The Filmscape Reverie

By: Maria Cieslarczyk

Spoiler alert: please read at your own discretion!

Surprise! After many determined follow-ups from my loyal readers, friends, and coworkers… I finally watched KPOP Demon Hunters on Netflix. I know, I know…I’m a few months late to the bandwagon but hey – better late than never, right?

And it only took traveling to a new country (Vancouver girls’ trip woohoo) and a midnight screening with my Disney Professional internship besties (shout-out to Mellisa, Alex, Celina, and Victoria!) for me to sit down and watch the full movie.

And I absolutely adored every minute of it.

KPOP Demon Hunters (directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans) follows a popular KPOP superstar named Rumi, who, along with her best friends Mira and Zoey, actually doubles as a demon hunter. Their singing voices create a magical barrier to protect their fans from the dark forces led by the demon king Gwi-Ma. However, Rumi harbors a thrilling yet terrifying secret: she is actually half-demon herself.

When their KPOP group Huntrix attempts to create the Golden Honmoon – a magical barrier to banish demons forever – Rumi begins to lose her voice. More trouble starts to brew when a competing boy-band called the Saja Boys appears…and it’s revealed that they’re actually demons in disguise.

So now Huntrix has to deal with a shiny new musical competitor…while saving their unsuspecting fans from these new supernatural idols who want to destroy the world.

The film itself is fast-paced, bright, and a lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed the themes of Korean mythology, demonology, and the popularity of Korean pop music all blending together to create this family-friendly masterpiece. It’s refreshing to see more Asian-American representation on-screen, especially as I have always had a soft spot for fantasy and the supernatural. Seeing this combination of elements makes my heart happy as I know it will help a new generation feel comfortable in their own skin and proud of their culture.

It is amazing to witness how the film has continued to grow into something much bigger, with fans all over the world rooting for the next movie to be released.

Not only is the 3D animation incredibly detailed and colorful, the KPOP soundtrack was filled with catchy upbeat songs that I found myself humming under my breath for the entirety of this past month. Talk about a double-threat!

My favorite songs from the film are “Soda Pop” and “Your Idol,” both sung by the alluring Saja Boys. Their smooth voices complement each other so that the energy is immaculate and the lyrics stay stuck in your head for weeks to come.

The most popular song (the one actually played a lot at iHeartRadio) is “Golden” by Huntrix. The girls’ voices hit those high notes perfectly, and the lyrics of empowerment are feel-good and inspiring. I can see why so many fans have this song on repeat.

Even if animation isn’t your thing, I highly recommend checking out KPOP Demon Hunters this holiday season. It’s a feel-good movie that will have you relating to these superstars who must face their insecurities and be vulnerable in opening up and trusting one another to save mankind…all while also making some incredible music along the way.