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| Wins | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nominations | 86 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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KPop Demon Hunters is a 2025 American animated musical urban fantasy film [1] [2] directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans from a screenplay they co-wrote with Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix, the film features the voices of Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Lee Byung-hun. The film follows a K-pop girl group, Huntrix, who lead double lives as demon hunters; they face off against a rival boy band, the Saja Boys, whose members are secretly demons.
KPop Demon Hunters began streaming on Netflix on June 20, 2025, while a sing-along version of the film received limited theatrical releases on August 23–24 and October 31 – November 2. The film received praise from critics for its animation, visual style, voice acting, story, and music. [3] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 94% of 97 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." Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
KPop Demon Hunters garnered various awards, nominations, and accolades. It won Best Animated Feature at the 31st Critics' Choice Awards, [4] has been nominated for the same category at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, [5] and was featured in Time as its 2025 Breakthrough of the Year. [6] The film has also received ten nominations at the 53rd Annie Awards, including for Best Feature. [7] The film's soundtrack has received five nominations at the 68th Grammy Awards. [8] The song "Golden", from the soundtrack, won Best Original Song at the Critics' Choice Awards, [4] has been nominated and shortlisted for the same category at the Golden Globes and 98th Academy Awards respectively, [5] [9] and won Best OST at the 2025 Melon Music Awards and 2025 MAMA Awards. [10] [11]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-World Dream Awards | August 21, 2025 | Best OST | "Golden" | Won | [12] [13] [14] |
| "Soda Pop" | Nominated | ||||
| MTV Video Music Awards | September 7, 2025 | Song of Summer | "Golden" | Nominated | [15] |
| Marie Claire Asia Star Awards | September 20, 2025 | Director of the Year | Maggie Kang | Won | [16] |
| TikTok Awards | October 25, 2025 | Entertainment of the Year Award | Won | [17] | |
| NRJ Music Awards | November 1, 2025 | Social Hit | "Golden" (David Guetta Remix) | Won | [18] |
| Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | November 6, 2025 | FIPRESCI Award (Foreign) | Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans | Won | [19] |
| Los 40 Music Awards | November 7, 2025 | Best International New Artist | Huntrix | Won | [20] |
| Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema and Television | November 14, 2025 | Animation Award | Maggie Kang | Won | [21] |
| Korea Grand Music Awards | November 14–15, 2025 | Best Virtual Artist | "Golden" – Huntrix | Nominated | [22] |
| "Soda Pop" – Saja Boys | Nominated | ||||
| World Animation Summit | November 17, 2025 | Movie of the Year Award | Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans | Honored | [23] |
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | November 19, 2025 | Original Song – Animated Film | "Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Park Hong Jun | Won | [24] [25] |
| Song – Onscreen Performance (Film) | "Golden" – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami | Nominated | |||
| Soundtrack Album | KPop Demon Hunters | Nominated | |||
| MAMA Awards | November 28–29, 2025 | Best OST | "Golden" | Won | [11] [26] |
| "Soda Pop" | Nominated | ||||
| Music Visionary of the Year | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | |||
| Song of the Year | "Golden" | Nominated | |||
| "Soda Pop" | Nominated | ||||
| Atlanta Film Critics Circle | December 3, 2025 | Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [27] |
| Best Voice Performance | Arden Cho | Won | |||
| IndieWire Honors | December 4, 2025 | Spark Award | Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang, and Ejae | Honored | [28] |
| Variety Hitmakers Awards | December 6, 2025 | Variety's KPop Demon Hitmakers of the Year | Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami | Honored | [29] |
| Asia Artist Awards | December 6, 2025 | Best OST | "Golden" | Won | [30] |
| Best Voice Performance | Arden Cho | Won | |||
| KALH Honors | December 7, 2025 | Pioneer Award | Maggie Kang | Honored | [31] |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | December 7, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Runner-up | [32] |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | December 7, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Won | [33] | |
| Best Voice Performance | Arden Cho | Won | |||
| Michigan Movie Critics Guild | December 8, 2025 | Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [34] |
| Associated Press | December 11, 2025 | Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year | Arden Cho | Won | [35] |
| Astra Creative Arts Awards | December 11, 2025 | Best Sound | Michael Babcock, Tony Lamberti, Jeff Sawyer, Katie Halliday, Chris Diebold, and Trevor Gates | Nominated | [36] |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | December 11, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [37] |
| Phoenix Critics Circle | December 11, 2025 | Best Animation Film | Won | [38] | |
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | December 14, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | Won | [39] | |
| St. Louis Film Critics Association | December 14, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Runner-up | [40] [41] | |
| Best Music Soundtrack | Nominated | ||||
| Best Vocal Performance | Arden Cho | Runner-up | |||
| Indiana Film Journalists Association | December 15, 2025 | Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [42] |
| New York Film Critics Online | December 15, 2025 | Best Use of Music | Nominated | [43] | |
| Best Animation | Nominated | ||||
| San Diego Film Critics Society | December 15, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Won | [44] | |
| Best Use of Music | Nominated | ||||
| Seattle Film Critics Society | December 15, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Won | [45] | |
| Southeastern Film Critics Awards | December 15, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Won | [46] | |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | December 17, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Won | [47] | |
| Austin Film Critics Association | December 18, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Won | [48] [49] | |
| Best Voice Acting/Animated/Digital Performance | Arden Cho and Ejae | Nominated | |||
| The Robert R. "Bobby" McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Award | Maggie Kang | Won | |||
| Florida Film Critics Circle | December 19, 2025 | Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Nominated | [50] |
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society | December 19, 2025 | Best Song | "Golden" – KPop Demon Hunters | Nominated | [51] [52] |
| Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Nominated | |||
| Best Family Film | Won | ||||
| Online Association of Female Film Critics | December 19, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | Won | [53] | |
| Melon Music Awards | December 20, 2025 | Song of the Year | "Golden" – Huntrix (Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami) | Nominated | [54] [10] |
| Best OST | "Golden" – Huntrix (KPop Demon Hunters) | Won | |||
| Boston Online Film Critics Association | December 20, 2025 | Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [55] |
| Philadelphia Film Critics Circle | December 20, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Won | [56] | |
| Black Film Critics Circle | December 20, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | Won | [57] | |
| Women Film Critics Circle | December 21, 2025 | Best Animated Female | Rumi | Won | [58] |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle | December 21, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [59] |
| Pandora International Film Critics | December 21, 2025 | Animated Motion Picture | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [60] [61] |
| Song Composing | "Golden" – KPop Demon Hunters | Nominated | |||
| RTHK International Pop Poll Awards | December 23, 2025 | Top Ten International Gold Songs | "Golden" (David Guetta Remix) | Won | [62] |
| Time Magazine | December 25, 2025 | Breakthrough of the Year | KPop Demon Hunters | Honored | [6] |
| Georgia Film Critics Association | December 27, 2025 | Best Animated Film | Won | [63] | |
| Best Original Song | "Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and Teddy | Runner-up | |||
| North Texas Film Critics Association | December 29, 2025 | Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [64] |
| New Jersey Film Critics Circle | December 31, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [65] |
| Best Original Song | "Golden" – KPop Demon Hunters | Won | |||
| Portland Critics Association | December 31, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Nominated | [66] [67] |
| The Daily Californian | December 31, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [68] |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists | December 31, 2025 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters – Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans | Won | [69] |
| Female Focus: Best Voice Performance in Animated Film | Arden Cho – KPop Demon Hunters | Won | |||
| Puerto Rico Critics Association | January 2, 2026 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [70] |
| Best original song | "Golden" – KPop Demon Hunters | Won | |||
| Minnesota Film Critics Association | January 2, 2026 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [71] [72] |
| Best Music | Nominated | ||||
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | January 4, 2026 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [4] |
| Best Song | "Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and Teddy | Won | |||
| Oklahoma Film Critics Circle | January 5, 2026 | Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [73] |
| New York Film Critics Circle | January 6, 2026 | Best Animated Film | Won | [74] [75] | |
| Columbus Film Critics Association | January 8, 2026 | Best Animated Film | Pending | [76] | |
| Astra Film Awards | January 9, 2026 | Best Animated Feature | Pending | [77] [36] [78] | |
| Best Voice Over Performance | Arden Cho | Pending | |||
| Best Original Song | "Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and Teddy | Pending | |||
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | January 10, 2026 | Best Animation | KPop Demon Hunters | Runner-up | [79] |
| Greater Western New York Film Critics Association | January 10, 2026 | Best Animated Film | Pending | [80] | |
| Golden Globe Awards | January 11, 2026 | Best Motion Picture – Animated | Pending | [5] | |
| Cinematic and Box Office Achievement | Pending | ||||
| Best Original Song – Motion Picture | "Golden" – Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Park Hong Jun, Ejae, and Mark Sonnenblick | Pending | |||
| North Dakota Film Society | January 12, 2026 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters – Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang, Michelle L.M. Wong | Pending | [81] |
| Best Original Song | "Golden" – Ejae & Mark Sonnenblick | Pending | |||
| Music City Film Critics Association | January 12, 2026 | Best Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Pending | [82] |
| Best Original Song | “Golden”– Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami | Pending | |||
| Best Music Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Pending | |||
| American Cinematheque | January 16, 2026 | Tribute to the Crafts Feature Film Song | "Golden" – Ejae, Mark Sonnenblick, Ido, 24, and Teddy | Honored | [83] |
| Utah Film Critics Association | January 17, 2026 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Pending | [84] |
| Gold Derby Music Awards | January 28, 2026 | Record of the Year | "Golden" – Huntrix (KPop Demon Hunters) | Pending | [85] |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | February 1, 2026 | Animated Feature of the Year | KPop Demon Hunters | Pending | [86] |
| Grammy Awards | February 1, 2026 | Song of the Year | "Golden" – Ejae & Mark Sonnenblick | Pending | [8] |
| Best Song Written for Visual Media | Pending | ||||
| Best Pop Duo/Group Performance | "Golden" – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami | Pending | |||
| Best Remixed Recording | "Golden" (David Guetta Remix) – David Guetta | Pending | |||
| Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media | KPop Demon Hunters | Pending | |||
| Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards | February 6, 2026 | Outstanding Original Song for a Comedy or Musical Visual Media Production | "Golden" – Ejae & Mark Sonnenblick | Pending | [87] |
| African-American Film Critics Association | February 8, 2026 | Best Animated Feature | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [88] |
| Annie Awards | February 21, 2026 | Best Feature | Pending | [7] | |
| Best FX – Feature | Filippo Macari, Nicola Finizio, Simon Lewis, Naoki Kato, Daniel La Chapelle | Pending | |||
| Best Character Animation – Feature | Ryusuke Furuya | Pending | |||
| Best Character Design – Feature | Scott Watanabe and Ami Thompson | Pending | |||
| Best Direction – Feature | Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans | Pending | |||
| Best Music – Feature | KPop Demon Hunters Music Team | Pending | |||
| Best Production Design – Feature | Helen Chen, Dave Bleich, Wendell Dalit, Scott Watanabe, and Celine Kim | Pending | |||
| Best Voice Acting – Feature | Arden Cho | Pending | |||
| Best Writing – Feature | Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang, and Chris Appelhans | Pending | |||
| Best Editorial – Feature | KPop Demon Hunters Editorial Team | Pending | |||
| Satellite Awards | March 8, 2026 | Best Motion Picture – Animated or Mixed Media | KPop Demon Hunters | Pending | [89] |
| Best Original Song | "Golden" – Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Park Hong Jun, Ejae, and Mark Sonnenblick | Pending | |||
| Academy Awards | March 15, 2026 | Best Original Song | "Golden" – KPop Demon Hunters | Shortlisted | [9] |
| Music Awards Japan | June 13, 2026 | Song of the Year | "Golden" – Huntrix | Longlisted | [90] |
| Best Anime Song | Longlisted | ||||
| "Soda Pop" – Saja Boys | Longlisted | ||||
| Best K-Pop Song | "Golden" – Huntrix | Longlisted | |||
| "Soda Pop" – Saja Boys | Longlisted | ||||
| Best K-Pop Artist | Huntrix | Longlisted |
The movie has skyrocketed in popularity, earning acclaim for its vibrant animation, catchy soundtrack, standout voice performances, and engaging storyline.