'K-pop Demon Hunters' cast and directors break down Netflix hit's worldbuilding
The creative team behind Netflix's record-breaking animated hit "K-pop Demon Hunters" pulled back the curtain on their demon-slaying spectacle in a new behind-the-scenes video released Friday.
Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, alongside voice stars Arden Cho, May Hong, Yoo Ji-young and Ahn Hyo-seop, dished on everything from character design to cultural representation in the clip, which details the meticulous world-building that went into the project.
"I've always wanted to make an animated movie set in Korea that really showcased our culture and our mythology," said Kang, noting how demons provided the visual spectacle while K-pop became "the last ingredient in the concept." When Appelhans first heard the pitch, his reaction was instant: "Please let me make this movie with you because I love all those things."
The film follows Huntrix, a girl group that secretly protects the world from demons using music and dance. Cho, who voices the lead character Rumi, praised her character's mix of strength and style.
"Rumi slays demons, sings, is gorgeous, has killer fashion sense. I love her luscious purple hair. She's edgy and hip but still kind of girly," Cho said.
Hong described her character Mira as "a skeptic, rebellious, sarcastic," while Yoo highlighted "maknae" — the youngest member of the group — Zoey's "professional obligation to be the cutest and the most energetic."
The cast couldn't help but gush about their demonic boy band rivals, the Saja Boys.
"We hate the Saja Boys, but darn them for being so cute," Cho joked, while Hong admitted that everyone on set was humming their infectious track "Soda Pop."
The directors clearly had fun with them too, with Kang joking about lighting decisions: "How do we light these abs so that we can really enjoy them?"
Beyond the eye candy, the team stressed their commitment to authentic Korean representation.
"Seeing it altogether, it just touched me," Hong said of showing the Korean American experience on screen.
The film's attention to cultural detail shines through its depiction of bustling Seoul's Gangnam streets, authentic Korean comfort food and traditional mythology woven throughout the narrative.
The soundtrack includes tracks by K-pop superstar Twice, a collaboration Kang called "really awesome" for "legitimiz(ing) the film in the K-pop space."
And the film's reach has spilled well beyond the Netflix platform.
Seven tracks from the soundtrack are currently charting on the Billboard Hot 100, with 'Golden' peaking at No. 23, while the full album sits at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 —making it the highest-charting soundtrack of the year.
moonkihoon@heraldcorp.com
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