KPop Demon Hunters review: From BLACKPINK-esque energy to K-drama jabs, Netflix nails the tone without making a joke of it

Indian Express

5 days ago

K-pop, visuals, killer choreography, and stunts, Kpop Demon Hunters might just be Sony's best shot at redeeming itself after the backlash for its Spider-Verse missteps. Netflix's new animated movie KPop Demon Hunters blends South Korean pop culture with anime's demon-hunting madness, and wastes no time gripping viewers with its one-and-a-half-hour ride full of brilliantly worked original soundtracks. A girl group called Huntrix leads a double life – beloved idols by day, demon slayers by night, using the power of their music to trap hordes of demons underground, generation after generation. The premise may sound silly, but under the direction of Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, it works. It doesn't try to be cool, it simply is. With clean execution, sharp humor, and a Tomatometer score holding strong at 94%, it delivers.
I tuned into KPop Demon Hunters expecting the usual drag, 10-15 minutes setting things up, running the ritual loop, ready to skip with 10-sec jumps. But the opening voiceover caught me off guard. 'The world will know you as pop stars, but you will be much more than that.' I stopped and let the intro roll—no regrets. The screen flipped from a packed stadium to a desolate village under demonic shadow. 'Demons have always hunted the world, stealing our souls and channelling strength back to their king, Gwi Ma,' the voice warned, dropping the antagonist's name seconds in. Then came the heroes, girls 'born with voices that could drive back darkness, singing songs of courage and hope.' The story keeps it simple: Huntrix, a three-piece K-pop act formed by Celine, are next in line to complete the Golden Hanmoon, a force field meant to lock demons out for good. But peace doesn't come easy. A demonic boy band is formed, disguised in charm, out to rip through Huntrix and take everything down with them.
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The animation of KPop Demon Hunters is done by Sony Pictures Animation. It's bold, colourful, stylised, and dramatic. From the first glance, you can tell it's heavily inspired by Spider-Verse. Every frame feels intentional, never a dull moment. Director Maggie Kang, who grew up obsessed with legendary K-pop boy bands like H.O.T. and Seo Taiji, took inspirations for the on-screen boy band, Saja Boys, from names like BTS, TXT, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, and Monsta X. For the girl group, the reference was loud and clear, BLACKPINK and TWICE. But it's Rumi, the central character, whose look had fans convinced she was modelled after BLACKPINK's Jennie, and the director didn't shy away from acknowledging it. So yeah, we got K-pop's biggest crossover moment on screen way before it happened in real life. Even when the film takes a jab at K-pop tropes or idol culture, it does so while delivering a complete visual banger.
Despite the 'demon-hunting pop star' angle which sounds intense, KPop Demon Hunters actually leans into the comedy. There are several digs at overly dramatic K-drama moments, formulaic singing contests, and how the entertainment industry can sometimes feel too polished. There's also a clear wink to the audience throughout. It pokes fun at several aspects without becoming a joke itself.
The most important part of KPop Demon Hunters is the original soundtrack, which honestly deserves its own Spotify spotlight. The main trio, Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, are voiced by actual musicians like EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, and the songs picked for each segment mirror the mood, emotion, and pace of the story. For instance, 'How It's Done' sets the tone right away with a fight scene on a plane, showing how Huntrix can knock out demons and land mid-concert like it's nothing. 'Jinu's Lament', sung by one of the demon characters, is moody and introspective. 'Strategy' rolls in during a staycation scene. 'Golden' is Huntrix's big hope track, the name also nods to Jungkook's Golden album. EXO's 'Love Me Right' drops when Huntrix meets the boy band, and from there, the playlist just keeps stacking. Actor Lee Byung Hun, who plays the Front Man in Squid Game, voiced the film's main villain, Gwi Ma.
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KPop Demon Hunters doesn't try to be more than it is, and honestly, that's its win. One good watch, and you won't walk away feeling robbed of your time. Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Arden Cho, May Hong, Ahn Hyo Seop, and Li Young Yoo's voices bring in that sense of familiarity, so it's hard not to see the characters through their lens—the makers clearly played it smart here. The movie ends with a cliffhanger, a clear hint that this could lead to a sequel, a spinoff, or maybe a bigger franchise. The only thing it lacked was a solid backstory. It would've been great if the film took a few minutes to show us who these characters were before going straight into the chaos. Whether it's more demon battles, new rival bands, or digging into pasts, this world has room to grow.