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 stylistically influenced by concert lighting, editorial photography, and music videos as well as anime and Korean dramas. The soundtrack features original songs by several talents, 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 a two-day limited theatrical release from August 23 to 24, 2025. The film drew acclaim for its animation, visual style, voice acting, writing, and music, and was named a cultural phenomenon by several publications. It became the most-watched original title in Netflix history with 266 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). The film's soundtrack also saw significant success, reaching number one and top-ten positions on multiple music and streaming charts, as well as becoming the first film soundtrack on the Billboard Hot 100 to have four of its songs in the top ten. A sequel is in development.
Plot
Long ago, demons preyed on humans, feeding their souls to their ruler Gwi-Ma. Eventually, three women became demon hunters who used their singing to forge a magical barrier called the Honmoon. New trios across the generations worked to build the Golden Honmoon, a seal to keep demons away from the human world forever.
In the present, the K-pop girl group Huntr/x—comprised of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey—is the latest demon-hunting trio under the guidance of Celine, a previous hunter who raised Rumi. After completing their world tour, Huntr/x release and prepare for the first live performance of a new single, "Golden". Rumi begins to lose her voice because of her demon heritage, known only to Celine, who told a younger Rumi that turning the Honmoon gold would erase her demon marks.
In the demon world, Gwi-Ma grows enraged at his minions' failures. Five demons, led by former human Jinu, form a K-pop boy band called the Saja Boys to steal Huntr/x's fans and weaken the Honmoon, in exchange for Gwi-Ma erasing Jinu's human memories. Huntr/x quickly discovers the Saja Boys' demonic nature while encountering them during their debut. Jinu discovers Rumi's demon marks as they fight, but helps hide them from her bandmates. Meeting her privately, Jinu tells Rumi that feelings of shame enslave demons through voices from Gwi-Ma. He tells her that around 400 years ago, Gwi-Ma granted him a beautiful voice 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 Idol Awards approach, Huntr/x rush to produce a new song, "Takedown", to expose the Saja Boys, whose popularity is skyrocketing. Mira grows suspicious when Rumi suggests "Takedown" may be too hateful toward demons. Torn between her identities, Rumi proposes a plan to Jinu: if he helps Huntr/x 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 heritage weakened her voice, but talking with him healed it. Jinu says that he no longer hears voices, thanks to Rumi, and agrees to sabotage the Saja Boys. Gwi-Ma summons Jinu, reminds him of their deal and the truth that he abandoned his family for a life of wealth and comfort, then threatens to return the tormenting voices unless he obeys him.
At the Idol Awards, the Saja Boys fail to appear, and Huntr/x perform "Golden", having chosen to shelve "Takedown" due to the contention it caused within the group. However, impostor demons sent by Jinu split Mira and Zoey from Rumi, then pose as them to trick Rumi into performing "Takedown", during which they publicly reveal her demon marks. She flees the stage and runs into the real Mira and Zoey, who feel betrayed upon learning of her heritage and collusion with Jinu. Rumi confronts Jinu for tricking her, and he admits to lying about his past. Gwi-Ma casts a trance over Mira, Zoey, and the public, drawing them to the Saja Boys' final performance designed to shatter the weakened Honmoon and unleash him. Rumi meets with Celine and desperately asks her to end her life. Celine refuses and offers to conceal the events, but Rumi lashes out at Celine for never fully loving her before leaving.
Rumi interrupts the Saja Boys' performance with a new song addressing shame and self-acceptance, breaking Gwi-Ma's trance. Reunited, Huntr/x fight back and free the crowd. A repentant Jinu sacrifices himself to save Rumi from Gwi-Ma, giving his restored soul to her; the empowered Huntr/x defeat Gwi-Ma and the Saja Boys, re-sealing the demons and creating a new Honmoon.
Afterward, Rumi, no longer ashamed of her marks, reconciles with Mira and Zoey, and they later meet their fans in public.
Voice cast
Arden Cho as Rumi, the lead vocalist and leader of Huntr/x, who wields a saingeom sword in combat.[14][15] Rumi is the daughter of a demon father and her late mother Ryu Mi-yeong, who was a demon hunter and K-pop idol.[16][13]
May Hong as Mira, the visual and main dancer of Huntr/x,[13] who wields a gokdopolearm in combat.[14][15] She comes from a wealthy background and was considered the black sheep of her family due to her rebellious nature.[13]
Ahn Hyo-seop as Jinu, leader of the Saja Boys and a demon with a past that haunts him. He is accompanied by a blue pet tiger and a six-eyed magpie.[18]
Lee Byung-hun as Gwi-Ma, the king of demons, who takes the form of a giant mouth of fire.[13] Lee reprises the role in the Korean dub of the film.[22][23]
Liza Koshy voices a television host,[17] while Maggie Kang, Nathan Schauf, and Charlene Ramos provide additional voices.[24]
Production
Development
In March 2021, a film with the working title K-Pop: Demon Hunters was announced to be underway at Sony Pictures Animation. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans would direct with writing duo Hannah McMechan and Danya Jimenez writing the script and Aron Warner and Michelle L. M. Wong serving as producers.[4][25][2] 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 "set in Korean culture"; she "delved into mythology and demonology for something that could be visually unique" compared to "mainstream media".[26] She also called the film her "love letter to K-pop" and her "Korean roots".[4] On character design, Kang highlighted wanting to differentiate from "Marvel female superheroes that were just sexy and cool and badass" and instead have "girls who had potbellies and burped and were crass and silly and fun" leading to the creation of "something that encompassed all of those elements".[27] She was also influenced by "how Bong Joon Ho juggles so many different tones in his films to where they feel very animated".[26] Appelhans came on board later on after Kang told him her initial ideas for the film; he planned to take a long break after having directed Wish Dragon (2021).[26] He stated that he "always wanted to do a film about the power of music – to unite, bring joy, build community."[4] Kang explained that when developing the history of the demon hunters they decided to play into "the shaman women from Korean culture" as historically these women would "sing and dance to protect their village and their communities".[28]
The three members of Huntr/x were modeled after K-pop girl groups like Itzy, Blackpink, and Twice. Kang commented that 2NE1 and Blackpink provided an early reference.[29] The character of Mira was inspired by Korean model Ahn So-yeon.[30] The Saja Boys were inspired by Korean boy bands such as Tomorrow X Together, BTS, Stray Kids, Ateez, BigBang, and Monsta X.[31] Korean actor and singer Cha Eun-woo was a key influence for Jinu, the group's leader.[32] Jinu is the only Saja Boy who "has a real name" while "the rest of the band members have names that are more descriptive of K-pop archetypes".[33] 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 Huntr/x "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, the Korean equivalent of the grim reaper".[15] Additionally, the weapons Huntr/x wields are rooted in "traditional Korean objects".[15] 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.[34] Kang highlighted 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 "look like the iconic Grim Reaper with the hat".[35] Appelhans commented that one of the design challenges were the costumes since they also acted as "plot points", noting that the gold outfits worn during the "Golden" song symbolize "their kind of MacGuffin of a dream" where Huntr/x aspire for perfection and being "beyond reproach".[35] However, at the second act's end, the ideal is visually represented as broken as "Rumi is standing there" with the dream "literally and physically in tatters".[35]
Hanh Nguyen, for Salon, highlighted that Jinu's pet tiger and magpie—which the creative team call Derpy and Sussie respectively—are based on minhwa, "a style of Korean folk art popular during the [ Joseon period], with the Hojak-do genre specializing in images of tigers, magpies, and pine trees"; the depiction of these animals together changed over time "to become more satirical by the 17th century".[18][36] 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".[37] 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".[37]Story artist Radford Sechrist explained that "Derpy's bright blue hue" possibly originated with production designer Helen Mingjue Chen wanting to give "the tiger a more magical feel" and confirmed that Sussie has "six eyes total, three on each side".[18] Kang commented that Derpy was initially conceived as a "fun character" without a clear role, however, they did not want him to be just "a sidekick".[18] The team was inspired by a painting by Chen of "a statue of a tiger 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 mailbox basically" to help the characters communicate "and then the bird tagged along".[18] Kang also stated that while the animals "live between these two worlds", they are not demons and it is left mysterious.[38]
The castings for the characters' voice actors and singing voices were done at separate times, with the singers being cast earlier.[8] 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".[8][39] 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.[40]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.[41][42] In April 2025, Ji-young Yoo was revealed to star in the film as Zoey.[43][44] 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 the head of character animation.[26] Appelhans highlighted inspiration was drawn from "music videos, editorial photography, K-dramas, concert lighting, a touch of anime".[26] Kang explained that after watching Sony's Spider-Verse films, which are animated in a "hybrid 2D-3D style", it was decided to "pull away from every 2D element in our movie" and "[take] a lot of inspiration from faces and the look and feel of anime" with the aim of doing "a CG version of it".[26] Beveridge similarly noted the inspiration of "2D aesthetics but with three-dimensional language" and that the film should have a "very bold graphic look".[26] Beveridge also highlighted shifting the characters' faces to reflect the film's tone, from "high-glamour moments" where "they need to feel like pop stars in an animated world", to "animated aggro" which has "faces with a lot more line work, a lot more angularity", to "hyper-ridiculous" moments referred to as "Chibi, or demi-Chibi", with characters having "super-cute and exaggerated features".[26] Kang emphasized the crew's effort to authentically represent Korean identity through character animation, such as "mouth shapes and eye shapes that were very Korean".[35] Although the characters speak English, Kang explained that the animators designed "mouth shapes that you would only make as a Korean person, with our Korean language".[35]
When comparing the songs of Huntr/x 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" which contrasts with the "emotionally vulnerable and honest" Huntr/x 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".[29] 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.[44][45][46]
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.[47] The album is also the highest-charting animated film's soundtrack album on the chart since Metro Boomin'sSpider-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).[48] The BBC highlighted that Huntr/x and the Saja Boys—with "Golden" and "Your Idol" respectively—topped the US Spotify chart with Huntr/x hitting "number two on the chart, surpassing Blackpink as the highest-charting female K-pop group", and the Saja Boys becoming "the highest charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history", surpassing BTS.[49] "Golden", the album's second single, eventually reached number one on the Billboard Global 200,[50] number one on the US Billboard Hot 100,[51] and in South Korea became the third song in 2025 to achieve a perfect all-kill on the charts,[52] as well as breaking the record for most number of hourly perfect all-kills of all time.[53][54] 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".[55] It is the first film soundtrack since Waiting to Exhale (1995) to feature at least three of its songs in the top 10.[56]
Release
When the film was first announced in March 2021, a release timetable was not set.[4] Later on that same month, the film was listed to have a release type of theatrical.[25] In April 2022, it was reported that Netflix registered a filing for the film.[57][58] The film was confirmed to be coming to the streamer in February 2023, in a Business Insider interview with Sony Pictures film CEO Tom Rothman.[59] In 2021, Sony entered into concurrent agreements with Netflix.[60][61][6] According to Matthew Belloni of Puck, this included both "an output deal with Netflix for its theatrical films" and "a separate 'direct-to-platform' arrangement".[6] Under the latter, Sony agreed to give Netflix "a first look at certain live-action and animated film projects", with Netflix guaranteeing to "greenlight a minimum number" for joint development which "Netflix would release and control".[6]KPop Demon Hunters is among the titles produced under this direct-to-platform deal. Belloni reported that, under the terms of the arrangement, "Sony would be paid a pre-negotiated premium on top of the budgets for the films", with sources indicating that the premium "was 25 percent of the budgets, capped at $20 million per film", and that "Netflix would keep all the rights and pay no profit participation".[6] Pamela McClintock of The Hollywood Reporter highlighted that Netflix covered the "entire $100 million budget in addition to paying Sony a fee of $25 million"; "Sony also receives a piece of soundtrack sales", "music publishing fees for certain songs" and "a portion of the money Netflix is paying Sony's animation company".[62]
In June 2024, the film was announced to be released in 2025.[63] 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. Billboard noted this release was "just enough to satisfy the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' highly specific eligibility requirements".[64] 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.[65][66][67][68] This version was subsequently released on Netflix.[69]
Reception
Audience viewership
On July 29, 2025, Netflix announced that KPop Demon Hunters had become the platform's "most watched original animated film of all time".[70][71] On August 26, the company said the movie had been watched 236 million times, passing Red Notice (2021) as its most-watched film.[72][73] On September 3, official said it had passed 266 million views, overtaking the first season of Squid Game to become Netflix's most-watched title.[74]
Box office
The sing-along version of KPop Demon Hunters was released in theaters on August 23, 2025.[75][76] 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.[77] It was the company's best-performing theatrical release, beating out Glass Onion ($13.1 million in 2022).[78] It was the first Netflix film to finish in first place over the weekend.[79] Netflix did not report grosses.[76] In the United States and Canada, KPop Demon Hunters made $19.2 million,[7][78] ahead of Weapons, which was expected to remain in first during its third weekend.[78]
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.[c][80] Matt Schimkowitz of The A.V. Club wrote that the film's theatrical release drew many moviegoers who had likely streamed it.[77] Ben Fritz of The Wall Street Journal noted that the film's acclaim led Netflix to make it a rare theatrical release.[79]
Critical response
KPop Demon Hunters received wide acclaim from both critics and audiences,[81][82][83] who praised its animation, music, voice acting, and story.[84]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 83 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."[85]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[86] 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.[87][88][89][90] The film's popularity was described as "unexpected" and "break-out"; several compared its streaming success to that of Disney's Encanto (2021).[91]
Brandon Yu, for The New York Times, wrote that KPop Demon Hunters "is an original universe that is charming, funny and artfully punchy", commenting that it "is funniest when it pokes at pop culture that is highly manufactured, from K-pop to K-dramas to mass-produced singing competitions".[92] Matt Goldberg of TheWrap commented that the plot would "be painfully overwrought if not for the terrific thread of comedy" throughout the film, noting it "knows when to poke fun at K-pop and K-drama tropes".[93] Goldberg praised Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans "for understanding that even though their setting may be outlandish, they still have to treat the stakes as real".[93] David Tizzard of The Korea Times called the film "outrageously good" and praised its representation of Korean culture, saying that it "quietly captures the texture of everyday life with an intimacy rarely seen in global content".[94] Tizzard added that it is not only "a love letter to K-pop" but it is "also a sharply observed, sometimes unflinching look at the culture that surrounds it".[94] Yu noted that it "shares a kind of lineage" with Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Verse and while it shares a "similar visual style", what the film "borrows mostly is a more holistic and technical sense of the cinematic" with "fluid" action, "striking" art, and music that serves as a "dynamic storytelling tool".[92]
On the voice cast, Jeff Ewing of Collider commented that the actresses for the members of Huntr/x "have clearly distinct personalities and a strong collective dynamic", noting that "May Hong and Ji-young Yoo land Mira and Zoey" respectively and "Arden Cho gives a complex and emotional vocal performance as lead Rumi"; additionally, "Ahn Hyo-seop is great as the clever, charismatic demon/boy band lead Jinu".[95] Isaiah Colbert of Io9 praised "the phenomenal voice work of its main cast" along with film's authentic "musicality" which "ensures that the songs are so catchy that even the most reluctant K-pop critic would find themselves bobbing their head and humming along to the chorus".[96] He also wrote that the film "explores music as both a haven and a form of emotional expression", as did "Turning Red and, surprisingly, Sinners", but said it stands out by embracing "the magical girl anime aesthetic".[96] Wilson Chapman of IndieWire thought the most "impressive" aspect of the film's music was how the directors Kang and Appelhans found "smart, varied ways to stage the songs" such as a demon fight for "How It's Done", a music video "emulating the high-budget endeavors of real-world groups" for "Golden", a creation montage for "Takedown", and a "spirited dance number" for "Soda Pop".[97] Chapman wrote that "versatility with how it flexes its musical muscles makes the K-pop trappings more than just a goofy gimmick but a central and vital component of its storytelling".[97] Peter Debruge, for Variety, wrote that "because the nimble, genre-hopping movie is set in the world of K-pop" the audience might not be aware they are "watching a musical".[98] He also highlighted the "adorable animal sidekicks, which come in the form of a grinning tiger demon and a black bird in a tiny gat (hat), both designed to look like they've stepped straight out of Korean folklore".[98] Tizzard wrote that the magpie and tiger are no "arbitrary flourish", but "direct citations from Korea's folk art tradition" which the film "reinterprets...with affection".[94] Egan wrote that "the fight sequences, with their flashy choreography and anime-inflected verve, lean heavily on musical numbers featuring originals songs penned by a who's who list of popular Western artists and Kpop mainstays" and that it is a "visually sumptuous action fantasy with the kind of heartfelt chest belters that are sure to make ardent converts of fans of animated musicals".[99] Tizzard wrote that the music is "produced by real industry heavyweights", that "the music slaps" and that it "is laced with lyrical nuance, and integrates seamlessly with the narrative".[94] Similarly, Goldberg wrote that the "catchy" songs have plot stakes which "helps keep the tension going throughout the film".[93]
Angela Garcia of SLUG Magazine wrote that due to the short runtime, KPop Demon Hunters "leaves you feeling like it's only scratched the surface of both the world and characters", which is "a testament to the enticing world building and likable characters" but also shows "how many ideas were here that were ultimately left underdeveloped".[100] Chapman also highlighted the short runtime, which he felt was both a "boon at points" and the film's "fatal flaw"—by moving quickly, the film lacks depth at points, such as Mira and Zoey receiving the "short shrift storyline wise", "not digging nearly enough into the resentment Rumi feels towards... Celine", and a "rushed climax" which is "slightly underwhelming" and is "an overly easy resolution that doesn't give these lovable girls the ending they deserve".[97] Goldberg also noted an occasional tonal "whiplash" and explained it is "not so much that the movie needs to discard the emotional elements, but if they were going to head in that direction, then they needed to provide stronger arcs for Zoey and Mira, who largely play as comic relief until the film's climax".[93]Matthew Belloni of Puck wrote that while "Sony Pictures did make one of the biggest movie sensations of the summer – a project from its animation division that cost more than $100 million to produce and will likely become a billion-dollar franchise"—the majority of the film's "value has and will accrue to Netflix" since "Sony offloaded it rather than develop it solo and release it in theaters".[6] Belloni wrote that "this is arguably Netflix's first animated megahit after many, many attempts" and for "film chief Dan Lin, this is a studio chairman's dream: a relatively cheap superhit with a clear runway for exploitation across many businesses", while Sony's film chief Tom Rothman "gotta be kicking himself over this one".[6]
The film's plot explores the power of community and friendship in overcoming cultural pressures. Arden Cho, who voices Rumi, said that "without Mira and Zoey, she wouldn't have made it".[105] 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".[105] The final song, "What It Sounds Like", serves as a conclusion to the battle between the two fictional bands; while being an "inspirational pop song", it also dwells on Rumi's journey on battling her inner demons.[45] Kang commented that when developing the song and 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 the world".[33] 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".[106] However, "Rumi and Jinu, both burdened by shame, begin to heal through music".[106] Mirza called shame a "universal" experience so "Rumi's patterns could symbolize anything: depression, queerness, trauma, neurodivergence, or being biracial".[106]
Future
Sequel
In an interview with Screen Rant, director Maggie Kang expressed interest in a potential sequel and side stories to flesh out the universe of the film. She said that many questions that were raised remain unanswered fully and that "there are a lot of pockets that we can explore",[28] such as potential backstories for Mira and Zoey.[107] Director Chris Appelhans told People that "there are so many unanswered questions, in a good way, and so many avenues that could be their own story."[108]Matthew Belloni of Puck noted that, under the 2021 agreement between Sony and Netflix, Sony holds "the contractual right to produce" future installments of KPop Demon Hunters; however, "the follow-up movies will go directly to Netflix, barring the unlikely event of [Netflix] co-C.E.O. Ted Sarandos suddenly coming around on theaters."[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.[109] 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 [Huntr/x]. [KPop Demon Hunters'] success comes from its original, fresh story so if we do embark on a sequel, we would want to take our time to make sure that any future stories we tell with our favorite demon hunters retains the flair and uniqueness of the first film".[110] In August 2025, Belloni reported that Sony had "just started" negotiations with Kang and Appelhans "to return for a follow-up".[6] On August 26, Pamela McClintock of The Hollywood Reporter stated that "Sony Pictures is in talks with Netflix to make an animated sequel".[62]
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.[111] In September 2025, the film, Debut: A KPop Demon Hunters Short, was rated PG by the MPAA.[112][113]
↑ "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.'
↑ Yu, Ji-hee (June 20, 2025). "이병헌, 메인 빌런으로 변신...애니 '케이팝 데몬 헌터스' 더빙 참여"[Lee Byung-hun transforms into the main villain... Participates in dubbing for the animation 'KPop Demon Hunters']. Ilgan Sports. Archived from the original on July 24, 2025. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
↑ DeGrushe, Allison (July 15, 2025). "What we know about the Netflix hit's future". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 16, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025. The movie has skyrocketed in popularity, earning acclaim for its vibrant animation, catchy soundtrack, standout voice performances, and engaging storyline.
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