Latest news with #KPop
Forbes
30 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Netflix Says ‘KPop Demon Hunters' Just Made History With A New Record
Kpop Demon Hunters It is hard to describe just how much of a strange, unprecedented success that KPop Demon Hunters is for Netflix, the animated film that has produced #1 musical hits, surpassing actual KPop artists' records of the likes of BTS and BLACKPINK. Now, Netflix has officially announced that KPop Demon Hunters has done something that no other movie has done on the service. It has reached a new viewing peak five weeks after its original release. I previously remarked that I believed it had set another record as the most 'resilient' Netflix movie, occasionally being knocked down to #2 or #3 in the Top 10 list before making it back to #1. I've never seen any movie do that in all the years I've covered the site. But Netflix has the actual data behind this, and hitting a new peak this late is the level of word of mouth you never see. How is this happening? My guess is that the musical angle of this is the key. These songs have raced up every type of music industry chart there is, and when listeners figure out this is a fictional group from a Netflix movie they…want to go watch that Netflix movie. So here we are. It's also an extremely rewatchable film, and with so many songs, you can almost watch it on repeat like a sort of visual album. The question now is what happens next with the KPop Demon Hunters franchise as yes, this is about to be a franchise. Rumi actress Arden Cho has been tweeting about all the movie's achievements for weeks, and on July 19, said, 'Can we be #1 until Netflix confirms a sequel? Pretty please @Netflix.' So, as of a few days ago, nobody told her one was happening, but…it's happening. Or something else is. A sequel to KPop Demon Hunters is the most logical concept, of course. But you can also imagine that it could turn into an ongoing series rather than just another film. I've also heard the idea floated of making a live-action adaptation of it, but I can't say I find that to be a terribly good idea. Something will be announced soon. The problem is when that something else will come, as I can't imagine this movie was concocted with a sequel already moving forward behind the scenes. So, starting from scratch and using this style of insanely good Sony animation is a recipe for a long gap. But the sooner a sequel or something is announced, the sooner they can get started. The news should be coming soon; I'm sure details are just being worked out behind the scenes. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix hit dominated charts with 25.8 million views this week
1. KPop Demon Hunters 2. Madea's Destination Wedding With 16.5 million views this week, Madea's Destination Wedding secures the second spot on the streaming giant's most-watched list. In this film, Madea and family attend Tiffany's rushed destination wedding in the Bahamas. Tensions arise as Tiffany doubts her fiance, Zavier, and her mother acts strangely, raising suspicions about the marriage's legitimacy. If you're looking for a comedy, this could be a great choice. 3. Trainwreck: Balloon Boy 4. The Old Guard 2 5. Lost on a Mountain in Maine With 4.6 million views this week, Lost on a Mountain in Maine takes the fifth spot on Netflix's global charts. In this movie, a fierce storm leaves a 12-year-old boy stranded during a family hike on Maine's highest peak, prompting a nine-day fight for survival in the wilderness. If you're looking for an adventure drama, consider giving this a watch. 6. Happy Gilmore With 4 million views this week, Happy Gilmore claims the sixth spot on the streaming giant's global charts. In this 1996 film, a would-be hockey player takes his wicked slap shot and anger issues to the world of professional golf to win enough money to save his grandma's house. You're in for a good laugh with this movie! Be sure to give this a watch before Happy Gilmore 2 comes out on July 25. 7. Ride Along 2 8. A Madea Homecoming 9. Smile 2 10. The Boss Baby
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paramount Sets Original, Untitled K-Pop Movie for February 2027 Release
Paramount has set an untitled K-Pop film co-produced by Korean entertainment company Hybe America for release on Feb. 12, 2027. The film will star Ji-young Yoo, who most recently starred in the breakout Netflix/Sony Animation hit 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' as well as Eric Nam, who will star in the upcoming 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' feature film 'The Legend of Aang.' Yoo will play 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. More from TheWrap Paramount, Skydance and National Amusements Meet With FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez as Merger Approval Looms Alison Brie Adorably Freaks Out When Husband Dave Franco Reveals His First Celebrity Crush: 'This is Bullsh-t' | Video 'Clayface': Naomi Ackie Being Eyed to Star Opposite Tom Rhys Harries 'The Nightingale' With Dakota and Elle Fanning Sets February 2027 Release From TriStar Benson Lee, director of the 2015 Sundance teen comedy 'Seoul Searching,' is attached to the film, which is set to be the first American production shot entirely in South Korea. 'This film is my love letter to K-pop — its energy, passion, magic and the incredible community behind it. 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. This one's for the dreamers,' Lee said in a Tuesday statement. Paramount's film division president, Michael Ireland, originally oversaw the project during its development at 20th Century Fox before acquiring it in turnaround from Disney and bringing it to Paramount under current studio head Brian Robbins. The film is produced by James Shin of Hybe America, Arthur Spector and Joshua Davis of Epic Magazine and Scooter Braun. Executive producers include Joshuah Bearman of Epic Magazine, John Zaozirny and Scott Manson. Bryan Oh, Paramount's SVP of production, is overseeing the project on behalf of the studio. Yoo is repped by Entertainment 360, Gersh, Viewpoint and Del Shaw Moonves. Nam is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and The Lede Company. The post Paramount Sets Original, Untitled K-Pop Movie for February 2027 Release appeared first on TheWrap.
Buzz Feed
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
21 KPop Demon Hunters Behind The Scenes Facts
Do you love all things TV and movies? Subscribe to the Screen Time newsletter to get your weekly dose of what to watch next and what everyone is flailing over from someone who watches everything! First, director and writer Maggie Kang thought of the idea for KPop Demon Hunters because she wanted to create a movie that "was set in Korean culture" and acts as a "love letter to K-pop and [her] Korean roots." So, she researched mythology and demonology in Korean culture and thought that a story about it could make an animated movie "visually unique from what we've seen in mainstream media." She told Animation Magazine, "I've also always wanted to do a group of amazing kick-ass women. [Production designer] Helen Chen draws these amazing, beautiful female superheroes who are not overly sexualized but still very strong and feminine. I thought about a daily job that they could do, and Kpop just came to mind and became the pitching point of the movie." Maggie Kang's other main objective was to portray women in ways that she's "always wanted to see women portrayed, especially in a superhero movie." So, she wanted them to be "funny and silly and goofy and messy, as well as cool and aspirational and sexy." What made the characters of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey fun to create was that their on-stage and off-stage personas were able to be so different. While they are a polished and united group on stage, they are able to be flawed behind the scenes. It took roughly nine years to get KPop Demon Hunters made, with Maggie Kang revealing that Rumi was actually originally created for another project by her partner Radford Sechrist, who is a story artist and animator, who is best known for creating Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. In a Reddit AMA, Kang said, "The character of Rumi was created 9yrs ago, for another project- specifically my partner Rad Sechrist's Plastic Walrus. KPop was born in June or July of 2018. When we created this KPop IP I loved the design of Rumi so I plucked her out and made her the MC of KPop." The film also drew inspiration from Bong Joon Ho films, with Maggie Kang telling Animation Magazine, "Another thing I wanted to pull off is similar to how Bong Joon Ho juggles so many different tones in his films to where they feel very animated. They're very comical but they're very dark, and so we try to do that in our film." Music videos, Korean photography, concert lighting, anime, and K-dramas were also inspirations for KPop Demon Hunters. For HUNTR/X, early inspiration for their character designs and music came from 2NE1, BLACKPINK, ITZY, TWICE, and more. The film worked with THEBLACKLABEL, a South Korean record label founded by Teddy Park and Kush on the music, so naturally their recording artists, like BLACKPINK, were big influences for HUNTR/X's look and sound. Maggie Kang told Mashable, "Teddy and the team really wanted to create something new, with its own sound and identity. I knew I wanted the girls to be tough. They're not just idols, they're warriors. That alone gives them a different energy." As for the Saja Boys, the team drew inspiration from Tomorrow X Together, BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, Monsta X, and more for both the look and sound of the band, but also the fans who become infatuated with the group. Speaking to Forbes, Maggie Kang said, "There are many more that served as inspiration – both in and out of K-pop, but they all follow the same archetype. There's always a muscular one who shows off their abs, one who was the romantic type, and the baby of the group." For the Saja Boys, while they all have their own distinct styles, they actually "all share the same CG body, except for Abby Saja, because he's a little bit bigger," according to Maggie Kang. She added, "We bulked him up like 20%." Jinu does have his own distinct look from the rest of the Saja Boys, and it was inspired by K-drama actors Cha Eun-woo and Nam Joo-hyuk. The goal was to have Jinu have a very classic Korean look, which was why they gave him dark hair. Jinu was voiced by Ahn Hyo-seop, who is also a popular actor and singer. Meanwhile, Korean model Ahn So Yeon was the inspiration for Mira, who is the more fashion-forward character of the trio. Unlike with the Saja Boys, where they all look relatively the same, Maggie Kang's objective for HUNTR/X was that they all have very different looks from each other. Kang told Forbes, "Even with the way we animated them [they are distinct]. With their smile, you'll notice Zoey has more of a heart-shaped mouth when she expresses herself. We wanted Mira to be long and lean because I love that look on a woman. I think that's so beautiful. With Rumi, we leaned into a very classic, beautiful Korean look." Early inspiration for how the demon hunters used music throughout generations came from Maggie Kang and co-director and co-writer Chris Appelhans being inspired by traditional Korean mudang dancers, who were women who performed protective rituals. Appelhans recalled thinking, "Isn't that kind of like the first concert?" He added, "That idea clicked: music as a way to connect people and push away darkness." "From there, everything opened up. It gave us a foundation for the girls' identities, their costumes, the mythology, even the stage visuals. And with the Saja Boys, we had fun playing with the idea of a dark, seductive boy band, literally demons in disguise," Appelhans explained to Mashable. The design for Jinu's tiger, who has affectionately been named "derpy tiger," was based on minhwa, according to Maggie Kang. Minhwa is a traditional Korean folk art, which was big during the 17th to 19th centuries, during the Joseon era. The paintings were a symbol of "hope, prosperity, and well-being," which often used bright colors. The Hojak-do genre notably specialized in images of tigers and more. "It's very goofy, and that is the reason why we call him Derpy Tiger. Those drawings are very derpy. He's always wally-eyed and weird-looking," Kang told husband, Radford Sechrist, was the lead animator for Jinu's tiger. He also told Salon, "I would say 90% based on the minhwa artwork, which was incredible to reference and 10% is our cat" There are a few TWICE Easter eggs hidden throughout the film. First, you can spot TWICE listed on the charts when Bobby pulls out his phone. You can also see TWICE (and Meovv) posters in the hallway backstage at the Idol Awards. While writing and creating the songs for the Saja Boys, Chris Appelhans told Mashable they purposefully wrote songs that were "super catchy, but slightly hollow," to emphasize that they are the demons in the story. He added, "There's no real soul underneath." Appelhans also told Mashable, "The idea was that the surface-level part of your heart might be obsessed with the boys, but the deeper part is moved by the girls."Danny Chung, who is part of THEBLACKLABEL and wrote "Soda Pop" voices Baby Saja, too. HUNTR/X's lyrics and songs were written with the intention of having deep meanings behind the words. Chris Appelhans told Mashable, "It's that feeling when an artist shares something raw, like 'drivers license' or Lemonade, and you're stunned they went there, but you feel it so deeply. That's the space we wanted HUNTR/X to live in." Maggie Kang added to Mashable, "The boys' lyrics are all 'give me, give me,' and the girls' final song is about giving themselves to the audience." Arden Cho initially auditioned for the role of Celine, but was then encouraged to read for the role of Rumi. Speaking about booking the role, she told Navar, via AllKPop, "I was overjoyed beyond words. Even after 20 years of acting, I wondered, 'Is it okay for me to want this role so badly?'" She continued, saying, "Director Maggie Kang, I, and all the HUNTR/X members share Korean heritage. K-Pop Demon Hunters is about more than K-pop: it showcases Korean warmth, unity, and how that helps overcome crises. I really wanted to help spread that message of 'us'." EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI provide the singing voices for Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, respectively. Meanwhile, Lea Salonga, who is best known for her theater work and for being the singing voice for Mulan and Princess Jasmine, provided the singing voice for Celine. Arden Cho, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, and Yunkin Kim voiced the characters, respectively. Due to the fact that HUNTR/X performs on stage, hunts demons, and we see them in their everyday lives too, the movie actually consists of the most costume looks ever for an animated movie. "When it comes to demon hunting and music making, they all have their own role and it comes together in a magical way," Maggie Kang added during an interview with Netflix. The team took musical inspirations from various artists when it came to writing and producing the songs. For example, "What It Sounds Like" was inspired by Lorde's "Green Light," with Chris Appelhans saying in a Reddit AMA, "Green Light (Lorde), is both vulnerable + anthemic and helped us believe we could achieve both in our finale." He also referenced Imogen Heap for Rumi's part of the song, writing, "The vocoder vocals in Hide and Seek (Imogen Heap) inspired us for Rumi trying to reconcile both parts of herself and find her 'true voice'." Originally, the movie included a final standoff song between Rumi and Celine. However, it was cut because it "didn't fit the arc of the story," according to music supervisor Ian Eisendrath. In a Reddit AMA, Eisendrath described the song as "really cool." Also speaking about writing the songs, he said, "First thing we did was determine when the story/characters need to sing, then hired an amazing group of Kpop hitmakers, and spent years developing these song (often 3-6 songs were written for each slot before we settled)!" Due to how expensive it can be to animate an entire movie, the full choreography for all the performances doesn't actually exist. The only parts that are choreographed are what is shown in the final film. In a Reddit AMA, Maggie Kang explained, "We do not have full choreography! We only have it for the sections that are see on screen. Again, budgetary reasons-- what we don't see, we do not pay for lol." And finally, the soundtrack has led to seven hits on Billboard's Hot 100, with "Golden" reaching a peak of No. 6 on the chart as of July 21. HUNTR/X also hit No. 2 on the US Spotify charts, surpassing BLACKPINK as the highest-charting female K-pop group. And the Saja Boys' "Your Idol" topped the US Spotify charts, surpassing BTS as the highest-charting male K-pop group. Subsequently, "Golden" will reportedly be submitted for Best Orignal Song consideration a the 2026 Oscars. What do you LOVE about KPop Demon Hunters? Share all your thoughts below! Want to find out which KPop Demon Hunters character you're most like? Click here to take the quiz! Do you love all things TV and movies? Subscribe to the Screen Time newsletter to get your weekly dose of what to watch next and what everyone is flailing over from someone who watches everything!
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Can Netflix Make ‘KPop Demon Hunters' Into A Grammy Favorite?
The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack and hit single 'Golden' will surely be submitted for Grammy ... More consideration. Can they earn historic nods? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 16: (L-R) Audrey Nuna, EJAE and Rei Ami attend the KPop Demon Hunters Special Screening at Netflix Tudum Theater on June 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Netflix) It's been less than a month since Netflix unveiled KPop Demon Hunters, an animated film that hops on the continually-growing wave of popularity K-pop has enjoyed for the past decade around the world. The film centers around two fictional K-pop groups, blending the melodies and dance moves that make the genre so massively popular with superhero tropes and the kind of action that's become ubiquitous in today's movies. In just a few weeks, KPop Demon Hunters has become not only hugely successful on Netflix, but also on the Billboard charts. With any luck, the project may earn K-pop some much-needed visibility at the Grammy Awards in a few months. Both the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack album and the songs featured on its tracklist are eligible for consideration, but the cultural phenomenon may be too big to pass over. KPop Demon Hunters Could Compete for Best Soundtrack As always, competition will be fierce, and there are only a few spots in every vertical. It seems unlikely that KPop Demon Hunters or any of its tracks will end up in major categories like Album or Record of the Year. Even the pop and dance verticals may not be quite the right fit. But there are a few fields where the hugely popular full-length and its songs may be real contenders. KPop Demon Hunters could compete in the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media field. In fact, that seems like a perfect fit for what has turned out to be one of the most commercially successful soundtracks in recent memory. As of the time of writing, KPop Demon Hunters sits at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and remains inside the top 10 on several other Billboard tallies. Commercial success isn't the only factor that matters when it comes to Grammy nominations, but visibility certainly helps. Several Songs Are Contenders for One Category Any number of the tracks created for the Netflix movie could be submitted for Best Song Written for Visual Media. The likely choice is "Golden," which this week becomes the soundtrack's first top 10 hit on the Hot 100, as it jumps from No. 23 to No. 6. The same tune also becomes the biggest song in the world this frame, lifting from the runner-up spot to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. "Golden" is likely what Netflix will lead with when it comes time for the Golden Globes and Academy Awards, so it makes sense that it will be the choice for the Grammys as well. The Grammys Have Yet to Recognize K-Pop When it comes to K-pop earning nominations, the Grammys lag far behind the charts. BTS remains the only act from that part of the world to score chances to win. So far, the boy band has collected several nominations, but never won. KPop Demon Hunters earning some love would show that K-pop has a space at music's biggest night, and that voters understand how to recognize greatness in what younger audiences are consuming. Timing is Key The timing of KPop Demon Hunters' success couldn't be better, as eligibility for the upcoming Grammys closes at the end of August. With a little more than a month to go, the album and its songs are climbing higher and higher, and people all across the country are hearing and seeing it for the first time. As Recording Academy officials prepare to select the nominees, KPop Demon Hunters, along with the fictional groups and the vocalists behind the popular tunes, should be top of mind.
