Kids

Why KPop Demon Hunters Is Becoming Big Among The Kids

by Kevyn Gohu
June 30, 2025

The latest Netflix animation movie, KPop Demon Hunters, has been making its way among the kids, and here’s why

K-pop made its niche with its catchy and bubbly rhythms. Mix it with a bit of action and demon-slaying, and we get Netflix’s new movie, KPop Demon Hunters. Besides having their own selection of songs, they add dance routines to it that even older viewers can enjoy. It may send out some Spider-verse vibes but, there’s a lot more to having supernatural elements in a concert setting that our kids love about it.

Here’s what else they love about it:

The latest Netflix animation movie, KPop Demon Hunters, has been making its way among the kids, and here's why — Photo from Netflix

1. The beloved K-Drama elements are there

The bumbling female lead? The unattainable hot male lead? These two are the basic elements that make an amazing romantic subplot for K-Dramas. While we do love our K-Dramas, sometimes, the “slow burn” of the romantic subplot — as many call it — can become dragging. However, that didn’t stop co-directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans from bringing it with a different twist. The movie still “leans” into the stereotypes but ensures there’s a satisfying pay-off. Especially with Rumi:

“As the story evolved, it became about shame and the toxicity of hating parts of yourself. A big part of overcoming that is the catharsis of sharing some of that burden with someone else, and finding grace through their acceptance. We knew Rumi couldn’t get that from her bandmates until the end of the movie, so we wanted to include a romantic element,” explains Appelhans in an interview with Slate.

Maggie adds in the interview with Slate. “The most important thing, I think, is that many K-dramas hold back. If you’re watching a 16-episode series, you often have to sit through 14 hours just to get a hug or a touch. So, we really believed Jinu should be the most unattainable guy. He’s a demon. He’s like that vampire boyfriend you can never have, which makes him infinitely hotter.”

2. It’s a modern-day musical

We love classical musicals because of the perfect balance of drama and song. But it’s rare to find one that actually has some proper action, and Les Misérables focuses more on the drama beyond the battlefield — not in it. So when KPop Demon Hunters came out with a musical that involved demon-slaying, it was a dream come true for our kids who loved musicals. The songs were more upbeat too, which is why they also fell in love with musicals like Hamilton in the first place.

The funny part is, Maggie Kang wasn’t even planning to make it into a musical. “It became very challenging, very quickly, and we just had to admit, This is exactly what we said we wouldn’t do, and here we are.”

3. A play on Korean mythology and culture

As K-Dramas focus on the slice-of-life moments in Korea, Maggie Kang focused more on the mythology of her homeland, something that just brims with magic. It wasn’t even supposed to be a K-pop concept to begin with.

“I wanted to create something that celebrated my Korean heritage and showcased Korean culture, and was especially inspired by Korean shamans, who are typically women performing rituals through song and dance. Those ceremonies felt like the earliest concerts where the audience really connected with the performer—there’s this shared energy,” reveals Maggie.

But the slice-of-life and culture moments still remain and KPop Demon Hunters’ humor, despite some being cute and corny, hit well. Especially when Rumi and Jinu go out and they try to hide their relationship, the dynamics serve as a reminder that it’s not all just tears in a relationship.

4. It actually feels like something K-pop can produce

Although Sony was the studio that brought this movie to life (hence the similar artwork to Spider-Man), many of the moments shine a light on the truths of the K-pop industry. The need to constantly make hits, to be “perfect” and human at the same time, and the days where being in a hoodie and enjoying a hot bowl of ramyun is the only thing anyone wants to do — these are all relatable moments for kids whether they’re still studying or trudging through the work day.

The reason for this is Sony actually teamed up with K-Pop producers like Black Label’s Teddy Park and Grammy winner Michel “Lindgren” Schulz. While Teddy Park reportedly still produces with Blackpink, Lindgren works with BTS.

It’s action and drama; what’s not to love about it?

KPop Demon Hunters provides what most of our kids look for in a musical: the right amount of drama and action, and a lot of quotable sayings. Besides, some of our kids even dream of being pop stars. And when it’s mixed with the idea of fighting demons, all the more they’re going to love the film. Right now, it’s available on Netflix so if we want to see why they love it so much, better start streaming!