Why Kpop Demon Hunters Is Darker and More Relevant Than You Think

As a millennial, I usually let trends pass me by (sorry, fellow millennials, but it’s true). However, when yet another thirty-something, child-free friend raved about their latest obsession—the movie Kpop Demon Hunters and, oh, the soundtrack—I finally had to see what the hype was about… two months late.

I enjoyed the film. The animation and attention to detail (the outfits! the accessories!) were stunning. And yes, the soundtrack is incredible; I had it on repeat immediately after watching. The more I sat with the premise, the more relevant it became to today’s culture.

As the title suggests, the film is about a K-pop girl group, HUNTR/X, who descend from a long line of demon hunters. Their music “ignites the soul and brings people together.” With lyrics about positivity and resilience, they strengthen the “Honmoon”—a barrier between worlds that protects humanity from the demon realm. The integrity of the Honmoon is threatened when the film’s antagonist, Gwi-Ma, the demon king, creates a demon boy band to steal fans’ souls away from HUNTR/X.

In the penultimate scene, this demon boy band, The Saja Boys, performs what is arguably the best song in the movie: Your Idol (proving, once again, that villains always get the best songs). They appear dressed as modern Jeoseung Saja—the Korean equivalent of the Grim Reaper. While the look of the Jeoseung Saja has evolved over the centuries, modern K-dramas typically depict them in black hanboks (or sleek black suits) and tall black hats, often adorned with beads. The boy band combines this traditional style with combat boots, glowing eyes, and long, curled demonic hands. Paired with their hunched, unsettling choreography (a stark contrast to polished K-pop boy-band routines) and Andrew Choi’s powerful vocals, the performance is mesmerizing.

On stage, The Saja Boys dance and sing hypnotically under Gwi-Ma’s iridescent flames, luring fans into the underworld to claim their souls. The scene feels eerily familiar after years of concert footage—from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to Oasis’s reunion shows, to political rallies. Many Swifties described Eras as a religious experience, and the church-like backing vocals in Your Idol draw a clear parallel. As chaos erupts around them, the fans follow their idols into the flames without hesitation. Disturbing, isn’t it?

At first, I thought it was unrealistic that so many people could vanish as demons harvested their souls—only for the rest of society to ignore it in favor of fandom obsession. But maybe it’s not so far-fetched. Celebrity worship is more intense than ever. Fans often do whatever their idols ask, whether it’s buying multiple versions of an album or voting for a politician they endorse. And much like Gwi-Ma, late-stage capitalism whispers in our ears, reminding us of our shortcomings and promising only it can fix them—urging us to embrace materialism until it consumes us. (As The Saja Boys sing: “You gave me your heart, now I’m here for your soul.”)

Pretty dark for a kids’ movie, right? But beneath that darkness lies hope. Just as culture and music can be weaponized for destruction, they can also be our salvation. In the song What It Sounds Like, HUNTR/X counters The Saja Boys with the lyrics: “We listened to the demons, we let them get between us. But none of us are out here on our own.” It’s a reminder that we are stronger together. Like HUNTR/X, if we approach the world with love and acceptance instead of division, music and culture can fulfill their true purpose: to ignite the soul and bring people together.

At the time of writing, Kpop Demon Hunters is Netflix’s most-watched film ever. Its breakout single, Golden, is sitting at Number 3 on Spotify’s UK Top 50 and Number 1 in the U.S.