KPop Demon Hunters

Tonight, on Netflix, I saw “KPop Demon Hunters,” which was released in June. After hearing a lot of praise about this movie, I decided to check it out. How is this surprising animated film?

Following the path of a generation of demon hunters, female K-pop group HUNTR/X say they’ll bring their fans together through music and seal the Honmoon, a disguise protecting the living from the demon world. With the task almost complete, the group face their toughest obstacle yet: fighting a demon boyband.

Kelechi Ehenulo said in his review, “When Guillermo del Toro proudly professed that “animation is cinema” during the 2023 Oscars, it felt like a rallying call for the medium to be taken seriously. One major studio that is constantly testing the barriers of what the medium is capable of is Sony Pictures Animation: from the handmade-feeling family comedy The Mitchells Vs The Machines to the multiversal innovations of the Spider-Verse films.” Their newest film, “KPop Demon Hunters,” is another enjoyable, largely original film to their amazing list.

Ehenulo described, “It plays like a cross between Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Popstars: The Rival_s. We first meet the HUNTR/X ladies — Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong) and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) — diving out of a plane with Avengers-esque superhero coolness, slaying demons on their way to a concert.” That energized intro sets the tone for the film, which sees the group’s show (Takedown is their new hit single) with their fan-stealing, toe-tapping boyband competition the Saja Boys (Ahn Hyo-seop, Joel Kim Booster, Alan Lee, SungWon Cho, and Danny Chung), and fight their demon world leader, Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun).

Whether you’re a K-Pop fan or not, just the watchability of this film all results in the high energy and fun it has with the concept. Ehenulo said, “Its breezy, zip-along pace perfectly complements its laugh-out-loud gags — from Zoey’s popcorn eyes whenever she sees the Saja Boys’ abs, to Mira turning up to the Met Gala in a sleeping bag. Its crowning glory, undeniably, is the music, which is nothing but a hit factory of instant bangers. Prepare to wear out the repeat button on your Spotify playlist.”

However, behind its catchy musical scenes and Honmoon mythologies is a humanizing story about generational burdens of shame and fear, and the inevitable accepting of your identity. Here, Rumi is the main focus, having to hide her part-demon secret away from her friends and fans due to being hated. The film does well to not pick the vulnerable emotions that help her, along with a on-and-off banter between her and Saja Boys member Jinu (Hyo-seop). Obviously, there are some elements of predictability, and its tendency to finish fast takes away some of the enjoyment a little. However, when the songs uplift and the animation surpasses, these minor flaws can be forgiven, for a film that deserves every amount of its global domination.

An animated film showing you “how it’s done” – as HUNTR/X would put it – this is an amazing musical film, enjoyment for every age. There might be a sequel, which would not be surprising.

I’m on board with everyone when I say that this is one of best animated films of this year. I know this isn’t a completely new story, as people might be able to predict what happens, but that doesn’t matter. The songs are catchy, the animation is phenomenal, the characters are relatable, and the story can be engaging and emotional. Check this out if you have a Netflix because I think everyone will enjoy this film a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if people download this song off of their iTunes or Apple Music store.

Thank you for joining in on this review tonight. Stay tuned tomorrow for the continuation of “Happy Madison Month.”