visitors, an unprecedented total that ranks it alongside the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the British Museum in London. This surge was partly credited to the widespread popularity of KPop Demon Hunters.[199] Seoul's Leeum Museum of Art opened an exhibition focused on tiger and magpie minhwa, including a Hojak-do painting from 1592 which is considered the oldest surviving piece in this style.[200][201] Sookyung Seo of The Korea Economic Daily wrote that partially due to the film's popularity drew over 1.36 million international tourists to Seoul, an increase of 23.1% from the same month in 2024, and of 18% from July 2019, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's data, and said to be the "largest monthly tally ever recorded."[202]

Fandom

Group shot taken from the stage, facing the audience. The celebrities are crouched down with their backs to the audience while the audience is mostly standing to pose for the photo. Many people in the audience are wearing cosplay.
May Hong, Danny Chung, Alan Lee, the stage host, and fans of the film at GalaxyCon in St. Louis, Missouri on October 11, 2025

The film has been noted as a cultural phenomenon by a variety of media outlets, many highlighting the film's soundtrack, characters, and story, as well as homages to anime and representation of fandom and Asian cultures.[203][204][205] Others noted that following the film's release, dance sequences went viral on the social media platform TikTok, and that fanart of characters from the film had flooded other social media websites.[174] Within South Korea, fans called the fandom "KeDeHun".[194] The film's success was also seen as a success for its representation of Asian characters in pop culture, with children not having to look to "Pixar or Disney princesses for costume inspiration."[206]

BBC News reported on dance classes themed on K-pop, particularly songs from the film, in Belfast, and said that K-pop has gained increased visibility thanks to the film's success.[207] Alex Vadukul of New York Times noted that an intense fandom had formed around Huntrix and the Saja Boys, and noted that May Hong, who voices Mira, said it was "crazy being on the receiving end of [the film's] fandom."[208] Yvonne Kim of The Atlantic said that the film transforms fandom "from a hobby into an action of creation." She added that the film acknowledges the "sometimes-parasitic relationship between artist and listener" and the "unilateral power" of performers, and said that the film's fans are not different from their real-life counterparts.[209]

There has been an internet challenge involving ramen noodles, based on ramyun eaten by Rumi, Zoey, and Mira, while singing the song "How It's Done", during the film. It was reported that this resulted in severe burns and hospitalization among some fans who tried to recreate this scene, with doctors and hospitals warning about the dangers of eating instant noodles in extremely hot water, suggesting people eat the noodles more carefully.[210][211][212] During the 2025 Halloween season, KPop Demon Hunters-related costumes saw significant popularity, with Google searches for costumes of the film's characters dominating search rankings,[213][214][215] and with costumes from major retailers like Spirit Halloween quickly becoming sold out.[216][217] Local news media from across the United States similarly noted the high popularity of KPop Demon Hunters costumes.[218]

Future

Sequel

In interviews with Screen Rant and Variety, director Maggie Kang expressed interest in a potential sequel and side stories to flesh out the universe of the film.[30][219] She said that many questions that were raised remain unanswered fully, with additional stories capable of being explored,[30] such as potential backstories for Mira and Zoey.[219] Director Chris Appelhans likewise told People that there were many pathways available for further stories.[220] Matthew Belloni of Puck noted that, under the 2021 agreement between Sony and Netflix, Sony contractually holds the right to produce future installments of KPop Demon Hunters; however, any such installments would likely, just as for the first film, be released for streaming onto Netflix.[6]

In July 2025, TheWrap reported that, following the success of the film, Netflix has begun considering several potential follow-up projects, including two sequels, a television series, a short film, and a stage musical.[221] In a statement to Newsweek, Netflix Films chairman Dan Lin commented that the company was "excited to explore what could be the next adventure for Huntrix", while further stating that time would need to be taken for producing any future sequels, in order to ensure that the "flair and uniqueness" of the original film is retained.[222] In August 2025, Belloni reported that Sony had just begun negotiations with Kang and Appelhans to both return for a follow-up project.[6] On August 26, Pamela McClintock of The Hollywood Reporter stated that Sony Pictures and Netflix were in talks for the production of an animated sequel.[93] On November 5, 2025, it was announced that a sequel is planned for release in 2029,[223] with Kang writing the script.[140]

Short film

On March 29, 2023, Sony announced that their LENS mentorship program would produce a short film based on KPop Demon Hunters after the release of the Spider-Verse short film The Spider Within.[224] In September 2025, the film, Debut: A KPop Demon Hunters Story, was rated PG by the MPA.[225][226]

Other media

Rumi, Mira, and Zoey were added to the video game Fortnite as purchasable skins on October 2, 2025.[227] On the same month, it was announced that Netflix had granted KPop Demon Hunters toy licenses to both Hasbro and Mattel, with toys based on the film scheduled to be sold at retail beginning in 2026.[228] On November 28, a digital art book for the film was released online; a physical edition is scheduled for publication in February 2026.[229][230] To coincide with Spotify Wrapped for 2025, a brief animated video was released of Huntrix thanking their real-life fans for listening to "Golden".[231]

Notes

  1.  Pronounced /ˈhʌntrɪks/ HUN-triks[11][12] and stylized in all caps as "HUNTR/X".[1][6][13]
  2.  Korean: 혼문, lit. 'spirit gate'.[14][15]
  3.  Also referred to as Abs Saja.[23][22]
  4.  The most recent animated film to do so up until that point was Despicable Me 4 (2024).

References

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  2.  "KPop Demon Hunters - Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 8, 2025. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  3.  "Nathan Schauf". Sony Pictures Animation. Archived from the original on July 2, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025. Nathan Schauf is a lead editor at Sony Pictures Animation, most recently working on the studio's highly anticipated feature film 'KPop Demon Hunters.'
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