Paramount and Hybe America 's K-pop Movie Adds Ji-young Yoo and Eric Nam, Lands February 2027 Release
Ji-young Yoo (KPop Demon Hunters) and Eric Nam (The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender) are set to star in the Benson Lee-directed film. Eileen Shim wrote the script's latest draft.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
Stephen Colbert's Late Night Allies and Famous Friends Make Cameos on 'The Late Show' After Cancellation
Jon Stewart Rages Over Colbert Cancellation In F-Bomb Filled Speech
Jon Stewart Is Unsure of 'The Daily Show's Future Amid Paramount-Skydance Merger
'This film is my love letter to K-pop – its energy, passion, magic, and the incredible community behind it,' Lee said in statement. 'I'm deeply grateful to Paramount Pictures for championing the project, to our producers for their unwavering dedication, to our talented and dynamic cast, and to the legends of the genre helping us bring this story to life.'
In North America, the movie will open in theaters Feb. 12, 2027, the beginning of the lucrative Presidents Day/Valentine's Day weekend, opposite TriStar's buzzed-about book adaptation The Nightingale, starring Elle and Dakota Fanning (that film's date was announced Tuesday as well).
Lee's untitled film, set in the world of K-pop music survival shows, is expected to be the first major American studio film shot entirely in South Korea. 'The film centers around a young Korean-American woman, who defies her family's wishes to compete in a televised competition to find the next K-pop girl group,' the logline reads.
Yoo recently voiced the role of Zoey, a member of K-pop girl group Huntrix, in Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters, which has become a hit on the streamer both in and outside the world of K-pop. Several of the songs from the film, which were voiced by a separate group of performers, have landed on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Spotify's charts.
Nam is well-known in the world of K-pop, having performed in the Korean entertainment space since his on MBC's music competition series, Star Audition: Birth of a Great Star 2, which launched his music career. He was an original host of the K-pop talk show After School Club and frequented Korean variety shows. He's also slated to appear on season four of Peacock's Emmy Award-winning reality show, The Traitors.
Hybe America's president of film and TV James Shin is producing the film alongside Arthur Spector and Joshua Davis of Epic Magazine and Scooter Braun. Executive producers include Joshuah Bearman of Epic Magazine, John Zaozirny and Scott Manson.
'This film captures the incredible dedication and artistry that defines K-pop and its insatiable popularity, while showcasing the universal themes of chasing your dreams against all odds,' Shin said in a statement.
Hybe America is the U.S. branch of K-pop giant Hybe, which acts as the parent companies to several labels that house massive acts including BTS, Seventeen, Le Sserafim and Enhypen.
Paramount's Bryan Oh will oversee production on behalf of the studio. Paramount Pictures' president of the motion picture group Michael Ireland originally oversaw the project throughout its development at 20th Century Fox before acquiring it in turnaround from Disney and bringing it to Paramount under current studio head Brian Robbins.
Yoois repped by Entertainment 360, Gersh, Viewpoint and Del Shaw Moonves, while Nam is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and The Lede Company.
Epic is repped by CAA and Linda Lichter at LGNA.
July 22, 2:30: Updated with additional release date details for Presidents Day weekend in 2027.
—Pamela McClintock contributed to this story.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
The 40 Greatest Needle Drops in Film History
The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience
Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
29 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Free summer events: Capoeira class, ‘Cowboy Carter' contest, and more
ROCK AND ROLL Children, adults, and dogs alike are welcome at the Kendall/MIT Open Space for a day of play. This week's Play+ event is DIY pet rocks: Organizers provide crafting materials and the activity will be guided by Open Space Programming staff. Indulge in more fresh air fun with a variety of board and lawn games, including cornhole, hopscotch, and Bananagrams. July 29, 5-7 p.m. Kendall/MIT Open Space, 292 Main St., Cambridge. Advertisement Attendees can paint pet rocks at the Kendall/MIT Open Space on Tuesday, among other activities. Noah Phoenix/MIT Open Space Programming Advertisement WORK IT OUT Working out can sometimes feel isolating — Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Speare Diamond, Huntington Avenue. NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM On the last Thursday of each month, the Harvard Art Museums stay open for a bit of after-hours fun. A DJ takes over the historic courtyard, and attendees can take part in a scavenger hunt or painting and coloring activities. If you want a more peaceful night to explore the museums further, guided tours of their 50-plus galleries will be available throughout the night. July 31, 5-9 p.m. Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., Cambridge. North End Music & Performing Arts Center holds its Jazz in the Park series on Thursdays during the summer. Benjamin Rose Photography FRESH TUNES The North End Music & Performing Arts Center presents its seasonal Jazz in the Park series, which hosts free concerts by the Boston Public Market. On Thursday, Albino Mbie, who was raised in Mozambique and graduated from Berklee, will bring his unique blend of Afro-pop and jazz infused with Mozambican influences. July 31, 6:30-8 p.m. Rose Kennedy Greenway, Cross and Hanover streets. Free performances will take place in Seven Hills Park for this year's Somer Fest. Colgan B. Johnson/1981andCo FUNK AND GAMES Right by the MBTA's Davis stop, the Seven Hills Park will be host to four music acts — funk, hip-hop, singer-songwriter, and a DJ — playing a variety of family-friendly music by artists of color. Concertgoers can also play giant Jenga, Connect Four, and cornhole, or grab a lawn chair and enjoy the show. Vendors selling Salvadoran food and Vietnamese fusion drinks will also be present. Aug. 2, 3-5 p.m. Seven Hills Park, Davis Square, Somerville. Advertisement YOUR FIRST RODEO Find some Southern hospitality south of South Boston at the third annual Family Day Rodeo Event, where you'll be greeted by a live DJ, a mechanical bull, bouncy houses, face paints, and rodeo-themed photo booths. If you're looking to show off your brims, boots, and buckles, you can compete in a runway show where Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' is the theme. All activities and attractions are free, but Caribbean and soul food, ice cream, and lemonade will be available for purchase from food trucks on site. Aug. 3, 1-6 p.m. Reverend Loesch Family Park, 20 Wainwright St. Ryan Yau can be reached at
Buzz Feed
8 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
I Explored The Vast Depths Of TikTok And Brought Back These 32 Products To Show You
Lumify Eye Drops, a product so beloved by TikTok that despite being more $$ than other brands, it's the number one selling brand on Amazon right now. Reviewers swear by this for instant reduction in redness in their eyes, with visible differences within a minute of use. A limited edition (!!) Eos Marshmallow "Super Balm" lip treatment from the brand's "secret menu" so good that reviewers say it's better than Carmex for healing and better than Summer Fridays for quality. Lip care that also tastes like you're perpetually eating a s'more for less than $5?? My friends, life is good. Dr. Melaxin "Peel Shot," a K-beauty staple for serious exfoliation that buffs out dead skin and leaves your complexion looking glowy and refreshed. If you're looking for an effective way to kick dead skin cells, blackheads, and sebum to the curb, this deeply penetrating rice water extract formula is just the ticket. Gold Bond's firming neck and chest cream your skin will be SO happy to soak up — this is formulated with aloe, salicylic acid, and jojoba oil to help hydrate, tighten, and gently exfoliate your skin so effectively that you should be able to see early results in two weeks. (For some reviewers, it only took a few days!) Kitsch's flat claw clip with some modern meets retro vibes that will give your hair a chic little ~pop~ of volume and hold. Reviewers are especially impressed by how strong these little clips are, and how much hair they can hold! Reviewers also note that these make it more comfortable to lean back on chairs, since the claw won't dig into your head. Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel, a cult-fave product for your beauty arsenal that will quickly help minimize eye puffiness and swelling thanks to its winning combo of caffeine and hyaluronic acid. It's basically an alarm clock for your eyeballs, because boy howdy are they awake now!! Mise En Scene Perfect Serum, a beloved K-beauty staple reviewers compare to the $46 Gisou version for MEGA hair hydration and heat protection up to 450 degrees, so you can style your hair without sacrificing on ✨shine✨. This unique blend of seven-oil blend Moroccan argan, olive, coconut, apricot, Marula, jojoba, and camellia oil not only protects hair, but helps correct damage from dryness, *and* reduces drying time. A chic under-the-cabinet banana hanger so easy to install that you'll wonder why you didn't free up all your counter space *YEARS* ago. Also digging the whole "bananas as decor" vibe here. Laneige's Neo Blurring Powder to absorb oil and blur pores so effectively that you'll be like, "Oh ... witchcraft??" Might be the only explanation for how this can matte-ify your complexion while still keeping it radiant and glowy. ✨ A set of DEET-free handy mosquito-repelling bracelets for the ultimate in genius summer investments — these use essential oils, including citronella, to help stop those teensy vampires in their tracks. An SPF 50 Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar, a K-beauty staple with a curved balm stick style that makes it super easy to apply, and a non-sticky, white cast-free formula that plays ABSURDLY well with makeup. If you're looking for a lightweight "soft matte" sunscreen to protect your skin, this is your new BFF. Death Wish Instant Coffee Packets so downright (dare I say, DANGEROUSLY) delicious that even the biggest coffee snobs you know might trade in their precious pour-overs. That is, if they can handle the 300mg of caffeine per cup 👀. E.l.f's Lash Xtndr Tubing Mascara, a GODSEND for anyone with thin or fragile lashes. This uses lightweight ~tubing~ technology to wrap around lashes and give them a natural-looking, smudge-proof extension so good it almost looks fake. The real boon, though, is how easily the "tubes" slide off in clean, easy swipes at the end of the day when you're washing your face — absolutely no smudging, over-scrubbing, or special eye makeup removal products required. A nail-renewal formula so effective at restoring discolored, damaged nails that reviewers started seeing results in as little as *two days*. This not only helps tackle symptoms of fungal damage, but helps reduce the thickness and correct the ridges, so your toenails can get the sweet relief they deserve. A simple faux diamond tennis bracelet to add a touch of sophistication to any outfit without the price of name-brand versions like Swarovski (even though reviewers agree this looks like the Real Deal 👀). A set of Victoria's Secret–inspired seamless "invisible" underwear so soft and stretchy your butt will want to *sing* when you slide them on. This is a true holy grail underwear that doesn't show, doesn't ride up, and somehow manages to look cute all at the same time. A delightfully efficient wooden bread bow knife to get you easy, perfectly sliced cuts of thick breads like sourdough loaves and baguettes every time. Your fancy sandwich game is about to get out of control. A dark spot-removing soap bar you might want to try if you're someone with sensitive skin or hyperpigmentation — this is formulated not only with hyaluronic acid to protect your skin's moisture barrier but a blend of vitamin C, retinol, collagen, and turmeric to help brighten and soothe skin. A crinkle cutter tool for veggies, fruit, potatoes, and cheese that not only makes meal prep a breeze, but makes certain foods more enticing for the picky eaters in the fam. Everyone knows a squiggly-shaped thing tastes better than a regular shape ... it's just science! A two-slice slim toaster to fit virtually *anywhere* in your tiny kitchen, and to look gosh darn adorable doing it. Bonus — these long slots make it ideal for larger slices of bread, like your beloved sourdoughs. A — be still my hydrated heart — teensy 14-ounce Stanley Cup for the days when you aren't Big Thirsty, but Little Thirsty, and don't want to haul around a brick of water with you. Reviewers love this for traveling and so their littles can having matching Stanley cups with their big ones! Monday Haircare Dry Shampoo with all the oil-absorbing, refreshing power of its competitors, *plus* added keratin for protection against frizz and breakage. The subtle gardenia scent is just extra extra credit after all that. MagicMinerals AirBrush Foundation, your new favorite alternative to Dior's (discontinued!!) Airflash that lives up to the hype — one quick spray of the foundation on the included brush, and it glides so smoothly and subtly over your skin texture that you'll feel like a makeup artist did it for you. Reviewers in their thirties, forties, and up especially swear by this lightweight but effective formula, and love that it's ridiculously easy to use. A cult-favorite Flairisol Olivia, a continuous oil sprayer with built-in portion control that has won the allegiance of reviewers from professional chefs to at-home bakers. The ultra-fine spray makes it ridiculously easy to work with, especially for people tracking nutrition stats for their own sake or for a restaurant's — each spray is equivalent to one gram of oil for easy measuring. Oxo's compact Cold Brew Rapid Brewer to make cold brew in FIVE MINUTES (!!) with results so quick and delicious that reviewers love it more than their beloved Aeropresses (and even call it "Aeropress 2.0"). Not only is it faster than comparable models, but it's cheaper, entirely portable, and doesn't need to be charged or plugged in. 🤯 You're going to be swimming in a RIVER of delicious, affordable cold brew with this gizmo. Londontown "Nail Veil" Protectant, which is designed not only to protect your nails, but to act as a sheer tint to enhance their natural look. It's basically "no makeup makeup," but for your fingernails. A jar of all-in-one decor paint, a chalk-style paint with a built-in primer designed to easily glide on furniture, upholstery, and any wood, metal, and glass surfaces. It's eco-friendly and dries with a chalky matte finish within 30 minutes of application, making it a boon for parents doing DIY projects. Reviewers use it on everything from old couches to front doors to dressers to fences. Nick's Keto Candy Bars for anyone with dietary restrictions to enjoy a scrumptious treat, and for anyone who wants to pack in extra fiber to get one heck of a delicious snack — each bar contains 28%–34% of the recommended daily fiber needs! A Grim Steeper silicone tea infuser to remind you that life is, in fact, too short to skip on your delicious morning cuppa. A beautifully packaged, travel-friendly Touchland Power Mist hydrating hand sanitizer for anyone who's like "mindfully practicing health and safety, but make it fashion." Unlike other sanitizer sprays, it's infused with aloe vera to keep your skin hydrated and has the most luxurious floral scents. First Aid Beauty's Facial Radiance Pads, a set of compostable (!!) beauty prep pads you can use before putting on makeup to gently tone and exfoliate your skin, making it the ultimate primer for getting the most out of your foundation. Bonus — unlike a lot of toning products, these are super gentle and sensitive skin-friendly! A gaming/reading/laptop pillow to prop your hands up while you're playing video games, typing, or reading on your Kindle or iPad. This supports your arms for a more ~ergonomically-friendly~ experience whether you're in bed or on a couch, and even features a lil' side pocket for things like remote controls, glasses, and — of course — emergency snacky snacks.
Buzz Feed
12 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Beyond "Kpop Demon Hunters": K-Pop Songs To Discover
Kpop Demon Hunters has been a delightful surprise of 2025. It's a funny, catchy, and well-crafted story. One thing that sets it apart from other family musical films is the unique K-pop soundtrack, which is filled with bangers. Would you be interested in songs similar to the Demon Hunters soundtrack that are from real K-pop groups? Here are some K-Pop songs that have similar vibes to the Kpop: Demon Hunters soundtrack: Song comps for the Huntrix introduction song "How It's Done": BLACKPINK — "뚜두뚜두 (DDU-DU DDU-DU)" The "Done. Done. Done." in the Huntrix song is very similar, so this might be your cup of tea. Oh, yeah. BTW, if Psy's "Gangnam Style" didn't exist, this would be the most-watched K-pop music video on YouTube (more than 2B views and counting). Watch the "뚜두뚜두 (DDU-DU DDU-DU)" music video here: ITZY — "Born to Be" Itzy was one of the groups Director Maggie Kang admitted was an inspiration for Huntrix (including BLACKPINK and TWICE). You could pick a ton of Itzy songs for this ("Sorry, Not Sorry" was a great option), but "Born to Be" feels like the perfect concert or movie intro song. Watch the performance for "Born to Be" here: aespa – "Girls" Maybe a dark horse for a comparison, but this song has very similar vibes to "How It's Done." If we get a KPDH 2, a Huntrix dance break would likely elicit an unhinged reaction from the fans. Watch the "Girls" music video here: Song comps for the Huntrix release "Golden": IVE – "I Am" This was the easiest one on the whole list. The second "Golden" started, it gave off big "I Am" vibes. From the planes to the way the music videos are shot, you will become addicted to this song if you enjoy "Golden." Watch the "I Am" music video here: IVE – "Rebel Heart" I HATE to double dip, but I truly believe IVE was a massive inspiration for "Golden." It'd be cool to see the entire group get a chance to cover it, because it really matches their whole concept. Watch the "Rebel Heart" music video here: ITZY — "달라달라(DALLA DALLA)" ITZY's debut song has all the same self-love vibes as "Golden." A little more upbeat, but the themes are all still there. Watch the "DALLA DALLA" music video here: Song comps for the Saja Boys's debut song "Soda Pop": ASTRO — "Candy Sugar Pop" I mean, this is REALLY close. The Soda Pop/Sugar Pop vibes are totally there. Bubbly and bouncy, your shoulders will be bouncing whether you like it or not. Watch the music video for "Candy Sugar Pop" here: SEVENTEEN — "어쩌나 (Oh My!)" My lack of knowledge about boy bands is showing, but I feel comfortable with this comparison. It feels like all boy bands either have "bubbly" or "bad boys" as broad concepts. Watch the music video for "어쩌나 (Oh My!)" here: TWICE — "One Spark" It isn't even their bubbliest song, but there's something there. It's hard to explain. Maybe I'm not bubbly enough for the proper comparison, but the build-up felt very similar to "Soda Pop." Watch the music video for "One Spark" here: Song comps for the Huntrix diss track "Takedown": BLACKPINK — "Kill This Love" The attitude is there and although the themes of the song don't perfectly align, you'll love the iconic horns in this song. Not a perfect comparison, but your area. Watch the music video for "Kill This Love" here: NMIXX — "Dice" This song has a very unique sound compared to many K-pop songs, particularly for NMIXX. I think it has a similar "speed" to "Takedown." Watch the music video for "Dice" here: i-dle — "Nxde" It's tough finding something close to a diss track in K-pop, but "Nxde" has the closest feeling. Like many of their songs, very catchy, with the good kind of attitude problem. Watch the music video for "Nxde" here: Here are some comps for Rumi and Jinu's duet "Free": BTS — "Butterfly" Boy band. Love song vibes. This one feels the closest. Watch the performance for "Butterfly" here: ITZY — "BET ON ME" Focusing on the more self-love elements of "Free," I think "BET ON ME" is an excellent comparison. Beautiful lyrics, and the tempo is a little faster than "Free" but still hits the mark. Watch the music video for "BET ON ME" here: BONUS: "Luther" by Kendrick Lamar, SZA Not a K-pop song, but when I first listened to "Free," I thought it sounded very similar to "Luther." Again, not K-pop, but I think you'd enjoy it if you liked "Free."Watch the music video for "Luther" here. Here are some comps for the Saja Boys' final song "Your Idol": ENHYPHEN — "Bite Me" Boy band begging to be bitten. Where are those demon flames? This song is catchy like "Your Idol" and the concept feels in the same not still that attempt to be alluring. Watch the music video for "Bite Me" here: ATEEZ — "Deja Vu" We're going with both sound and aesthetic for this one. I wouldn't be shocked to hear that ATEEZ had a little bit of influence on the Saja Boys, but trade out demon fire for rain in the music video. Watch the music video for "Deja Vu" here: TXT — "Deja Vu" Although themes are the complete opposite, I feel like this song is the "light side" version of the "dark side" of "Your Idol." Watch the music video for "Deja Vu" here: Here are some comps for the Huntrix song "What It Sounds Like": IVE — "All Night (feat. Saweetie)" The "We could do this all night" part is almost identical to the "This is what it sounds like." It's the perfect comp. Watch the music video for "All Night" here: ITZY — "Wannabe" Although the Huntrix song styles resemble those of BLACKPINK and TWICE, I'd argue that their concept is closer to ITZY. See how well I behaved as a fan? I kept ITZY mentions to a minimum and didn't even mention their latest comeback, "Girls Will Be Girls." *sneaks away* Watch the music video for "Wannabe" here: And lastly, it took some real digging to find the perfect comp, but here's a comp for the featured the TWICE song "Strategy" (hehe): TWICE — "Strategy (feat. Megan Thee Stallion)" Yeah, you can listen to the actual song. Nine members plus one Stallion. Watch the "Strategy" music video here: Which is your favorite KPop Demon Hunters song? Do you have a better comp than the ones listed? Comment below! Watch Kpop Demon Hunters again on Netflix.
