Latest news with #IanEisendrath
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Internet Is Obsessed With KPop Demon Hunters' Music, And I Had One Big Question For The Directors About It
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Right now, KPop Demon Hunters is captivating those who watch it with a Netflix subscription, it's breaking Netflix records, and it's dominating the music charts. This entry on the 2025 movie schedule has taken the world by storm, and now a bunch of its songs are probably stuck in millions of people's heads, which I love to see. Seeing all this success also reminded me of a question I asked the directors about this movie and its music: Is this a musical? Before KPop Demon Hunters premiered on Netflix's 2025 schedule, I had the chance to interview its directors, Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang. During that discussion, I asked them a question that could easily spark debate, which was: Is their movie a musical or a movie about music? In response, they told me it's both; however, they came to that conclusion, especially the musical part, 'reluctantly,' as Appelhans told me: I think we would reluctantly consider it a musical now, because it was such an education for us. You had to progress the scene with every song; the lyrics needed to not repeat themselves, all while staying cool, being a good pop song, and that was really hard. We had an incredible executive music producer, Ian Eisendrath. And I think beyond his musical gifts, he's a good storyteller, and he would ask really hard, annoying questions about, 'Yeah, but what does this character want?' Think about it, 'Your Idol' tells us exactly how the Saja Boys are here to take everyone down by making them swoon for their music. 'Takedown' literally explains and shows exactly how frustrated Huntrix is with the Saja Boys and the challenges they're presenting. 'Golden' introduces us to the girls' vulnerable sides and their drive as artists while also being the single Huntrix releases in the film. As all musicals do, this movie's music drives the plot forward. Therefore, it's a musical. It's also worth noting that the executive music producer the director mentioned, Ian Eisendrath, is no stranger to working on musicals. His Broadway credits for music supervision and arrangements include Diana, A Christmas Story and Come From Away. Along with that, he was the executive music producer on the live-action Snow White, and he was an executive music consultant on one of the great musicals and best movies of 2024, Wicked. So, he knows how to tell a story with music and helped do so masterfully on KPop Demon Hunters. However, this movie isn't just a great musical. It has great music, point blank. What they did was craft excellent pop songs that also serve as story devices. So, rather than feeling like you're in a conventional musical, you are hearing these incredible, radio-worthy K-pop tracks that also happen to drive the narrative forward, which was the goal, as Appelhans told me: But I think that ultimately, if we did it right, then it shouldn't feel like a musical. It should feel like a concert film. And then you slowly realize, like, 'Wait, this song is story,' but never break the pop spell. Well, they never broke that 'pop spell'; if anything, they used it to get all this music stuck in everyone who watches the movie's heads. Need proof of that? According to Billboard, 'Golden' is No. 1 on the Global 200 and No. 2 on the Hot 100, while 'Soda Pop,' 'Your Idol' and 'How It's Done' sit at No. 5, 6 and 7, respectively, on the Global 200. The film's soundtrack is No. 3 on the Billboard 200. That's not it either; many of the film's other songs are charting too, showing the adoration this music has. On top of that, many of the movie's tracks have tens of millions of views on YouTube, with 'Golden' sitting at 106 million. So, I'd say this team accomplished exactly what they set out to do. They made a brilliant, and I mean brilliant, movie that uses its music to propel the story of this iconic girl group forward, which makes it a musical. However, they also created incredible pop songs that make you feel like you're at a K-pop concert. It really is the best of both worlds, and I think it's one of the many reasons why KPop Demon Hunters is dominating the world right now. Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Meet The Man Behind The Music Of ‘KPop Demon Hunters': Ian Eisendrath
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 16: (L-R) Ian Eisendrath and Michelle Wong attend the KPop Demon ... More Hunters Special Screening at Netflix Tudum Theater on June 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Netflix) Netflix's animated film, KPop Demon Hunters, has become a pop culture phenomenon. It's impossible to ignore its global sensation, as it hit No. 1 on the streaming network for several weeks, topped the music charts with its soundtrack, was the top topic on every social media platform, and is even being promoted by Netflix for Oscar submissions for Best Original Song. Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the film follows a K-pop girl group who moonlight as demon hunters, protecting humanity against supernatural threats. They face their biggest threat from a rival group, the Saja Boys, who are demons in disguise. The music has been heavily praised by critics, fans, and those in the K-pop industry, including BTS, MonstaX, EXO, Enhypen, Wonho, ITZY, and more. Executive music producer Ian Eisendrath is amazed by the reception because he was so focused on the task at hand during production that he didn't think about the potential reactions. 'When you work on these things, you're in a tunnel,' Eisendrath says over Zoom. 'You're almost blind [because] you're moving forward and dealing with all of the challenges of making something original. Having the film receive the way it is, paying off emotionally, and speaking to a contemporary audience is so thrilling.' As executive music producer, Eisendrath wore many hats for the film: conductor, arranger, music and vocal producer, and more. He's been praised by the directors and his music team as the reason for the success of the music and their performances. Eisendrath says it was a team effort. 'I was just the luckiest person,' he says. 'The main thing I got to do was harness all of the incredible creativity, experience, and authenticity of these artists. That was my favorite thing. How do we bring these hitmakers from the pop world into a theatrical world while letting them do the thing they do best?' In the early stages of KPop Demon Hunters, Kang and Appelhans discussed the film being a non-traditional musical, which meant the music had no direct involvement with the storytelling; however, this proved to be difficult for a movie centering on K-pop idols. They had to connect the music with the story, which is where Eisendrath came in. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 16: Ian Eisendrath and Ejae attend Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" ... More Special Screening at Netflix Tudum Theater on June 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) The Olivier Award-winning, Grammy-nominated music producer was first approached by Spring Aspers, President of Music at Sony Motion Picture Group, to work on Kpop Demon Hunters, after they had worked together on Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. Eisendrath was no stranger to tying in musicals with film and television. He had worked as the music supervisor, arranger, and conductor for the critically-acclaimed Broadway musical Come From Away, and as executive music producer for Disney's live-action Snow White, Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, and Sony Pictures' Lyle Lyle Crocodile. He knew how to connect music into the story and build it from there, because he's always been interested in this kind of storytelling. 'I went to the University of Michigan School of Music and started as a theater-directing and music major,' he explains. 'I've always been interested in music dramaturgy – what a song, both musically and lyrically, can do for the narrative experience. I've always been interested in how we make musical theater and film musicals, all of which reach an audience beyond your typical Broadway or musical-loving audience.' He understands the first song is key to gaining the audience's trust and, from there, creating moments where the characters' singing feels earned, welcomed, and organic. Working closely with the directorial team and the music team, he collaborated with both to blend their efforts and tell the story effectively. 'My background was the directing side and the music side,' he describes. 'With all the stuff I've done in theatre, it's the same job as bringing everything together. I truly love the process on the mixing and music editorial side and working with all of these artists who all have their specialty and learning to speak their [music] language and understanding each person's aesthetic, paradigm, and how we bring that all together.' Eisendrath teamed up with K-pop music giants THEBLACKLABEL and other songwriters to craft lyrics that sound like pop music, while also uncovering character development and story. He explains, '[The movie leads] are singers, and a large percentage of the songs are performances. However, you can't just sing a song. If you're going to take up two to four minutes of screen time, even if it's in performance, there needs to be something serving the story, the action, the dramatic arc of the characters, the microcosm of the moment, and then the whole arc of the film itself. It was wonderful wrestling as a team to figure out where that line was.' The team wrote several songs for each scene, but as the story evolved, so did the lyrics and sound. Over the course of three years, the story changed the vibe, timing, and everything, but more songs continued to emerge organically with it all. 'The other thing that was really special about this was the alchemy of the number of songwriting voices that were brought to this film,' He says, crediting Aspers for her constant guidance through it. 'It felt like the Avengers of pop [music]. It was an amazing team. It was a wonderful community and collaboration.' LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 16: Anne Eisendrath and Ian Eisendrath attend Netflix's "KPop Demon ... More Hunters" Special Screening at Netflix Tudum Theater on June 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Eisendrath was also excited to be working in the Korean pop world. He listened to some songs before signing onto the project and thought it could be a theatrical genre, hoping someone would adapt it into a musical or film. But when he was hired onto the project, he began to immerse himself in the K-pop world. Kang and the songwriters sent him several K-pop playlists to listen to. The Spotify algorithm then showed him several 'amazing' K-pop playlists. 'I listened to it all,' he says enthusiastically. 'Honestly, the more I got to know [the music, I recognized] there's a vibe. There is sort of this EDM dance element to it, which I love, and highly-edited, multi-layered vocals. I was instantly attracted [to it]. This is going to be so amazing for the film.' He became a student of the genre, learning about the music in depth, including the various types of K-pop styles. He noticed how huge, emotional, and over-the-top it was in a theatrical way, which made it perfect for the theatre. 'It's perfect for characters to sing and dance to,' he says. 'There's such variety. These tracks are huge—hundreds and hundreds of vocal tracks on every song. There are so many elements in these tracks. We had a big choir ensemble that sang on many of the tracks.' He has become a fan of almost every K-pop group – both past and present, including IDLE (formerly (G)IDLE), BLACKPINK, BTS, and Stray Kids. He emphasized that he loves them all and couldn't list them all, as there are so many groups. 'There's just so much great stuff out there,' he admits. 'I fell in love with everything, but that's how I am when I'm doing these projects. My career has involved many projects with a specific musical heritage and culture. I don't approach it with 'What do I love or what I don't love?' It's more like an obsession with getting to know it. I just fell in love with so many groups.' It also includes TWICE, who worked on the soundtrack version of 'Takedown.' Eisendrath states that the decision to have three members of TWICE participate in the film was made possible by Aspers and Dana Sano, Executive Vice President of Film & Television. 'The two of them sought out TWICE and brought them to us,' says Eisendrath. 'It was a game changer for me. This was the biggest [indicator] that we might be on the right track because my biggest fear was that this would not land with the K-pop audience. The fact that TWICE was excited and wanted to perform a song, [I thought], 'Okay, we're going in the right direction.' They're such a natural choice for this. It's incredible.' Since the film and its music have garnered a lot of attention, many speculate that a sequel is imminent. When asked if he thought about other Korean artists that he'd be interested in collaborating with for the film or in other outside projects, he hasn't thought that far ahead yet – even hypothetically. He is interested in exploring the other sub-genres of K-pop, but it would depend on the story. 'The story drives everything and the content will dictate form,' Eisendrath says. 'That would all depend on what the story is, who is singing, what they need, and then from there, all the references will add up.'
The South African
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
KPop Demon Hunters becomes 2025's top soundtrack
The soundtrack for Netflix's animated film KPop Demon Hunters has surged to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in its second week. This makes it the highest-charting soundtrack of 2025 so far. This remarkable rise follows its debut at No. 8, marking a significant leap and setting a new benchmark for soundtracks this year. The album's success is historic. It is the highest-ranking soundtrack for an animated film since Encanto dominated the charts in 2022. The soundtrack earned 62,000 equivalent album units in the latest tracking week. Physical sales contributed 4,500 units and streaming accounting for 56,000 units, according to Billboard. This is a 108% increase, equating to 77.42 million on-demand official streams. This is the largest streaming week for a soundtrack in nearly two years, just shy of the Barbie soundtrack's record in August 2023. Featuring tracks from fictional K-pop groups HUNTR/X and Saja Boys, the soundtrack blends real-world K-pop talent with cinematic storytelling. Songs like Take Down and Golden by HUNTR/X, and Idol by Saja Boys, have captivated global audiences. The album also includes an alternate version of Take Down performed by members of the real K-pop group TWICE. This adds authenticity and star power to the project. The film itself premiered on Netflix on 20 June. It quickly climbed to No. 2 on Netflix's Top 10 Movies in the United States during its second week. The story follows a fictional K-pop girl group who secretly battle demons, blending thrilling action with catchy music that resonates worldwide. Ian Eisendrath, the soundtrack's executive music producer, said, 'We aimed to create a soundtrack that not only complements the film's narrative but also stands alone as a powerful musical experience. The success of Golden and other tracks shows how K-pop's global influence continues to grow.' He added that they plan to submit Golden for awards consideration, highlighting the soundtrack's artistic impact. This global phenomenon reflects the growing international appeal of K-pop and animated storytelling. South African fans of K-pop and pop culture will find the soundtrack's fusion of music and narrative compelling. The soundtrack's success also underscores the power of streaming platforms like Netflix and Spotify to bring diverse global content to local audiences. As one fan commented on social media, 'The soundtrack is infectious! It's amazing to see K-pop's energy combined with animation, it's a fresh, exciting experience for us here.' Another noted, 'My kids love it, and honestly, so do I. It's a cultural moment worth celebrating.' KPop Demon Hunters has not only dominated charts globally but also set a new standard for animated film soundtracks in 2025. Its blend of thrilling storytelling, catchy K-pop tunes, and strong streaming performance makes it a landmark release with worldwide resonance. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
News18
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
K-Pop Demon Hunters To Enter Award Race With The Song Golden
Last Updated: Since its debut, Golden has broken several records, including peaking at No. 3 on the US Spotify chart. Netflix's new animated film KPop Demon Hunters, directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, has taken the world by storm. Debuting with 9.2 million views on the streaming platform in its first week, and then reaching 24.2 million views in its second week, the musical fantasy film was on Netflix's Top 10 chart in all 93 countries. It also topped the chart in 33 countries, including South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, France and the Philippines. Given its popularity among the masses, the streaming platform has decided to officially submit KPop Demon Hunters' song Golden for awards consideration, as reported by Variety. The film's hit track was also released as an official single by Republic Records on July 4. It has been released as a three-track bundle, which includes Golden, Golden – Instrumental, and Golden – A Cappella. Golden is performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI. It was written by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick, and produced by well-known names like 24, Ido, Teddy Park and Ian Eisendrath. Since its debut, the song has broken several records. Golden peaked at No. 3 on the US Spotify chart, tying as the highest-charting song by a female K-pop group. It reached No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also witnessed a 2000 per cent increase in streams on Apple Music. Since the release of KPop Demon Hunters on June 20, its soundtrack has taken a prominent place on the music charts. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, becoming the highest soundtrack debut of 2025. Moreover, the fictional K-pop group Huntr/x has become the top female group on Spotify in terms of daily streams, and the album has also topped the most-streamed project on Spotify daily. Golden has continued with its winning streak, becoming the most-streamed hit from the soundtrack. Composer Ian Eisendrath told the above-mentioned outlet that Golden was the sixth song written for the film. The composer revealed that the team wanted each song to contribute to the film's story, rather than just serving as background music. Golden plays when Huntr/x tries to shut down the Golden Honmoon, a barrier between their world and that of the demons. It was then revealed that Rumi, a member of the girl group, was part demon, bearing marks on her arms all along. 'The bridge is totally a narrative character. It's the moment that the conflict, in many ways, enters the story. It just has so much joy and reach and yearning and longing," said Ian. KPop Demon Hunters follows the story of Rumi, Mira and Zoey, members of a K-pop girl group Huntr/x, who are secretly demon hunters. They face the Saja Boys, whose members are demons. The film features the voices of Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo Seop, May Hong, Ji Young Yoo and Lee Byung Hun, among others. First Published:
Pink Villa
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Calls for KPop Demon Hunters 2 Grow as Netflix Animation Pushes Soundtrack Golden for Awards Consideration
Netflix is pushing its hit animated film KPop Demon Hunters into the awards race. Variety confirmed that the streamer will officially submit the movie's standout track 'Golden' for awards consideration. Released on June 20, KPop Demon Hunters follows Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, three members of the fictional K-Pop girl group Huntr/x. In the film, the trio uses their voices to fight soul-eating demons and protect their loyal fans. The animated feature, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, quickly made waves. The film debuted with 9.2 million views on Netflix in its first week and climbed to 24.2 million views in its second week. It reached Netflix's Top 10 in all 93 countries tracked and hit No. 1 in 33 countries, including South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, France, and the Philippines. 'Golden' gets official single release The anthem 'Golden' has become a major hit from the film's soundtrack. The track will be released as an official single by Republic Records on Friday, July 4. The single will include three versions: 'Golden,' 'Golden - Instrumental,' and Golden - A Cappella. The film's soundtrack debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest soundtrack debut of 2025. Huntr/x is now the top female group on Spotify by daily streams, and the album is the most-streamed project daily on the platform. Here's why 'Golden' stands out 'Golden' is performed by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI. It was written by EJAE and Mark Sonnenblick, and produced by 24, Ido, Teddy Park, and Ian Eisendrath. The song is now the most-streamed track from the KPop Demon Hunters album worldwide. The song ties as the highest-charting song by a female K-Pop group in U.S. Spotify history, peaking at No. 3. It also debuted at No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has seen a 2000% increase in streams on Apple Music since its release. Composer Ian Eisendrath told Variety that 'Golden' was the sixth song written for the film. 'Our goal from day one was to have the songs double-function as songs that forward or comment on the action story, because I do not believe you can take up screen time and not have it do something for the story,' Eisendrath said. In the movie, Huntr/x performs 'Golden' while sealing the Golden Honmoon, a barrier to keep demons away. The emotional bridge reveals lead singer Rumi's secret: she is part-demon, with marks on her arms. 'The bridge is totally a narrative character,' Eisendrath added. 'It's the moment that the conflict, in many ways, enters the story. It just has so much joy and reach and yearning and longing.'
