Latest news with #Gwi-ma
Korea Herald
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Animation ‘K-pop Demon Hunters' hits No. 1 on Netflix in 26 countries, tops 93 charts
An animated film about a K-pop girl group that battles evil spirits is now one of Netflix's most-watched titles worldwide. "K-Pop Demon Hunters," co-directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, debuted June 20 and quickly topped Netflix's global chart, according to data from FlixPatrol. Between June 21 and 22, it held the No. 1 position globally, ranking first in 26 countries and landing in the Top 10 in 93. Viewership has been especially strong not only in Asia but also in the US, France and Germany. The film follows Huntrix, a K-pop trio whose concerts double as supernatural missions. On stage, they use music to maintain a magical barrier called the "honmoon," which protects the human world from demonic forces. Their main rival is Gwi-ma, a spirit king who preys on human souls and sends demons to defeat the hunters in the form of a boy band, the Saja Boys. The voice cast includes major Korean stars. Actor Lee Byung-hun from "Squid Game" plays Gwi-ma, and actor-singer Ahn Hyo-seop voices Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the film blends fast-paced action, fantasy and musical drama. Although primarily in English, the film includes Korean dialogue and is packed with culturally specific details, from folklore creatures like "dokkaebi" (Korean goblins) to everyday habits like visiting traditional medicine clinics and bathhouses. Audiences have embraced both the visual design and the music. K-pop producer Teddy contributed to the soundtrack, including Huntrix's 'Golden' and Saja Boys' 'Soda Pop.' Twice's Jeongyeon, Chaeyeong and Jihyo perform the film's opening number, 'Takedown,' and MeloMance's 'Love, Maybe' and Exo's "Love Me Right" play in their original Korean versions. Critics and viewers agree on the appeal of "K-pop Demon Hunters." As of June 24, it holds a 96 percent critic score and 91 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film's success reinforces Netflix's belief that 'great stories can resonate everywhere, regardless of language or culture," as Kim Min-young, head of Netflix's Asia-Pacific content division, said earlier this year.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘KPop Demon Hunters' Review: Singing, Slinging and Slashing
Lest you roll your eyes and think of it as a four-quadrant-friendlier version of 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,' 'KPop Demon Hunters' immediately establishes its premise, getting any prospective scoffing out of the way. For generations, a voice-over intro explains, girl groups have used their popular songs to secretly trap hordes of demons underground and keep the world safe. The latest group on their trail? Huntrix, a K-pop girl band that, in its fight against the sinister Gwi-ma (Lee Byung-hun) and his demons, is close to completing the Golden Honmoon, a protective barrier that will permanently keep evil forces at bay. But the girl group soon faces its toughest challenge yet: a demon boy band. With that somewhat silly logline behind us, what we'll find in this Netflix animated film, directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, is an original universe that is charming, funny and artfully punchy. It's a Sony Pictures Animation film that shares a kind of lineage with the studio's recent hit 'Spider-Verse' franchise that is most apparent in the similar visual style. But otherwise what it borrows mostly is a more holistic and technical sense of the cinematic, a philosophy of approach that is rare in big-budget animation films. The action sequences are fluid and immersive, the art is frequently striking and the music (catchy, if formulaic earworms) is a properly wielded and dynamic storytelling tool. And as for the cheesy girl group vs. boy band story, Kang and Appelhans have a sly sense of humor about it all, too; the movie is funniest when it pokes at pop culture that is highly manufactured, from K-pop to K-dramas to mass-produced singing competitions — the very things the film itself would never stoop to. Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes. Watch on Netflix.
