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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Loved Kpop Demon Hunters? Here are 5 other must-watch animated musicals
KPop Demon Hunters was a treat to cherish for animation lovers around the world. Focusing on the rivalry between Huntr/x and the Saja Boys, the movie by Sony Pictures Animation left viewers smitten with its visuals and compelling story. KPop Demon Hunters is out on Netflix.(X/@Netflix) If you have yet to get over the magic of Kpop Demon Hunters, here is a list of similar mind-blowing films on streaming platforms, as per People. Also read: Stranger Things Season 5: Dacre Montgomery shares why he's excited to watch the finale unfold 5 movies like KPop Demon Hunters Kubo and the Two Strings on Netflix This story is about a one-eyed boy named Kubo, the son of a samurai warrior, and his ill mother. Kubo must rely on origami and music to provide for his mother in feudal Japan. It touches on topics such as magic, love, and the healing power of art. Rotten Tomatoes praised the film's 'bravely melancholy' story, which caters to 'audiences of all ages'. On the other hand, The New York Times lauded the movie's clever use of 'stop-motion animation' for 'visually intoxicating' scenes. Turning Red on Disney+ Since Turning Red (2022) contains original songs by pop star Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, it is a must-watch for her fans around the world. Turning Red, by Pixar Animation Studios, narrates the tale of a 13-year-old Meilin Mei Lee and her love for a boy band, 4*Town. As the title itself implies, the movie takes a significant turn when Mei turns into a giant red panda anytime she feels strong emotions. Also read: Adam Scott explains why he was 'terrified' to lead Severance before it became a breakout hit Belle on HBO Max Directed by Mamoru Hosoda, Belle (2021) is a re-imagining of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's Beauty and the Beast. Belle is about a girl named Suzu, who is adept at singing and songwriting. Things take an interesting turn when Suzu embraces the stage name Belle to perform in a virtual world called U. Over the Moon on Netflix A Golden Globe-nominated movie, Over the Moon (2020), revolves around the life of a girl named Fei Fei. After Fei Fei's mother passes away, she ends up traveling to the moon. Among others, Rotten Tomatoes generously sang praises of the film's 'absorbing animation'. Wish Dragon on Netflix If you enjoyed the stunning visuals of KPop Demon Hunters, this movie has to be on your watchlist. Written and directed by Chris Appelhans, Wish Dragon (2021) focuses on a working-class college student, Din Song, in Shanghai. One day, Song meets Long, a wish dragon, who will fulfil three of his master's wishes. FAQs What was the budget for KPop Demon Hunters? The budget for KPop Demon Hunters was $100 million. Did Sony Pictures Animation produce KPop Demon Hunters? Yes, KPop Demon Hunters was produced by Sony Pictures Animation. Is KPop Demon Hunters available on Netflix? Yes, KPop Demon Hunters is available on Netflix.
Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
KPop Demon Hunters took 7 years to make but a lifetime of experience, says creator
NEW YORK – Sin ce its release on Netflix in June, the original animated film KPop Demon Hunters has burned up the internet – and the charts. The musical fantasy has topped the streamer's global rankings and inspired countless memes, dance challenges, themed merchandise and fan art. The movie's equally blockbuster soundtrack has stormed the music charts, with eight of its songs landing on the Billboard Hot 100. KPop Demon Hunters follows the members of Huntrix, a fictional K-pop girl group, as they juggle demanding careers and fight to save the world from soul-stealing demons. The film's directors and co-writers Maggie Kang – a Korean-Canadian veteran storyboard artist on films including Rise Of The Guardians (2012) and Puss In Boots (2011) – and American illustrator Chris Appelhans (who directed 2021's Wish Dragon) spoke about the making of their movie and its unexpected rise as a global cultural phenomenon. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation. Maggie, the story behind KPop Demon Hunters was your idea. What convinced you that a film which combines disparate elements like K-pop, animation, traditional Korean art and mythology, and demons could resonate with so many audiences? Maggie Kang: Well, nothing did . I wa s j ust trying to make something I wanted to see: A movie that celebrated Korean culture. And for some reason, I landed on demonology. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore S'pore's domestic recycling rate drops to all time low of 11% Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kick in Business Singapore's digital banks finding their niche in areas like SMEs as they narrow losses in 2024 Asia Japan Prime Minister Ishiba to resign by August, Mainichi newspaper reports World Trump says US will charge 19% tariff on goods from Philippines, down from 20% Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat Singapore 2 foreigners arrested for shop theft at Changi Airport Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving T he jeoseung saja (grim reapers in Korean mythology) – which is what the members of boy band Saja Boys are at the end of the movie with the black hats and the black robes – was such an iconic image from my childhood that I was very scared of, so I knew I wanted to feature that. And the thought of demons naturally led to demon hunters. I wanted to see female superheroes that were a lot more relatable, who like to eat and make silly faces. We were not trying to make them just pretty, sexy and cool. They ha d i nsecurities and showed that. Demon hunting is usually done very secretly, so these girls needed a public-facing persona. I also wanted to do something K-pop-related. It was like, let's just see if these two things can go together. How did you two end up working together on this project? Chris Appelhans: Aron Warner, the producer who did Wish Dragon, was helping Maggie develop this. He said: 'You should meet Maggie. She's really smart, and this idea is really cool.' He was right. Maggie told me about it, and about 10 minutes in, I was trying to play it coo l, but on the inside, I was like: 'P lease let me work on this movie with you.' When you're trying to make movies, you're looking for somethin g movin g t hat you have not seen before, and they just do not come along very often. This was one of those things. We essentially never disagreed. We had different strengths, but also, I think the sum of our brainpower made for a nice mix. When I first heard the title and read the premise, I was sceptical. How did you pitch your idea to Sony Pictures Animation? Kang: K-content is very popular, and it wa s at the height of boy band BTS' popularity that this was pitched, so I don't think it was a hard s ell. If you were not living under a rock, you knew how big BTS and K-content were. It was almost seven years to the day, from pitching it to the release. I had known Aron for a long time as well. When he landed at Sony with Wish Dragon, he called me and said, 'Do you have anything that you want to pitch me?' I pitched it like, 'It's a K-pop girl group, and they hunt demons secretly.' And he's like, 'I love it.' I thought he was joking. But the next week, he had a deal ready. A few months into development, Sony Pictures Animation president Kristine Belson was like, 'I think this has big movie potential.' So, we started to look for a directing partner, and that's when Chris came on. Korean-American singer-songwrit er Ejae, who does the vocals for (female lead) Rumi, was on super early and wrote a couple of demos for the first song, How It's Done, and a version of the duet Free. We played those two as proof of concept for music. Eight of animation film KPop Demon Hunters' songs have landed on the Billboard Hot 100. PHOTO: NETFLIX Did you have a particular audience in mind? There are many people who are not K-pop fans who are enjoying this movie. Kang: When I was a teenager and loved K-pop, I spent all my money on that. I went to an all-girls school, and when Titanic (1997) came out, I had friends who watched it in the theatres like seven, eight times. I was like, why isn't anybody tapping this obsessive, teenage girl love? So, I was trying to make a movie for my current self, of course, but also for my teenage self. Recently, somebody said, 'It seems like you made a movie for teenage girls, but maybe there's a teenage girl in everybody.' Romance, friendship and the idea of shame and hiding yourself – I think there are a lot of themes and ideas that are speaking to a global audience because they're something that everybody relates to. That is also the reason I wanted to make the movie as Korean as possible, because I wanted to prove it does not matter what culture something is set in. It's all about the characters and the story. NYTIMES KPop Demon Hunters is available on Netflix.
Bangkok Post
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
Don't miss Netflix's chart-topping love letter to K-pop
Netflix recently released the animated musical fantasy film KPop Demon Hunters, which was met by an overwhelmingly positive response by viewers worldwide. KPop Demon Hunters follows Huntr/x, a K-pop girl group composed of three talented performers -- Rumi, Zoey and Mira -- hiding a secret (when they're not performing onstage for fans, they're ruthlessly hunting soul-stealing demons). However, the girls meet a roadblock when demon ruler Gwi-ma grows frustrated at his subjects' failures. With the help of one of his most tortured demons, Jinu, they create Saja Boys: a K-pop boy group to rival Huntr/x, consisting of Jinu and four other demons, in an attempt to steal Huntr/x's fans and their souls. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, the studio that animated Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse and Wish Dragon, KPop Demon Hunters is a love letter to the world of K-pop and draws inspiration from the Korean entertainment industry and idol groups. For example, Huntr/x is modelled after girl groups such as Itzy, Blackpink and Twice. Meanwhile, Saja Boys are modelled after boy groups like Tomorrow X Together, BTS, Stray Kids, Ateez, Big Bang and Monsta X. The series also pays homage to South Korean culture, featuring traditional clothing and objects as well as loveable animals, illustrated in the style of Korean folk art. The film has been well-received, not only for of its stunning animation and characters, but also because of its soundtrack, which debuted at No.8 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States, making it a hit with both K-pop fans as well as locals.
Mint
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
‘K-Pop Demon Hunters' take over the world: Netflix's newest hit goes global, tops Netflix in 26 countries
Netflix's latest animated sensation, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters', is proving that magical girl groups can do far more than dominate the charts—they can save the world, too. Co-directed by Korean-American filmmaker Maggie Kang and Wish Dragon's Chris Appelhans, the series debuted on June 20 and quickly soared to global fame, topping Netflix's worldwide charts within 48 hours of release. According to data from FlixPatrol, the series claimed the No. 1 spot in 26 countries between June 21 and 22 and secured a place in the Top 10 in 93 nations. While its popularity in Asia was expected, the show has struck a chord with viewers across continents, enjoying breakout success in the US, UK, France, Germany, and India. Blending the high-octane glamour of K-pop with pulse-pounding supernatural action, 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' follows Huntrix, a fierce trio of idol stars whose concerts double as covert missions to protect humanity. Using music to maintain a mystical barrier known as the "honmoon," the trio battles demonic threats under the blinding lights of the stage. Their main adversary is Gwi-ma, a soul-devouring spirit king who sends evil in the form of a rival boy band, the Saja Boys. The series features a star-studded Korean voice cast, including Squid Game's Lee Byung-hun as the menacing Gwi-ma and singer-actor Ahn Hyo-seop as Jinu, the enigmatic leader of the Saja Boys. With its vibrant animation, catchy soundtrack, and seamless blend of pop culture and fantasy, K-Pop Demon Hunters has become more than a hit show—it's a global phenomenon. Fans around the world are already calling for sequels, merchandise, and even live concerts, proving that the fusion of K-pop and demon-slaying might just be the perfect pop culture storm.
