I didn't expect an animated movie to speak so deeply about insecurity, but KPop Demon Hunters did exactly that

I recently watched KPop Demon Hunters, the animated musical fantasy film that debuted on Netflix on June 20, 2025. Having found the trailer very intriguing, I was excited to see how the film blends the elements of Korean mythology and demonology with the contemporary world of K-pop.

The fact that the film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the creative force behind super-hits like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and The Mitchells vs. The Machines, was another big draw for me. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans co-directed the movie, with Kang originating the story. The screenplay was written by Hannah McMechan, Danya Jimenez, Maggie Kang, and Chris Appelhans.

The film's official synopsis, as per Netflix, reads:

"Their fans may know them as pop stars, but the members of Huntrix are more than that. They're powerful warriors using their music to save the world."

KPop Demon Hunters crafts a compelling narrative

The film's high-concept story centers on a team of demon hunters who rule millions of K-pop fans through their group, Huntr/x. They use the power of music to slay demons and their leader, Gwi-Ma. Through the central characters of Rumi and Jinu, the film explores the themes of insecurities and personal flaws, following their journey toward self-acceptance.

Jinu wrestles with the guilt of abandoning his family, while Rumi deals with the shame of being a half-demon. However, their love for each other helps them overcome their fears and realize that embracing their flaws is the highest form of self-love.

I found KPop Demon Hunters highly entertaining to watch due to its dazzling visuals, slick action sequences, and vivid depiction of K-pop groups and their loyal fandoms. The film also stands out for its lively animation, brought to life by the superb voice cast and peppy songs like Takedown, How It's Done, Soda Pop, Golden, Free, Your Idol, and What It Sounds Like.

In addition to its high entertainment value, the film navigates themes of friendship, courage, and self-identity with surprising emotional depth that resonated with audiences like me.

Also read: KPop Demon Hunters faces fans' displeasure for referencing 'Napalm era' in the film's song

What is the story of KPop Demon Hunters?

The demon hunters Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) use the power of their voices to keep demons away from the human world, behind the barrier called Honmoon.

However, Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop) and his fellow demons disguise themselves as the K-pop boy band, the Saja Boys, quickly gaining a fandom that rivals the girl group's popularity. Their goal is to prey on their fans' souls, ultimately destroying the Honmoon and releasing the demon king, Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun).

When Rumi starts losing her voice, it is revealed that she is a half-demon, born to a pop-singer mother and a demon father. She hides her identity from her bandmates until the Saja Boys expose her secret to a stadium full of fans, leaving her embarrassed.

In the climax of KPop Demon Hunters, Gwi-Ma puts the whole world in a trance during the Saja Boys' final performance. Rumi, the only one unaffected, takes the stage and bravely confronts her fear and shame in a song that breaks the trance. She then joins Mira, Zoey, and Jinu to defeat Gwi-Ma, sending the demon king and his minions to their realm forever before sealing off the Honmoon.

Also read: What role does Liza Koshy play in KPop Demon Hunters? Character explored

KPop Demon Hunters is available to stream exclusively on Netflix.

About the author

Deepti is an entertainment writer at Sportskeeda. She comes with more than 6 years of experience in the creative writing field and has written extensively for the entertainment and travel domains.

She holds a degree in Chemistry, but her true interest always lay in the creative field. A passion for reading from a young age fueled her desire to make a career change later in life and take up writing as her profession.

Apart from reading, her hobbies include watching movies, listening to music, and going to the beach. In her free time, she can be found looking up reviews of new and old films to add to her watchlist. She also enjoys watching foreign language films that help expand her knowledge base regarding different cultures around the world.

Asked to describe herself, she would promptly mention that she is a die-hard Swiftie and enjoys nothing more than listening to Taylor Swift songs on loop while writing.

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Edited by Shubham Soni