Over the summer, it was crazy to see how much attention the film “K-pop Demon Hunters” received. I first watched the movie on June 21st, the day after its release. Watching on TikTok and Instagram, people began to talk about the film. For those who aren’t familiar with “Kpop Demon Hunters,” it’s about a Kpop girl band called Huntrix, consisting of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. The three girls have to sing songs to keep demons away from their fans. But Rumi has a secret that no one knows about. Soon, a K-pop boy band comes along, but they turn out to be demons whom they must fight to keep their own fans safe.Â
At first, many assumed the film wouldn’t be anything special, but once it debuted, it quickly took social media by storm. It held the No. 1 spot on Netflix for an entire month, and remains in the platform’s Top 10. Viewers online praised not only the storyline, but also its catchy K-pop–inspired soundtrack, turning the movie into a sing-along sensation. Its popularity grew so much that it even secured a theatrical release. The film went on to receive significant recognition, including an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature and Grammy nominations for Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Song Written for Visual Media.
So, why has K-pop Demon Hunter retained the public’s attention? After all, “it’s just a kids’ movie. But it was made for everyone, and impacted so many with its message. It also reached a new audience—K-pop fans—because of the genre’s growing global popularity. Many fans appreciated the K-pop-inspired elements, such as fan meetings and comeback-style showcases, which made Sodapop feel familiar and exciting. Since K-pop has become increasingly westernized, those features resonated even more with audiences. Still, the movie did a great job of creating a song that connected back to the old K-pop when it was just coming out. As a former K-pop fan, I was impressed by the movie and enjoyed it.Â
Additionally, it had some catchy songs that reached the Top 100 on the Billboard chart for weeks, with a large audience of children among the reasons. But I (and many, many others, too) was also listening to the soundtrack, which helped it reach the Top 100 on the Billboard charts.
If someone were to ask, “Is this the new Frozen?” I would 100 percent agree. I would recommend watching this movie if you haven’t yet, as it is a fun watch, with plenty of catchy songs that you can add to your playlists.