#review: Stream or skip KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix?

KPop Demon Hunters has been a hit on both Netflix and the music charts. David Ho reviews the animated musical adventure

The lore behind KPop Demon Hunters is as follows. Demons have long preyed on humanity to feed their souls to the evil entity Gwi-Ma (voiced by none other than Squid Game’s Frontman actor Lee Byung-hun). But every generation, a trio of women will use their voices to create a magical barrier known as the Honmoon to keep demons at bay from the human world. These women will also serve as demon hunters to slay any demonic threats that do emerge.

In the present, the legacy continues with the current generation of demon hunters operating as members of K-pop girl group Huntrix (stylised as Huntr/x). Rumi, Mira and Zoey slay their performances on stage and demons on the side. Everything is looking fine and dandy for the girls, but the secret one of them has threatens to undo all the work they have done so far.

It doesn’t help that Gwi-Ma has sent a group of demons to pose as a rival K-pop group. The Saja Boys aim to drain fans and weaken the Honmoon. With their chiselled looks, six packs, and smooth moves, the devilishly suave quintet have captured the hearts of K-pop fans and even the hearts of Huntrix…

KPop Demon Hunters is a fun romp that recalls the humour of shows like Totally Spies and Disney’s Turning Red. Mixed with a dash of Demon Slayer-like anime action, it captures the candy coloured-aesthetics and sugar rush of K-pop.

K-pop fans will quickly recognise the roles that the girls and boys fit. Rumi (speaking voice by Arden Cho, singing voice by Ejae) is the lead vocalist and conflicted leader of Huntrix with a voice of gold. Mira (May Hong for speaking voice, Audrey Nuna for singing) is the rebellious choreographer with a sarcastic side, while Zoey (Ji-young Yoo for speaking, Rei Ami for singing) is the rapper and maknae (youngest) of the trio who serves as the little sister to the others. The group dynamics are sisterly and satisfying, serving as a love letter to K-pop idols.

The Saja Boys are led by Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop), a handsome demon with a haunting past. He is supported by other demons that fit the tropes for typical boyband members, from the romantic member and the mysterious one to the sexy guy and the baby boy. This can easily be applied to boybands across the ages from Backstreet Boys to BigBang, and provides a nice giggle when recognised. There are even some moments that feel straight out of a K-drama and we love that the film dares to poke fun at these pop culture stereotypes and fandom.

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The film deserves kudos for roping in Korean-American entertainment stalwarts like Arden Cho, Daniel Dae Kim and Joel Kim Booster for the voice acting. We are a little surprised that Margaret Cho isn’t here in some form, but perhaps we might hear her if there is a sequel.  

The references don’t just stop there. Even the animal sidekicks in this, namely a magpie and tiger, draw from a popular minhwa (Korean folk art) painting. The tiger/magpie pairing was typical in kkachi horangi, a form of minhwa, to depict the authorities/tiger as fearsome but silly creatures while the magpie represents the clever but annoyed common man. The duo make for a nice homage and Disney is probably taking notes for their next animation. That and other references have fuelled an interest in Korean heritage products, according to resale marketplace Bunjung Corp.

The action is fast paced and beautifully animated, not surprising when you learn that they share the same animators that were behind Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Verse films. Though it doesn’t reach the intensity and epic proportions of its own references like Demon Slayer, it does the job well enough for an-hour-and-half hour flick that doesn’t have the luxury of building suspense like a TV series.  

What really elevates this film are the bops it contains. Huntrix are given a few numbers, that range from a dance anthem (“How It’s Done”) and an epic ballad (“Golden”) to a sizzling diss track (“Takedown”). The Saja Boys’ tracks are no less catchy, from the sugary “Soda Pop” that strangely sounds like Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” filtered via a K-pop lens to a scary stadium stomper in “Your Idol”. There is even “Free”, a lovely duet between members from both groups. The soundtrack is excellent and doesn’t out of place from anything in the K-pop sphere now.

In real life, Huntrix and the Saja Boys have been making waves not just on Netflix, but music charts around the world as well. In fact, these fictional groups recently overtook actual K-pop groups BlackPink and BTS as the highest-charting male & female K-pop groups in US Spotify history. Should we be worried about the Saja Boys’ domination?

Verdict: KPop Demon Hunters is a much deserved global sensation that perfectly captures the manufactured but magical K-pop music industry, while giving us a great cast, story and action.  

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