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To prevent demons from continuing to feed on human souls, three singers-cum-demon-hunters used their singing to forge a magical barrier known as the Honmoon. Over hundreds of years, each new generation brings a new trio of singing demon hunters to help build the Golden Honmoon, a permanent seal to stop demons from entering the human world. In present-day Korea, the K-pop girl group Huntr/x fights demons and releases songs under the guidance of a former hunter, Celine (Yunjin Kim). Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) comprise Huntr/x, captivating an audience of millions with their popular songs. Meanwhile, the demon leader, Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun), sends a group of demons to form the K-pop boy band Saja Boys, with the intention of stealing Huntr/x's fans and weakening the Honmoon. Leading the Saja Boys is Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop), who soon makes a connection with Rumi after discovering that the demon hunter has a dark secret: she is part demon.
Among the key strengths of KPop Demon Hunters is the characters, as the trio of women are immediately likeable. Rumi, Mira, and Zoey are not generic, stoic heroes or one-dimensional "strong female characters"; instead, they are silly, fun, and disarming, and they look believable during the demon-slaying action set pieces. Rumi wrestling with her demon heritage provides unexpected depth, and her desperation to hide her true self from her peers out of fear and insecurity is relatable. Likewise, the connection between Rumi and Jinu adds an appreciable dimension to the story. The subplot ran the risk of feeling contrived for the sake of a romantic angle, but it instead feels earned and genuine, emerging as an organic part of the narrative. However, the film struggles to juggle the enormous ensemble, with characters like former demon hunter Celine and Huntr/x's manager, Bobby (Ken Jeong), feeling underused.
The vocal performances are sensational from top to bottom, with directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans opting for unknown actors over star power. The movie does feature a few well-known Korean actors, including Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Raya and the Last Dragon) as an eccentric doctor, Ken Jeong (The Hangover, Community) as Huntr/x's manager, and Lee Byung-hun (A Bittersweet Life, I Saw the Devil) as Gwi-Ma, the king of the demons. However, this does not feel like stunt casting, as the performers are excellent in their respective roles. With the production carrying a $100 million price tag, KPop Demon Hunters is visually lush and striking.
The wizards at Sony Pictures Imageworks (the same company responsible for the aesthetically intricate Spider-Verse pictures) do not aim for photorealism; instead, the feature carries a distinct style with deliberately imperfect movement that takes visible inspiration from anime. A wonderful sense of visual wit also permeates the movie, such as Zoey's eyes turning into sweetcorn emojis upon seeing the Saja Boys for the first time, which then produce popcorn as the scene heats up. Additionally, the approach to the action sequences is refreshing and intriguing, again reflecting the movie's anime influences. KPop Demon Hunters is short and sweet at 85 minutes before credits (make sure to stick around for some additional content during said credits), which ensures the movie never devolves into tedium. Admittedly, the storytelling is not always engaging, especially since some aspects of the lore could do with further clarification; however, this is a minor quibble.
The producers enlisted K-pop industry veterans to devise the soundtrack, and it's understandable why many of the songs have gone viral online. The movie's premise hinges on viewers believing that the K-pop tunes can unite people and, in turn, forge the Honmoon, making it all the more fortunate that the songs are so catchy. The songs of Huntr/x and the Saja Boys are noticeably distinct in style and tone, with the female K-pop stars singing soulful and emotionally honest songs while the demonic males sing impossibly catchy but hollow tunes. Netflix understandably cashed in on the soundtrack's extreme popularity, later releasing a sing-along version in cinemas and on their streaming service, which is sure to please the movie's avid fans.
KPop Demon Hunters is lightning in a bottle with its hyperkinetic filmmaking style, intriguing narrative, and those unbelievably captivating songs that will continue to receive hundreds of millions of hits. It is one of 2025's defining cultural moments in cinema, and it will undoubtedly be remembered with more reverence than Pixar's box-office bomb, Elio.
7.8/10
