When Netflix released KPop Demon Hunters in June 2025, few could have predicted the whirlwind success that would follow. The animated feature, produced by Sony Pictures Animation and directed by Maggie Kang, has rapidly ascended to cultural phenomenon status, captivating global audiences with its unique blend of K-pop spectacle, Korean mythology, and superhero action. In just a matter of weeks, the film not only became Netflix’s fourth most popular English-language film with a staggering 158.8 million views, according to data released by the streaming service, but also set the music charts ablaze. Its soundtrack, led by the fictional girl group Huntr/x, has become the highest-charting soundtrack of the year, with the breakout single “Golden” rocketing to No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Global 200 charts (as reported by Billboard).
Director Maggie Kang, a Canadian filmmaker with roots in Toronto and childhood summers spent in Seoul, infused KPop Demon Hunters with a deeply personal and culturally rich vision. In an interview with The Economic Times, Kang described her unconventional approach to animation: “As an animator, it’s really important to feel the acting that you are going to portray. Even when you draw, you want to feel the expressions.” To achieve this authenticity, Kang often had her animation team physically act out scenes, capturing everything from comedic mishaps to emotional fan moments. When her team struggled with a particular scene, Kang herself would step in, demonstrating the exact facial expressions and gestures she envisioned. “Sometimes the acting is not quite as I want it,” she explained, “so I will sit in the room and do the faces for them and act it out, so that we get what we need.”
But it’s not just the animation process that’s unconventional. The film’s characters—members of the fictional K-pop group Huntr/x—are refreshingly unpolished. They eat messily, burp unabashedly, and display genuine, sometimes crude, reactions that break from the sanitized norms often seen in pop idol portrayals. This commitment to realism extends to the narrative itself, which centers on Huntr/x’s battle against the demonic boy band The Saja Boys, who seek to steal the souls of their fans under the guise of musical rivalry. The Saja Boys’ very name is layered with meaning, referencing both “lion” and “reaper” in Korean, nodding to their dual identity as pop stars and supernatural threats—a detail highlighted by The Los Angeles Times.
The film’s mythology is steeped in Korean cultural heritage. Kang and her team drew heavily from shamanic practices such as Gut, a ceremonial ritual involving music and dance to ward off evil spirits. “Once we really grounded the mythology into Korean shamanism, it really opened up this opportunity to feature so many different eras of Korea, really show the history of how Korean music evolved through the ages,” Kang told Q on CBC. This is evident from the very first scene, which showcases generations of Korean musicians battling supernatural forces—a sweeping homage to the country’s musical evolution. The film’s world is further enriched by historical costuming, ceremonial weapons, and guardian spirits inspired by traditional Jakh-do paintings and Haetae statues. Even the adorable tiger and magpie mascots, Duffy and Seo-C, are rooted in Korean folk art.
Co-director Maggie Kang revealed to KBizoom that her original intent was not to create a K-pop film, but rather to explore Korean culture and demon mythology. The idea of K-pop as a “cover” for secret demon hunters came later, providing the perfect backdrop for a musical spectacle with mass appeal. “With K-pop, it became a musical, and the concert backdrop added spectacle, making it the ideal theme,” Kang said. The film’s concerts, where Huntr/x uses music to ward off demons and protect the “honmoon” (the human world), are modeled after the Gut ritual—bridging ancient tradition with modern pop culture.
Yet, the film’s resonance goes far beyond its cultural references. At its core, KPop Demon Hunters is a story about confronting inner demons and insecurities—a universal theme that has struck a chord with audiences worldwide. The film’s main villain, Gwi-Ma (voiced by Squid Game star Lee Byung-hun), is a demon king who preys on people’s self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. As described by KBizoom, Gwi-Ma “knows what makes a person back down from a fight. He knows which words to use to make sure that person stays feeling small.” This psychological depth, coupled with the backstories of Huntr/x’s members, has made the film relatable to viewers of all backgrounds. “Everyone has a moment of being a demon at some point in their life,” the article notes, emphasizing the film’s exploration of self-acceptance and the struggle to feel “enough.”
Musically, the film is a juggernaut. The soundtrack, featuring an array of catchy tracks like “Soda Pop,” “Takedown,” and “Your Idol,” has dominated music streaming platforms. In the week “Golden” hit No. 1, it amassed 31.7 million streams, 7,000 sales, and 8.4 million radio airplay impressions, according to Billboard. Six of the top ten songs on Spotify’s U.S. 50 chart are from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, with “Your Idol” by The Saja Boys at No. 8 and “Soda Pop” at No. 4. The film’s soundtrack also soared to No. 2 on the Billboard 200, cementing its status as the highest-charting soundtrack of 2025.
Critical acclaim has matched the commercial success. With a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, the film has been lauded as a “masterclass in storytelling” and a “love letter to Maggie Kang’s heritage and Korean culture,” according to The Los Angeles Times. The movie’s popularity has even prompted a limited theatrical sing-along release in the United States and Canada—an unusual move for a streaming-first animated feature, but one that speaks to the film’s infectious energy and cross-generational appeal.
The voice cast is a who’s who of Asian and Asian-American talent, including Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Lee Byung-hun. Their performances breathe life into a story that is as much about friendship and self-discovery as it is about supernatural showdowns. The film’s universal themes, catchy music, and authentic cultural representation have combined to create a work that transcends boundaries—linguistic, geographic, and generational.
With Netflix already expressing interest in at least two sequels, KPop Demon Hunters looks set to become a franchise, further expanding the world of Huntr/x and deepening its exploration of Korean culture and universal human struggles. As Kang herself put it, “You don’t really expect this kind of reaction. I honestly didn’t think it was even possible for a movie to be this popular, really. So it’s incredible.”
It’s rare for a film to blend cultural specificity with universal appeal so seamlessly, but KPop Demon Hunters has done just that—proving that great stories, much like great songs, know no borders.
