Before Watching
This film has been dominating Netflix — ranking No. 1 in 41 countries worldwide. I finally decided to see what all the buzz was about.
It’s a K-pop–themed movie from Sony Pictures Animation, the studio behind the massively successful Spider-Man series. From what I’ve learned, the creators actually referenced real Korean artists and culture during production, which makes it even more interesting.
To be honest, when I first saw the trailer, I really didn’t like the “Lion Boys” characters at all. That’s why I skipped it when it was released and only got around to watching it now.
(My judgment was totally wrong, 😂)
Still, since Sony is one of my favorite studios and such an influential player in the industry, I felt I couldn’t miss it.
So I thought, “If I’m going to watch it eventually, I might as well do it now.”
After Hitting Play
The moment the movie began, I was blown away by the dazzling camera work and thought to myself, “Yep, that’s Sony!” My initial prejudice—that it would feel overly cheesy—was shattered right from the opening scene.
By the time the credits rolled, I found myself blasting the Demon Hunters soundtrack every time I shower. It’s just that catchy.
Since I genuinely enjoyed the film, I’m going to do what I always do: jot down my thoughts and impressions while watching.
Warning: Major spoilers for K-Pop Demon Hunters ahead.
Haven’t watched it yet? It’s best to leave now!
So much to talk about with this film.
There’s a ton to see and enjoy!
Alright, let’s break it down one by one.
🎬 Style & Story
This film blends multiple genres, with occult/exorcism and K-pop being the main elements.
The story follows a trio of girls called Huntrix performing in a city haunted by evil spirits. Using their secret powers, they protect both the world and their fans from various threats.
The plot is very simple and straightforward—so much so that it might even feel a bit cliché—but the film fills it out with clever production, catchy music, and stylish animation, making it a really enjoyable watch.
It reminded me a bit of the structure in F1, which I recently enjoyed.
Sure, the story is familiar and predictable, but the stunning visuals, songs, direction, and immersive scenes make it a film that captures the audience’s attention effortlessly.
Characters
The main characters revolve around two groups:
- Huntrix – a trio of girls who fight evil spirits and create golden sigils to protect the world.
- Guima & Lion Boys – their rivals, who aim to steal Huntrix’s fans and take over the world.
Rumi – Leader / Born with a silver spoon / Workaholic
Rumi was raised by Celine after losing her mother, who was part of the Sunlight Sisters. She’s unique because she was born between humans and spirits. This makes her feel like her very existence is “wrong,” and she desires to create golden sigils to erase her own mark.
Joy – Youngest / Rapper & Lyricist / Grew up in the U.S. / Super cute (my personal favorite in Huntrix)
Bubbly and playful, she reminds me a lot of Judy Hopps from Zootopia. She tends to think she’s too much or not enough, and while her lyrics and notebook might seem useless, she finds meaning in them when she’s with her Huntrix friends.
(There are so many cute moments of her — she’s adorable!)
Mira – Lead dancer / The practical one / Doesn’t always agree but handles visuals
She sees her blunt, short-tempered, and aggressive side as a flaw, and it shapes her personality throughout the film.
Jinwoo – Leader of the Lion Boys / Haunted by past mistakes
He made a deal with a demon (Guima) and became a spirit himself. As the story progresses, he develops emotional connections with Rumi, making him a key character in the narrative.
Celine – Rumi’s protector since childhood / Mentally supports Huntrix
She isn’t Rumi’s mother but a former generation Demon Hunter. Celine teaches Huntrix that “flaws and fears must be hidden,” which ties strongly into the film’s overall message.
Message of the Film
Looking at Rumi and Jinwoo’s goals really helps in understanding the film’s deeper message.
Rumi’s goal
- Create a golden sigil to eliminate all evil spirits from the world.
- Free herself from the mark engraved on her body.
Jinwoo’s goal
- Help the unstoppable Guima to erase the memories of mistakes he made in the past.
- Break free from Guima’s voice controlling him.
Both main characters share a common goal: finding their true selves.
Like Celine tells Huntrix, they try to live hiding their flaws and fears. But when life starts to crumble, they lose sight of who they really are.
Through their interactions, they realize that hope isn’t something others can give you — you have to claim it yourself. To do so, you must face your flaws and fears instead of hiding from them. This, I believe, is the central message of the film.
I also try to live this way in my own life. Accepting your flaws and mistakes, and striving to live rightly in the present, takes a lot of courage and honesty.
Because of these reflections, I felt a deep connection with the characters and the story while watching.
🎶 Soundtrack
The music is fantastic!
The K-pop–style songs appear throughout the movie, and I honestly think the tracks by Huntrix and the Lion Boys could have been hits even if real idol groups had released them.
For me, the most striking song in the film was “How It’s Done”, which plays during the opening sequence.
After watching the movie, the song I’ve been listening to the most lately is “GOLDEN”.
Volume up in the shower, endless replay… 🎧
Among the Lion Boys’ tracks, “Your Idol” really stood out to me. Even though it’s short, the song perfectly fits the evil spirit concept. On my second viewing, this part actually gave me chills. The lyrics and how it flows into the movie’s highlight moments made it even more striking.
And of course, we can’t forget “This Is What It Sounds Like”, one of the movie’s highlight tracks!
Many artists have covered these songs, and “SODA POP” is apparently popular for challenges.
Besides my favorites, there are plenty of other great songs, including instrumental tracks that I really enjoyed 🎶
As for the singers I recognize, TWICE members recorded “TAKEDOWN” (there’s even a recording scene in the end credits).
Other notable performers include:
- Huntrix: Jungyeon, Jihyo, Chaeyoung, EJAE, Rei Ami, Andrey Nuna
- Lion Boys: Andrew Choi, Neckwav, SamUIL Lee, Kevin Woo, Danny Chung
The film also briefly features some classic Korean tracks, such as ‘듀스 – 나를 돌아봐‘, ‘이박사 – 신라의 달밤‘, and ‘서태지와 아이들 – 이밤이 깊어가지만‘. Early in the movie, ‘멜로망스 – 사랑인가봐‘ plays for a fairly long sequence.
As a Korean viewer, these songs felt really familiar and added a nice touch.
🇰🇷 Korean Elements & Cultural Accuracy
The movie is packed with Korean elements and careful cultural references.
I even discovered some details while watching that I hadn’t known before.
For Koreans, there are details that feel immediately familiar and fun, while international viewers can appreciate the overall Korean aesthetic and cultural touches from a broader perspective. It’s really impressive. Let’s break down a few highlights.
🎤 Generational Girl Groups
At the beginning, when introducing Huntrix and the “Hwonmun” (golden emblem), the film references Kpop artists from different eras, such as ‘저고리 시스터즈’, ‘김시스터즈’, ‘세또래’, ‘SES‘.
You can tell the filmmakers did deep research—even including groups many Koreans might not know—to make the world feel authentic.
👹 Traditional Masks and Roof Tiles on the Spirits
When you first see the spirits in the opening sequence, their designs feel surprisingly familiar. They resemble traditional Korean masks (탈) and 귀면와 (roof ornaments), like goblins from folklore. Using these cultural elements to inspire villain designs was a brilliant touch. It’s a subtle detail that really elevates the film’s quality.
🐯 Magpies and Tigers (Duffy) – Inspired by Jakho Paintings
The magpie and tiger (Duffy) characters were inspired by traditional Korean (민화-작호도) paintings. One unique aspect is their eyes, which lack clear focus—but the film presents them naturally, without looking weird or out of place.
🗼 Familiar Korean Landscapes & Foods
The film is full of authentic Korean touches: ramen, gukbap, subway stations, traditional clinics (한의원), bathhouses, and more. The level of detail is amazing, making the world feel distinctly Korean. I even collected some screenshots of these little details:
⚔️ Weapons
Rumi uses a ‘사인검’, a sword inspired by Joseon-era blades meant to defeat calamities.
Mira wields a ‘곡도’, a curved sword used historically in both China and Joseon Korea.
Joy’s weapon, ‘신칼’, is inspired by tools used in shamanistic rituals to ward off evil spirits.
Joseon-era hunters used weapons like ‘석장’, ‘쌍검’, and ‘각궁’.
Personally, I found the ‘사인검’ particularly beautiful.
Expressing one’s own culture authentically is no easy task, and I was impressed by how much research went into every detail.
Thanks to this, I also learned a lot about aspects of Korea I hadn’t known before 🗡️
🎨 Animation Style
The comic-book style outlines first used in the ‘Spider-Man’ series are also applied in ‘KPop Demon Hunters.’
By now, it seems like Sony’s signature style—proof that being the first really matters.
The modern comic-panel editing style is also quite noticeable.
Being the studio behind the action-packed Spider-Man series, the action scenes here are incredibly dynamic and impressive.
Character poses are flawless, and the camerawork is top-notch 👍
I was hooked from the opening sequence.
The animation portraying spirits and humans is also excellent 👏👏👏
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🥲 Points of Critique
If I had to pick one downside, it would be conveying emotion while singing.
There are a lot of scenes where characters sing, and while the songs are amazing, the vocals don’t fully reflect the characters’ emotions.
Most scenes weren’t too disruptive, but the scene where ‘Free’ is performed felt like the lip-sync animation didn’t quite match, which slightly distracted from the experience.
Other minor issues could include predictable storytelling or supporting characters with less depth, but since these aren’t central to the film, they don’t really affect the overall enjoyment.
This concludes my mix of subjective and objective information about the movie.
The next post will be my very personal, highly subjective thoughts that I write every time I watch a film I love.
Thanks for reading this long post 👍
