The new release from Netflix, KPop Demon Hunters, has overwhelmed the pop culture scene with an amassed view count of 210.5 million global views on Netflix within only a little over 2 months. This makes it the second most watched movie from Netflix of all time, only behind Red Notice. It’s no wonder the movie has gotten so much attention since it’s one of the best modern animated movies.
Rumi (voiced by Arden Cho), Mira (voiced by May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), are a trio of kpop girls called Huntrix (or HUNTR/X) who use their voices to seal a magical barrier- called the Honmoon- to protect the world from demons. However, Jinu (voiced by Ahn Hyo-seop) and his demon minions form their own kpop group, The Saja Boys, to rival theirs by gaining human disguises and singing catchy songs. Both of the groups must compete in the annual “Idol Awards” to see who will protect the world.
Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans both did a phenomenal job at directing. Every detail from the set to the designs to the catchy songs, all of it is done with love and true care for the movie. Every action drives the plot forward in a compelling sequence of events.
One of my favorite things about the movie was by far the animation. The camera work is done especially well during the songs, especially “How It’s Done” and “Your Idol.” The dynamic angles really make the scenes stand out against other animated films. Not to mention, the fun poses the Saja boys hit all the time.
Of course, nobody can talk about KPop Demon Hunters without mentioning the music. The songs are one of the most memorable parts of the film, with catchy lyrics and fun beats that have everyone on TikTok and other platforms hooked. I’ve even seen the songs on the radio, and I know personally that “Soda Pop” will not leave my head no matter how many times I play it.
But I think the voice actor who deserves the most credit has to be Arden Cho, the voice of Rumi. She really brings the character to life, having incredible talent. One of the scenes that sticks out as being overwhelmingly powerful is at the end of the movie, when Rumi is revealed to be a demon. When she goes home to her adoptive mother, she yells and cries on why she won’t look at her demon form. The performance there was just breathtaking.
Speaking of this scene, the message behind the movie was a fresh retelling of a classic theme: Love and accept yourself. The premise is simple, but the movie delivers it in a refined way that pulls on your heart strings and lifts up spirits.
All in all, Kpop Demon Hunters certainly is one of the best modern animated films. I would recommend this movie to not just anyone who is especially struggling with accepting yourself and your identity as a person, but anyone just looking for some real hope and an overall fun movie experience.
