On June 20, Netflix will release KPop Demon Hunters: an animated film blending neon, cyberpunk aesthetics with K-pop and anime.
Meet Huntrix
Written by Hannah McMechan, Danya Jimenez, Maggie Kang, and Chris Appelhans (the latter two also co-direct), the film follows K-pop girl group Huntrix and members Rumi (voiced by Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo). Passing themselves off as a typical idol group, the girls secretly hunt demons while their fans are oblivious to their double lives. Their music creates a mystical shield that prevents creatures from the demonic realm from invading Earth and stealing human souls.
However, a new set of demons comes up with an ingenious plan: disguise themselves as a rival boy group. Calling themselves The Saja Boys, it isn’t long until these demon idols are stealing Huntrix’s fans and their souls.
Can Demon Hunters Reflect Real Industry Issues?
On the surface, it’s easy to dismiss this as a cute, action-fantasy-comedy, but it has the potential to dig deeper. Maggie Kang mentioned that she wanted to show female heroines who were flawed and vulnerable instead of the sexy, badass superheroes that are typically presented to us by the media. This idea is in direct conflict with K-pop’s obsession with perfection. Huntrix’s storyline could highlight how young women in the industry are expected to be flawless idols who work tirelessly while being held to a harsher standard than their male peers.
Also, KPop Demon Hunters is coming out at a time when a growing number of male celebrities have been accused of engaging in problematic behavior. And by problematic, the charges range from domestic violence, sexual assault or harassment, to human trafficking. Fans are being forced to accept that their bias might not be the beautiful sweetheart the marketing teams claim him to be. Having your main villain be literal demons masquerading as an attractive boy band is an unexpected metaphor for the current situation in the Korean entertainment industry.
Keep in mind that the movie isn’t out yet, and I don’t expect this feature to be a serious deconstruction of the K-pop industry. The trailer shows a lot of promise, and you can tell this film was created by people who are passionate about the genre. If KPop Demon Hunters can balance comedy, cool fight scenes, with a modern take on the industry, it could be a summer hit fans will revisit regardless of the weather.
KPop Demon Hunters will premiere exclusively on Netflix June 20, 2025, at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET.
