Latest news with #demonhunters
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘KPop Demon Hunters' Director Thought About A Live-Action Version
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS - When they aren't selling out stadiums, Kpop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey use ... More their secret identities as badass demon hunters to protect their fans from an ever-present supernatural threat. Together, they must face their biggest enemy yet – an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise. ©2025 Netflix Since its release last week, Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters has reached No. 1 in 26 countries and the Top 10 in 93 countries. Critics and fans have praised the animated feature, directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, with a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score. The soundtrack has also generated buzz, hitting No. 1 on the iTunes Top Album and K-Pop Charts, as well as the Apple Music Pop and K-Pop Album Charts. The film centers on Huntrix, a K-pop girl group who are secretly demon hunters sworn to protect their fans from supernatural threats. One of the hunters, Rumi (Arden Cho), has demon blood running in her veins, as we find out that her Hunter mother had a relationship with her Demon father. The circumstances of their relationship are never disclosed. Celine, a former Hunter and Rumi's guardian, avoided talking about Rumi's parentage, disregarding her demon side. Rumi – and the audience – are never given answers about her past. Though Netflix hasn't announced if there will be a sequel, Kang says there's more to the story they wanted to tell – especially when it came to Rumi's heritage as part Hunter and part Demon, and the reason behind Celine's aversion towards demons. KPOP DEMON HUNTERS - Celine (voice by YUNJIN KIM). ©2025 Netflix 'There are different versions [of Rumi's story],' says Kang. Ultimately, we felt like that whole part of the story didn't need to be told here. It was a tricky thing with the story. There are so many questions that are left unanswered.' Some scenes were cut that answered these questions, but it didn't feel like they belonged, as they changed the overall story. There's so much they wanted to add – Rumi's parentage, Celine's background, and the mythology behind Derpy the tiger and Sussie the six-eyed bird. '[Derpy and Sussie] live between these two worlds,' Kang reveals. It's not a Demon. It's not a Hunter, obviously. So, what is it? There's a lot of mysteries and question marks that even I have thought about what that could be. We're definitely thinking about that stuff.' KPOP DEMON HUNTERS - (Right) Rumi (voice by ARDEN CHO). ©2025 Netflix The KPop Demon Hunters creatives, crew, and actors all expressed their interest in a sequel. Kang has many more ideas for her characters and the story. After finishing her film, she did think about a live-action version of the animated film. After watching the new live-action How To Train Your Dragon movie, she mentioned that director Dean DeBlois, who directed the original animated films, did a wonderful job. She thought what it would be like to have a live-action KPop Demon Hunters. She understands that comes with its own challenges. 'I really enjoyed [How To Train Your Dragon],' says Kang. I was sitting in the theater thinking, I wonder if anybody would want to see a live-action KPop Demon Hunters. What would that be like? How would that go?' KPOP DEMON HUNTERS - When they aren't selling out stadiums, Kpop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey use ... More their secret identities as badass demon hunters to protect their fans from an ever-present supernatural threat. Together, they must face their biggest enemy yet – an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise. ©2025 Netflix For now, everyone seems to be waiting for Netflix's decision to greenlight a second film. Until then, Kang is enjoying the response to the film and the music. She's so proud to see a Korean story resonate with everyone. 'I had so many crew members [and people] tell me how much this movie meant to them – and they weren't even Korean,' says Kang. 'They loved learning about our culture and being part of something different. [People have told me], 'I'm watching more K-dramas,' and 'I'm going to Korea,' or 'I'm taking K-pop dance lessons.' It was just so amazing as a director to see people love this movie and fall in love with the culture. I really appreciated the studios for taking a risk on something that is a full Asian cast, too. I couldn't have believed we could make this. It's very surreal.' KPop Demon Hunters is streaming now on Netflix.
Geek Culture
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Sony Animation's 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' Tops Netflix Movie Chart In 41 Countries
Sony Pictures Animation has a winning formula on their hands, and it involves K-pop and demon hunting. Following its debut on 20 June, K-Pop Demon Hunters quickly topped Netflix's global charts to become one of the streamer's most-watched titles around the world — and its momentum isn't slowing down anytime soon. According to data from FlixPatrol, the newly minted fan favourite is now ranked first in 41 countries, including Southeast Asian territories such as Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and more. The Western market is no less immune to its charm, either, with the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Germany among the list of chart-toppers. Stylistically influenced by concert lighting, editorial photography, and music videos, alongside anime and Korean dramas, K-Pop Demon Hunters features striking, high-energy animation that's highly evocative of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its 2023 sequel, as well as The Mitchells vs. the Machines, both hailing from Sony. The story follows a fictional K-pop girl group, HUNTR/X (pronounced 'Huntrix'), who lead double lives as demon hunters, and face off against a rival boy band called Saja Boys, whose members are secretly demons. While primarily in English, the pic also includes Korean dialogue and cultural nods, from folklore creatures like dokkaebi, or goblins, and the jeoseung saja, the Korean equivalent of the grim reaper, to real-world locations. Arden Cho ( Teen Wolf ) leads the voice cast as Rumi, vocalist and overall leader of HUNTR/X, joined by May Hong ( High Maintenance ) as visual and main dancer Mira, and rapper Zoey. Other notable names include Squid Game star Lee Byung-hun as antagonist Gwi-ma, actor-singer Ahn Hyo-seop ( Business Proposal ) as Jinu, leader of the Saja Boys, Daniel Dae Kim ( Hawaii Five-O ) as Healer Han, and Ken Jeong ( Crazy Rich Asians ) as Bobby, the manager and main representative of HUNTR/X. Prolific K-pop producer Teddy contributed to the soundtrack, with popular girl group Twice's Jeongyeon, Chaeyeong, and Jihyo performing the film's opening number, 'Takedown'. His effort extends to HUNTR/X's 'Golden' and Saja Boys' 'Soda Pop, while Exo's 'Love Me Right' and Twice's 'Strategy' were also used as part of the film. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. K-Pop Demon Hunters Netflix Sony Animation
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix's ‘Kpop Demon Hunters' shows how it's done, fantasy-musical animation reigns among top movies on stream
SEOUL June 25 – An animated film about a K-pop girl group battling evil spirits has surged to the top of Netflix's global charts just days after its release, Korea Herald reported. K-Pop Demon Hunters, co-directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, premiered on June 20 and quickly became one of Netflix's most-watched titles worldwide, holding the No. 1 spot globally from June 21 to 22. The film centres on Huntrix, a K-pop trio whose concerts serve as supernatural missions, using music to sustain a magical barrier called the honmoon that shields the human world from demons. The trio is voiced by Arden Cho (Teen Wolf, Pretty Little Liars), May Hong (Hacks), and Yoo Ji-young (Until Dawn). Their nemesis is Gwi-ma, a spirit king who sends his demon forces disguised as the boy band Saja Boys to bring down the hunters. Actor Lee Byung-hun, known for Squid Game, voices Gwi-ma, while singer-actor Ahn Hyo-seop plays Jinu, leader of the Saja Boys. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film blends action, fantasy, and musical elements with both English and Korean dialogue and culturally specific references such as dokkaebi (Korean goblins) and traditional medicine. The film's music has been a standout element, featuring songs by producer Teddy, performances by Twice members Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyeong, and tracks from MeloMance and Exo. The original songs performed by both Huntrix and Saja Boys have also received praised for their homage to the genre. Since its debut, the film has been especially popular not only in Asia but also in the United States, France, and Germany, ranking in the Top 10 in 93 countries. It currently holds a 96 per cent critic rating and 91 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes as of June 24.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Netflix's ‘Kpop Demon Hunters' shows how it's done, fantasy-musical animation reigns among top movies on stream
SEOUL June 25 – An animated film about a K-pop girl group battling evil spirits has surged to the top of Netflix's global charts just days after its release, Korea Herald reported. K-Pop Demon Hunters, co-directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, premiered on June 20 and quickly became one of Netflix's most-watched titles worldwide, holding the No. 1 spot globally from June 21 to 22. The film centres on Huntrix, a K-pop trio whose concerts serve as supernatural missions, using music to sustain a magical barrier called the honmoon that shields the human world from demons. The trio is voiced by Arden Cho (Teen Wolf, Pretty Little Liars), May Hong (Hacks), and Yoo Ji-young (Until Dawn). Their nemesis is Gwi-ma, a spirit king who sends his demon forces disguised as the boy band Saja Boys to bring down the hunters. Actor Lee Byung-hun, known for Squid Game, voices Gwi-ma, while singer-actor Ahn Hyo-seop plays Jinu, leader of the Saja Boys. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film blends action, fantasy, and musical elements with both English and Korean dialogue and culturally specific references such as dokkaebi (Korean goblins) and traditional medicine. The film's music has been a standout element, featuring songs by producer Teddy, performances by Twice members Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyeong, and tracks from MeloMance and Exo. The original songs performed by both Huntrix and Saja Boys have also received praised for their homage to the genre. Since its debut, the film has been especially popular not only in Asia but also in the United States, France, and Germany, ranking in the Top 10 in 93 countries. It currently holds a 96 per cent critic rating and 91 per cent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes as of June 24.
The Review Geek
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
KPop Demon Hunters (2025) Ending Explained – Does Rumi fix the Honmoon?
KPop Demon Hunters Plot Summary KPop Demon Hunters is the latest animation movie from Netflix. For centuries, demons have hunted people and eaten their souls. But one day, a trio of girls protects the citizens with their songs, killing the beasts and strengthening the Honmoon, the barrier between Earth and the demonic realm. Now, it's Zoey, Mira, and Rumi's turn to fix the Honmoon for good and banish all demons. How are they going to do that? By becoming Korea's number one girl group, the HUNTR/X (Huntrix). However, as they come close to achieving their goal, Gwi-Ma, the demon king, sends a new threat their way. Jinu and his team could never hope to defeat the girls with brawn, something every demon has learned over the years. So they form an evil boy band to steal their fans and weaken the barrier. The only problem is that Jinu becomes closer to Rumi than he would expect, as he learns the girl is actually part demon as well. Now, the two find a new strength in each other but risk not getting what they've wished for so long. Do the other girls learn Rumi's secret? Demons bear marks that every hunter can see; it's one of the only ways of figuring out if they are real people or not. Since Rumi's father was a demon, she has some of the marks, which grow as the years go by. Because of that, she never could go to a bathhouse or be truly comfortable around her friends. She even has to wear a jacket at all times, or else her friends will see the demonic pattern on her arms. Despite them getting close, Jinu betrays Rumi during one of the Huntrix performances, outing her to them. As Rumi sings, all alone, other demons change their appearances to match Mira and Zoey's. They quickly start bumping into the girl and badmouthing her in the middle of the stage. Ultimately, they take her jacket off, which makes her freak out and use her demonic voice, shattering all the lights in the studio. When she escapes to the backstage area, the real Mira and Zoey find her and see her marks. She tries to explain things to them, but it's already too late. The girls point their weapons at her, and Rumi's only option is to run away. Although they cry doing that, it's Mira and Zoey's duty to defeat all demons, so they see no other choice. Still, they let Rumi escape. Do Jinu and Rumi end up together? Throughout the movie, Jinu and Rumi learn more about each other and become closer. The girl even thinks of a plan in which the demon can stay with her on Earth even after she restores the Honmoon. However, Gwi-Ma can see what's happening and uses the boy's past regrets to control him. With that, Jinu feels forced to betray Rumi and out her secret to her friends. She tries to ask for his help after that, only to learn he was the one who set her up. During the final battle against Gwi-Ma, Rumi has to defend against one of the demon's attacks all by herself. At that moment, Jinu steps up and takes her place as a sacrifice. He saves her and tells the girl how much she helped him, but he unfortunately dies, redeeming himself. In the end, she makes up with her friends but loses the first love of her life. Does Rumi fix the Honmoon? Yes and no. Rumi realizes her demonic marks are an important part of her, and she shouldn't be trying to hide them from her friends. So, if the barrier she has been trying to create will make them go away, that's probably not the right answer. Together, she and the other girls work to destroy the current Honmoon and create a new and better one. After the barrier gets fragile, Gwi-Ma rises to the surface, ready to steal the souls of hundreds of humans. However, Rumi, Zoey, and Mira use their newest song, one about acknowledging who they really are, to power up. With this strength, they manage to defeat Gwi-Ma and the boy band, creating a Honmoon that respects the uniqueness of every individual. Thanks to that, even after its creation, Rumi still has her demonic marks. But now she doesn't feel she has to hide them from her friends. Read More: KPop Demon Hunters Review
