You Should Watch Kpop Demon Hunters

Netflix is known for this type of thing.

I’m talking about releasing a new project (be it a movie or TV show) and it becomes a sensation. Netflix certainly has its share of discovery problems, but given the quantity of what’s released, something has to hit. That’s the case with the new animated movie, Kpop Demon Hunters, which Netflix acquired from Sony after the latter decided to punt on a theatrical release for the film. The film has “captured the summer” with its songs rising on the Billboard top charts, beating records held by K-pop sensation BTS, and garnering repeated viewings on the streaming service. Where exactly did this come from?

Kpop Demon Hunters comes from Sony Pictures Animation and directors Maggie Kang and Christ Appelhans. The movie follows a K-pop girl group known as HUNTR/X who sell out stadiums, rule the pop charts, and keep the world safe from demons. The three members of the band: Mira (May Hong), the punk girl whose persona hides her insecurities; Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), the cutesy rapper with a hard edge; and Rumi, the purple-braided, perfectionist, lead singer with a secret. These girls haven’t only been trained to be idols; they’ve also been given significant combat training.

They come from a generation of pop superstars who have protected humanity throughout generations. In a bit of fun, Kpop Demon Hunters shows how music has evolved through the decades and how Kpop is the latest iteration of this world-saving music. The women of HUNTR/X seem unbeatable, whether it’s on the charts or through combat. Their performances and music create a magical shield that repels the demons; the more popular the songs, the stronger the golden honmoon becomes.

That’s not to say the demons are taking their continuous beating lying down. Led by a dark entity known simply as Gwi-Ma (Lee Byun-hun), the demons must stop HUNTR/X before they’re sealed in the underworld forever. Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop), a musically talented demon, has concocted a devilishly evil idea. Along with four other demons, they’ll become the boy band Saja Boys, with the mission of poaching HUNTR/X fans. Without their fans, HUNTR/X will never be able to close the seal.

If the vibrant animation reminds you of the Spider-Verse movies, that’s not a coincidence. The animation, for lack of a better word, pops off the screen. Check out how expressive the characters of Mira, Zoey, and Rumi are in the official lyric video for Golden.

While Rumi gets the most developed character arc in the movie, fleshing out her character slightly more than her peers, all three women have an opportunity to shine. Little personality quirks pay off big, like their love of food (something that is referenced all the time in Korean entertainment) or even how they get into their vacation mode. Sure, these are idols, but they are also women.