‘KPop Demon Hunters’ review: A fun story that’s easy to stan

Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is an energetic animated gem that’s also a love letter to the world of K-Pop.

Netflix gathers up all K-Pop stans and animation fans alike to watch Maggie Kang’s directorial debut KPop Demon Hunters. And, yes, it’s precisely what the title says. The movie’s art direction is one that you could expect for a team of demon-hunting pop stars whose job is to protect the world from the forces of evil: bright, showy, and tastefully artistic. With the movie being in the works since 2021, KPop Demon Hunters demonstrate that great animated movies and shows can only be achieved when there’s love from their creators themselves. And, of course, some patience for those interested in something original.

KPop Demon Hunters follows the story of Huntrix, a K-Pop girl group composed of Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo). The group goes after demons from the realm of Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun of Squid Game), who are stealing human souls through the power of Huntrix’s songs and harmony. Now it’s the girls’ duty to maintain the barrier, the Golden Honmoon, and keep out the demons from plunging the world into total disaster just like every other demon hunter before them had done once before. And what could be the biggest adversary of a girl group that splits time between competing on the music charts and part-time demon hunting? A demon boy band.

Like harmony tied up all nicely.

©2025 Netflix

One can definitely notice the inspirations that were used for the characters, especially for the demon boy band inspired from real K-Pop idols fans will recognize. Another is the music composed for the film that closely resembles known K-Pop songs. And who can forget the choreography that closely resembles live performances as well? This one is particularly obvious during the “Golden” performance in the Idol Awards scene.

The effort put into the movie is well-appreciated for not just animating a movie for the sake of making an eye-catching film. It’s entertaining when it incorporates fan experiences that doesn’t invoke cringe, such as the view of loud concerts with people swinging light sticks and posters around or the fan signing events where even a shared smile between them and the singers can produce so much TikTok edits within minutes. (See Jinu and Rumi and their rather K-drama-esque meetings).

What’s particularly impressive is the movie following Huntrix on and off the stage, with and without their makeup and glamor. Beyond their charismatic personas in front of their fans lies the person out of the spotlight so real and typical. It was still a pleasant surprise to see them fooling around despite the weight on their shoulders (looking at you, Zoey!).

Band drama.

©2025 Netflix

While the movie is still lighthearted in nature, KPop Demon Hunters is not afraid in delving into gut-wrenching feelings, particularly through Rumi’s struggles throughout the story. We watch Rumi’s shame over her demon heritage, leading her to hide things from the Huntrix and causing a temporary breakup. Another notable moment that followed was Rumi and Celine’s confrontation, where the former asks her mentor if she had ever accepted her at all because of her origin — a scene that hit too close to home.

While Mira and Zoey’s experiences weren’t as highlighted in the film in comparison, it can be easily figured out by contextualizing the small dialogues and mentions. Mira is clearly a problem child and Zoey lives in two worlds after growing-up overseas, building up a satisfying end for the film where all three came into terms of their flaws together — “like seeing all the beauty in the broken glass” and finding their harmony once again.

The bottom line.

KPop Demon Hunters release is yet another step in the right direction when it comes to producing animated films. While the eye-catching visuals are a great asset to reel-in audiences, the story feels close to the heart of its writers and creators — just like how this story is akin to a love letter from a fan to fellow fans. It also proves that truly the best animated movies are the ones where the passion of every person involved in its making is felt on screen.

KPop Demon Hunters is now streaming exclusively on Netflix. Watch the trailer below.

Images courtesy of Netflix. 

Glaciane Lacerna