Latest news with #Huntrix
South China Morning Post
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
What Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters gets right and wrong about Korean music idols' lives
After spending a few years covering the fast-paced, glossy K-pop industry, a reporter inevitably starts to see through the glittery veneer. You get familiar with the ins and outs – from the hot 'tea' (gossip) that fans usually crave to the industry's darkest lore you wish you never knew. Yet, in fan-driven fiction and spin-offs made to celebrate K-pop fantasy, those insider truths rarely surface. The industry's smallest details often remain a secret, carefully concealed in line with K-pop's golden rule: faults and fears must never be seen. Play This is the mantra followed by Huntrix, the fictional K-pop girl group at the centre of KPop Demon Hunters, the new animated film streaming on Netflix.
Malay Mail
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Not (just) like Jennie: ‘KPop Demon Hunters' director/writer clarifies Blackpink's Jennie only one of many references
SEOUL, June 28 —There has been a lot of online speculation as to which K-pop idol specifically inspired the K-pop idol groups Huntrix and Saja Boys in Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters. The show has proven to be quite a hit, with a very warm reception from K-pop fans. Unfortunately, if there's one thing fans are a little too good at is starting conflicts between fandoms, so it's not surprising that writer and director of the show Maggie Kang decided to clear the air in a post on X. 'Rumi was inspired by many leading ladies, some not even K-Pop. Names are going around (individual idols + groups) bc we only said 'yes' as they were mentioned by interviewer to us but list of inspo for both Huntr/x & Saja Boys is endless. This has been clarified by us to press,' Kang said. She said it in a post quoting an X account stating that the character Rumi of Huntrix was reportedly inspired by Blackpink's Jennie. Rumi was inspired by many leading ladies, some not even K-Pop. Names are going around (individual idols + groups) bc we only said 'yes' as they were mentioned by interviewer to us but list of inspo for both Huntr/x & Saja Boys is endless. This has been clarified by us to press. — Maggie Kang (@maggiemkang) June 27, 2025 Some Blackpink fans were upset by Kang's post, with one fan accusing her of 'targeting Jennie alone' and complaining that she 'quoted a tweet about BTS' before posting about it. Hopefully the online vitriol doesn't scare off Kang from making more stories from the Kpop Demon Hunters universe. Right now Netflix is already selling merchandise from the show and has even opened preorders for a plush version of the blue tiger Derpy.
Malay Mail
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Not (just) like Jennie: ‘KPop Demon Hunters' director/writer clarifies Blacpink's Jennie only one of many references
SEOUL, June 28 —There has been a lot of online speculation as to which K-pop idol specifically inspired the K-pop idol groups Huntrix and Saja Boys in Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters. The show has proven to be quite a hit, with a very warm reception from K-pop fans. Unfortunately, if there's one thing fans are a little too good at is starting conflicts between fandoms, so it's not surprising that writer and director of the show Maggie Kang decided to clear the air in a post on X. 'Rumi was inspired by many leading ladies, some not even K-Pop. Names are going around (individual idols + groups) bc we only said 'yes' as they were mentioned by interviewer to us but list of inspo for both Huntr/x & Saja Boys is endless. This has been clarified by us to press,' Kang said. She said it in a post quoting an X account stating that the character Rumi of Huntrix was reportedly inspired by Blackpink's Jennie. Rumi was inspired by many leading ladies, some not even K-Pop. Names are going around (individual idols + groups) bc we only said 'yes' as they were mentioned by interviewer to us but list of inspo for both Huntr/x & Saja Boys is endless. This has been clarified by us to press. — Maggie Kang (@maggiemkang) June 27, 2025 Some Blackpink fans were upset by Kang's post, with one fan accusing her of 'targeting Jennie alone' and complaining that she 'quoted a tweet about BTS' before posting about it. Hopefully the online vitriol doesn't scare off Kang from making more stories from the Kpop Demon Hunters universe. Right now Netflix is already selling merchandise from the show and has even opened preorders for a plush version of the blue tiger Derpy.
India Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
How KPop Demon Hunters exposes our fear of imperfection
Have you ever watched an animated film that tells you more than it originally intended to? Or hide the real message behind metaphors and cliches? If yes, then 'KPop Demon Hunters' is another movie on that list, as it disguises itself well with neon lights, razor-sharp choreography, and the blinding veneer of pop perfection on the surface. The film is about a K-pop girl band called Huntrix featuring Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. However, they are not just your everyday pop girl band - they are also supernatural hunters who hunt who are these demons? If you think they are some disgusting-looking creatures with four eyes, crooked teeth and patterns all over their bodies, then you're somewhat right, but there are also some very good-looking 'idol-type' demons too. Think about 'The Vampire Diaries'. Who would've thought Ian Somerhalder would look so handsome as a vampire? If that's your vibe, then you'd love the demon boy band The Saja Boys in the film. The film idolises K-pop culture, which is meticulously crafted to sell the film doesn't just idolise the spectacle - it dismantles it, peeling back the facade to reveal an uncomfortable, familiar undercurrent: in a world obsessed with flawlessness, authenticity is often the first casualty. At its core is Rumi, a pop idol, a monster hunter, and most damningly in her world, part demon. It's the ultimate enemies-to-lovers conflict, except the "enemy" is her own bloodline, her own nature, the thing society demands she erases. It's a subtle take, suggesting that our insecurities, flaws, and faults are what make us demons. And isn't that familiar? Being told to conquer the parts of yourself that don't fit the script - to hide your true self and meet the standards the world has set for you. Many moments in the film will make you pause and introspect. Moments where you will also hide with the characters, believe in the lies they tell themselves, and once again believe that we are not good AlertThe film's defining moment arrives in a show-stopping performance of the song 'Golden'. It unfolds, devastatingly, when Rumi's secret is exposed - her demon patterns, her supposed imperfections, paraded for all to see. Her bandmates falter. The world that once celebrated her falls silent. It makes you think - what would you do if your deepest, darkest secrets were exposed?CELINE'S FLAWED LOVE AND WHY IT MADE US ANGRYFor Rumi, she was crushed beneath the weight of rejection. She returns to Celine, her adoptive mother, the one person who should have seen her beyond the flaw, beyond the scandal. What follows is both layered and infuriating. Celine, trying to shield Rumi, covers her demon patterns with her shrug, a gesture drenched in maternal protection, but also suffocating compliance. She tells Rumi they'll 'fix' this - they'll spin a narrative, blame the demons, and convince the world this isn't "really" her. This is the most relatable scene in the film. How often are we told that we need to be "fixed" when we confide in someone? How often have our closest ones told us that we are not perfect?It's not like we don't know that they mean well, but that doesn't mean they are right. Right? Celine's instinct, just like our loved ones, mirrors society's deepest flaw, the desperate urge to hide imperfection rather than accept it - to polish over the cracks. Her reaction, likely born from fear and love, feels like betrayal. It's the familiar sting of being rejected by those who were never supposed to judge you, the ones meant to accept your unfiltered, unvarnished why Rumi's rage is so raw, so relatable. Her hopelessness, her resignation - feel real because we've all been there. Twisting ourselves into something more acceptable. Her outburst is not melodramatic; it's the sound of a human breaking under impossible standards. Her words slice through the illusion like a blade: 'If this is the world I was meant to protect, then I'm glad to see it get destroyed.'It's defiance, yes. But more than that, it reflects a buried, uncomfortable truth many of us carry - the quiet satisfaction of watching hypocritical systems crumble - the institutions that forced us to hide, that demanded conformity while pretending to champion individuality. The film becomes more than a fantasy flick. It becomes a manifesto - a rebellious whisper urging us to dismantle these fragile societal norms and rebuild something better. A world that doesn't flinch at flaws, that doesn't fear difference.'KPop Demon Hunters' dresses itself in sequins and spectacles, but beneath the surface, it's something raw. It's uncomfortable, it's imperfect, and that's precisely the point. It doesn't just tell us to fight monsters, it dares us to face the ones we've become by silencing our voice.- Ends
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
KPop Demon Hunters review: This is Netflix's most fun animated film yet
Demons, drama and a whole lot of K-pop - sounds exciting, isn't it? A new animated title on Netflix delivers on all three fronts with surprising flair and how! 'KPop Demon Hunters' is everything its title suggests. A high-energy blend of bubblegum pop, mystical demon lore, and the kind of emotional storytelling that hits all the right notes. It's loud, flashy, heartfelt, and just the kind of chaotic fun you expect when K-pop idols moonlight as supernatural in a universe where pop stars double as demon hunters (naturally), the story follows Rumi, a half-human, half-demon high schooler who leads the girl group Huntrix alongside Mira and Zoey. Together, they must balance their rising music careers with the not-so-small task of saving humanity from the demon world's overlord, Gwi-Ma. Along the way, Rumi develops a bond with Jinu, a former human-turned-demon, and their complicated, slow-burn relationship quietly becomes the emotional backbone of the makes 'KPop Demon Hunters' work is that it doesn't try too hard to be taken seriously. The narrative is fully aware of its own theatricality, and leans into it with a wink. It's 'Think Boy With Luv' meets 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', but in pastel tones. The songs are absolute bops, reminiscent of the early 2000s K-pop era of pop-punk playfulness. Soda Pop might even bring to mind tracks like ASTRO's 'Candy Sugar Pop' or BTS' 'Boy With Luv' - light as they share the same DNA of being catchy and The animation deserves its own shout-out, and it's gorgeously rendered and sharply choreographed. The facial expressions are hilariously dramatic, an anime influence that adds to the campy fun, and the fight scenes are stunningly kinetic without ever getting too dark or gory. One of the film's strengths is its voice acting. The performances feel natural and immersive and the chemistry between the main trio is equally strong. Each girl has a distinct personality, yet they bounce off one another effortlessly. What truly lingers, though, is the connection between Rumi and Jinu, voiced by K-drama favourite Ahn Hyo-seop. Their relationship is simple, sincere, and emotionally grounded, with their bond forged due to shared pain, which adds an emotional arc to their stories without overpowering the film doesn't shy away from heavier themes either - be it shame, identity, and self-acceptance; it quietly weaves itself into the plot. While it stays largely on the surface, there's enough depth to give the glitter some Gwi-Ma, while not overly active, leaves a strong impression as the puppet master of chaos. He raises the deeper question: Are demons evil by choice, or by design?That said, 'KPop Demon Hunters' isn't without its flaws. Some secondary characters, like Jinu's bandmates, the Saja Boys, deserved more development. A longer format might have given room for their arcs and added depth to Rumi and Jinu's these are small quibbles in what is otherwise a thrilling ride. The movie hits the right balance between emotional beats and comic relief, making you chuckle and soft sighs in equal measure. And just when you think it's all fluff, it throws in a moment of genuine pathos that compels you to take note and 'KPop Demon Hunters' succeeds because it knows what it wants to be - a fun, emotionally sincere, musically rich ride that celebrates friendship, courage, and finding yourself in unexpected film is not perfect, but easily one of Netflix's most refreshing animated films in recent memory. And yes, we're hoping for a sequel, or better yet, a full-fledged series.- Ends3.5 out of 5 stars for 'K-pop Demon Hunters'.
