KPop Demon Hunters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids KPop Demon Hunters |
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Official release poster
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| Directed by |
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| Produced by | Michelle Wong |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | Maggie Kang |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Marcelo Zarvos |
| Cinematography | Gary H. Lee |
| Editing by | Nathan Schauf |
| Studio | Sony Pictures Animation |
| Distributed by | Netflix |
| Release date(s) | June 20, 2025 |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100 million+ |
| Money made | $24.7 million |
KPop Demon Hunters is an exciting animated musical movie from 2025. It was co-written and directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. The film was made by Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix. It features the voices of talented actors like Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, and Ji-young Yoo. The story follows a popular K-pop girl group called Huntrix. They live secret double lives as powerful demon hunters. Their biggest challenge comes when they face a new rival boy band, the Saja Boys, who are secretly demons themselves.
The movie was inspired by Maggie Kang's Korean heritage. She wanted to create a film that blended Korean mythology, demon stories, and K-pop music. KPop Demon Hunters quickly became a huge success. It was the most-watched original title in Netflix history, with over 500 million views. The film received praise for its amazing animation, unique visual style, great voice acting, and catchy music. It also won many awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the 31st Critics' Choice Awards and 83rd Golden Globe Awards.
The film's soundtrack was also a massive hit. It was the first movie soundtrack to have four songs in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. The song "Golden" won a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media. The movie itself was nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 98th Academy Awards. A sequel is planned for release in 2029.
Contents
The Story of KPop Demon Hunters
Ancient Protectors and the Honmoon Barrier
Long, long ago, scary demons hunted humans and fed their evil ruler, Gwi-Ma. But three brave women became the first demon hunters. They used their powerful singing voices to create a magical shield called the Honmoon. This barrier protected humans from demons. As time went on, new groups of three hunters continued to protect the Honmoon. Their main goal was to make it even stronger, turning it into the Golden Honmoon. This would be a final seal to banish all demons forever.
Huntrix: K-Pop Stars and Secret Hunters
In the present day, the popular K-pop girl group Huntrix takes on this important role. The group includes Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. They are the latest trio of demon hunters, trained by Celine, a former hunter. Rumi has a big secret: she is half-demon. Only she and Celine, who raised her, know this. Rumi sees demonic patterns slowly appearing on her skin. She hopes that releasing Huntrix's new song, "Golden", will turn the Honmoon gold and make her patterns disappear. But as their big performance nears, Rumi starts to lose her voice.
The Saja Boys: A Demonic Rival Group
Meanwhile, in the demon world, Gwi-Ma is furious that his plans are failing. He sends five demons, led by Jinu, to form a boy band called the Saja Boys. Jinu used to be human but became a demon. The Saja Boys' mission is to steal Huntrix's fans and weaken the Honmoon. In return, Gwi-Ma promises to erase Jinu's painful human memories. Huntrix quickly realizes the Saja Boys are demons after watching their debut song, "Soda Pop".
Secrets, Struggles, and a Difficult Choice
Huntrix attacks the Saja Boys. During the fight, Jinu notices Rumi's demon patterns and helps her hide them from her bandmates. Jinu later tells Rumi that feelings of shame make demons weak. He shares his own sad story: 400 years ago, Gwi-Ma gave him fame, but then trapped him in the demon world. Jinu now feels guilty about his family's downfall.
As the Saja Boys become more popular, the Honmoon weakens, leading to more demon attacks. Huntrix plans a new song, "Takedown", to expose the Saja Boys. But Rumi feels uncomfortable with the song's harsh lyrics about demons. This causes tension between her, Mira, and Zoey. Rumi suggests a plan to Jinu: if he helps Huntrix win an award and strengthen the Honmoon, he can stay in the human world. Rumi tells Jinu that talking to him helped her overcome her shame and regain her voice. Jinu agrees to help Huntrix. However, Gwi-Ma reminds Jinu of his past choices and threatens him if he betrays their deal.
The Idol Awards and a New Beginning
At the Idol Awards, Huntrix performs "Golden" instead of "Takedown". But Jinu's impostor demons trick Mira and Zoey away from Rumi. Other demons then pretend to be Mira and Zoey, making Rumi perform "Takedown" and revealing her demon patterns. Rumi runs off stage, feeling betrayed by Jinu. Gwi-Ma, now stronger, enters the human world. He puts Mira, Zoey, and the audience into a trance, drawing them to the Saja Boys' performance to feed on their souls.
A desperate Rumi asks Celine to end her life, but Celine refuses. Rumi then sings a new song about accepting herself and her shame. This breaks Mira and Zoey out of Gwi-Ma's trance. Reunited, Huntrix fights back and frees the crowd. Jinu sacrifices himself to save Rumi, giving his soul to empower her. The stronger Huntrix defeats Gwi-Ma and the remaining Saja Boys. They seal the demons away and create a new, stronger Honmoon. Rumi is no longer ashamed of her patterns. She celebrates with Mira and Zoey, showing their strong friendship and self-acceptance.
Meet the Voices Behind the Characters
This movie features many talented actors who bring the characters to life.
- Arden Cho is the voice of Rumi, the leader and main singer of Huntrix. She uses a special sword called a saingeom in battles. Rumi is half-demon, with a demon father and a demon hunter mother.
- Ejae provides Rumi's amazing singing voice.
- May Hong voices Mira, the main dancer of Huntrix. She fights with a gokdo polearm. Mira comes from a rich family but is a bit rebellious.
- Audrey Nuna provides Mira's singing voice.
- Ji-young Yoo is the voice of Zoey, the main rapper and lyricist of Huntrix. She is the youngest member, known as the maknae. Zoey uses shinkal throwing knives in combat. She is Korean American and grew up in California.
- Rei Ami provides Zoey's singing voice.
- Ahn Hyo-seop voices Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys. He has a blue pet tiger and a six-eyed magpie.
- Andrew Choi provides Jinu's singing voice.
- Yunjin Kim is Celine, a former demon hunter and K-pop idol. She raised Rumi after her mother passed away.
- Lea Salonga provides Celine's singing voice.
- Daniel Dae Kim voices Healer Han, a quirky doctor.
- Ken Jeong is Bobby, the energetic manager of Huntrix.
- Lee Byung-hun voices Gwi-Ma, the powerful king of demons. He appears as a giant fiery mouth.
Other voices include Liza Koshy as a TV host, and additional voices by Maggie Kang, Nathan Schauf, and Charlene Ramos.
How KPop Demon Hunters Was Made
Creating the Story and Characters
Director Maggie Kang first shared her idea for the movie in 2018. She wanted to create a film inspired by Korean culture, especially its rich mythology and K-pop music. Kang called the film her "love letter to K-pop" and her Korean background. Chris Appelhans joined as co-director, excited to make a film about the power of music.
The name Huntrix combines "hunter" with a Latin ending for female warriors. The three members of Huntrix were inspired by real K-pop girl groups like Itzy and Blackpink. Their fashion mixed modern K-pop styles with traditional Korean elements. The Saja Boys were inspired by famous K-pop boy bands such as Tomorrow X Together and BTS. The name Saja means "lion" in Korean and also refers to a figure in Korean folklore.
Bringing the Animation to Life
The film was animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks. The creators were inspired by music videos, concert lighting, Korean dramas, and anime. They used 3D animation but with a look and feel similar to anime. The animators paid close attention to Korean cultural details. They included landmarks like the N Seoul Tower and traditional tiger designs.
Jinu's pet tiger and magpie, named Derpy and Sussie, were inspired by minhwa, a type of Korean folk art. These paintings often show tigers and magpies in a playful way. The animators made sure the characters' mouth shapes matched the Korean language, even though they speak English in the film. For action scenes, they used glitter effects to make the fights look like dance battles.
Dance and Fight Choreography
Real K-pop choreographers helped create the amazing dance sequences. Jo Na-In worked on "Golden" and "Takedown". Leejung Lee choreographed "How It's Done". K-Tigers helped with "Your Idol" and the fight scenes. They added taekwondo moves to the Saja Boys' dances, showing it as a powerful art form. The choreographers made the movements big and expressive, even focusing on facial expressions and fingertips.
Music and Soundtrack Success
The music in KPop Demon Hunters plays a huge role. The creators wanted the Saja Boys' songs to be catchy but feel a bit empty. This was to contrast with Huntrix's songs, which are honest and full of emotion. Many famous K-pop producers and songwriters helped create the film's soundtrack. Marcelo Zarvos composed the background music.
The soundtrack was released on June 20, 2025. It quickly became a massive hit. It was certified Platinum, meaning it sold over 1 million copies. In the United States, it was the highest-debuting soundtrack of 2025 on the Billboard 200 chart. It was also the first Netflix soundtrack to reach number one on the Top Soundtracks chart since 2022.
The songs "Golden" by Huntrix and "Your Idol" by the Saja Boys topped the US Spotify chart. They became the highest-charting female and male K-pop groups in the history of the US Spotify daily chart. "Golden" also reached number one on the Billboard Global 200 and became the longest-lasting number one song by a fictional act on the US Billboard Hot 100. The film's soundtrack made history by having four of its songs in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time.
Important Messages in the Film
The movie explores many important ideas for kids. It shows the power of friendship and community in helping you overcome challenges. Arden Cho, who voices Rumi, said that Rumi wouldn't have made it without her friends Mira and Zoey.
The filmmakers explained that Rumi's journey is about accepting who she truly is, even when it's different from what others expect. They talked about how sometimes people hide parts of themselves from others, like Rumi hid her demon heritage. Rumi's patterns can represent any part of ourselves that we might feel ashamed of, like being different, having unique experiences, or coming from a mixed background.
The film also focuses on themes of self-acceptance and healing. Rumi and Jinu, both dealing with shame, begin to heal through music. The movie teaches us that the world isn't just good or evil. It also shows that we shouldn't be ashamed of our differences. Instead, our unique qualities can be a strength. The film celebrates friendship and shows how girls can support each other to be strong and true to themselves.
Release and Impact
Streaming and Theatrical Release
KPop Demon Hunters started streaming on Netflix on June 20, 2025. It also had a limited release in some cinemas in California and New York. A special sing-along version of the film was released in theaters in North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand in August and again in October 2025. The theatrical releases helped the film qualify for major awards like the Academy Awards.
A Global Phenomenon
The film became incredibly popular, surprising many. By August 2025, it had been watched 236 million times on Netflix, becoming the platform's most-watched film ever. By December 2025, it had over 500 million views. Its success was compared to other huge hits like Disney's Encanto.
The movie's popularity led to its soundtrack becoming a sensation. Netflix's official shop added merchandise like t-shirts and plushies, which became best-selling items. Fans loved the characters, story, and music. Many people felt the film's blend of Korean culture and K-pop was a big reason for its success.
Boosting Korean Culture Worldwide
KPop Demon Hunters had a major impact on the Korean Wave, which is the global popularity of South Korean culture. Experts believe the film could be a turning point in this trend. It showed how animation can combine entertainment with promoting culture. The film also highlighted the work of Korean diaspora creators, like Maggie Kang, who drew on her childhood memories.
The film was widely embraced in South Korea. Its popularity boosted tourism in South Korea, with fans visiting recording studios, cafes, and places shown in the movie like Namsan and Bukchon Hanok Village. The National Museum of Korea saw a huge increase in visitors, partly due to the film. The Leeum Museum of Art even opened an exhibition about tiger and magpie minhwa, inspired by the film.
The Fandom Experience
The film created a huge and active fandom. Dance sequences from the movie went viral on TikTok, and fanart flooded social media. In South Korea, fans called the fandom "KeDeHun". The film's success was also celebrated for showing Asian characters in pop culture, giving kids new heroes to look up to.
K-pop dance classes became more popular thanks to the film. An intense fandom formed around Huntrix and the Saja Boys. The film also inspired an internet challenge involving ramen noodles, based on a scene where Rumi, Zoey, and Mira eat ramyun while singing. During the 2025 Halloween season, costumes of the film's characters were extremely popular and quickly sold out.
Future Plans
Sequel and Short Film
Director Maggie Kang has expressed interest in a sequel and other stories to explore the film's universe further. Many questions remain unanswered, and there are many paths for new adventures. A sequel is planned for release in 2029, with Maggie Kang writing the script.
A short film based on KPop Demon Hunters, titled Debut: A KPop Demon Hunters Story, was also produced. It received a PG rating.
Other Media and Merchandise
The characters Rumi, Mira, and Zoey were added to the video game Fortnite as purchasable skins in October 2025. Netflix also granted toy licenses to Hasbro and Mattel, with toys based on the film expected to be sold in 2026. A digital art book for the film was released online in November 2025, with a physical edition coming in February 2026.
See also
In Spanish: Las guerreras K-pop para niños
 | James Van Der Zee |
 | Alma Thomas |
 | Ellis Wilson |
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