Girl band v demons: the secrets of Netflix’s most popular film

“We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment,” sings Rumi, the purple-haired lead vocalist of Huntrix, a girl group, as the crowd roars. Rumi and her two bandmates star in “KPop Demon Hunters”, an animated musical film in which Huntrix battle their rivals, the Saja Boys, for higher stakes than just a spot-on the pop charts. The boy-band is actually made up of demons disguised as heart-throbs who steal their fans’ souls, which the underworld’s demon king eats. Rumi’s lyrics have proved prophetic. Released on Netflix in June, “KPop Demon Hunters” has become the platform’s most-watched film ever, amassing 236m total views. Three things explain its success.

First, the songs are catchy. Unlike many animated musicals, which feature Broadway-esque show tunes written primarily for children, “Demon Hunters” offers music for adults, with K-pop’s signature hook-heavy style that leaves viewers humming songs for days after watching the film. The soundtrack’s producers include hitmakers for K-pop bands such as Blackpink and bts. “Golden”, Rumi’s song about “goin’ up”, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100; other tracks, including “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop”, also hit the charts. Twice, an actual K-pop girl group, covered one of the film’s songs, helping to boost visibility for the fictional Huntrix.

The frenzy has spilled over to cinemas. On a recent weekend theatres in several Anglophone countries held singalong showings. The film’s soundtrack is also popular on TikTok: fans cover songs and mimic dances from the film, and plenty of people have discovered the film through the songs.

Second, the film’s storyline champions female friendship and self-acceptance. The Huntrix trio eat ramen together, and swoon when they first meet the handsome Saja Boys (in a bizarre sequence, while looking at one of the boys’ abs, their eyes transform first into hearts and then popcorn). Rumi, the central character, is actually half-demon, as evinced by patterns on her skin that she hides from her bandmates. When they discover the truth, they are shocked at first, but eventually come to accept Rumi for who she is. “There’s a wonderful message about striving to become your essential self,” says Mike Gentile, a Los Angeles native who was introduced to the film by his children and has since become a huge fan.

Yet the film’s biggest strength might be how it taps into K-pop’s dedicated fandom. People who really love the film tend to watch repeatedly, boosting streaming numbers, and the story pays homage to their loyalty. The “Honmoon”—a magical protective barrier powered by the souls of people who love Huntrix’s music—is central to the plot. “When you mess with our fans…We need to make it hurt,” declare the protagonists.

The film’s fan scenes eschew stereotypes by featuring older viewers and men alongside young women. “A lot of fans, both in Korea and outside Korea, see themselves in it,” observes Thomas Baudinette, a pop-culture expert at Macquarie University in Sydney. Many more will become fans because of it. ■