Dear Gossips,   

I posted about Kpop Demon Hunters before its premiere on Netflix and whether it was made just for me. Turns out… not just for me, but for so many of us who are all about K-pop and Korean dramas. And this is not a minority. 

 

Kpop Demon Hunters is Netflix’s #1 movie and its soundtrack is all over the streaming charts debuting at #8 on the Billboard 200, the first soundtrack to crack the top 10 this year, much to the surprise of western media because there’s another movie soundtrack that was getting so much more hype. We’ll have to see in a few days whether or not the F1 soundtrack has the same buzz as Kpop Demon Hunters but, at least in my feed, I’m not seeing F1 pop off as much as HUNTR/X and The Saja Boys, lol.   

After all, even BTS is singing “Soda Pop”:

 

And in response, look at what Netflix did to its handle: 

Netflix's new handle

But let’s go back to what I just said about the audience for Kpop Demon Hunters and how it’s not a minority. Because my f-cking algorithm decided to enrage me a couple of days ago when it served up a Reddit post that seemed to be doubting the legitimacy of the movie’s success and virality, with the subtext being that there must be shenanigans. So I appreciate this comment that succinctly articulates my opinion on that kind of reaction: 

“People who aren’t the target demographic in a world with targeted ads are shocked they have never heard of something popular. 

Its about KPop, from the Spider-Verse animators, and just overall looks appealing to all ages so its got a huge fanbase but people are calling it an industry plant because they cant fathom the idea of it not being for them.

Tldr: The sub is having a seizure because people either like or haven’t heard of a big movie in a movie sub.”

SAY. THAT. 

 

Just because something wasn’t made just for you doesn’t mean it lacks authenticity. In fact, one of the reasons I loved Kpop Demon Hunters from the jump, even before I saw it, was because I could tell immediately, just from the trailer, how much care was put into by the filmmakers, which I addressed in my original post a couple of weeks ago. There is no way a movie with that kind of attention to detail – from the styling of the characters, and the nods to Korean tradition and Korean drama tropes – was produced by code without real people behind the story and its themes. That specificity is precisely why people are responding to it. 

 

Kpop Demon Hunter’s co-director, Maggie Kang, spoke to Variety about what it’s been like in the SEVEN YEARS since she first pitched the idea and how it feels now to see people responding this way to her film. How she insisted on making the members of HUNTR/X (Rumi, Mira, and Zoey) look silly at times instead of perfect, often goofy instead of polished – which, by the way, is why the girls, and the movie overall, is so meme-able. Because even though these are animated characters, people are relating to their familiarity and realness. And besides, this is also how the most successful K-pop acts develop intimacy with their fans. BTS is known for their unfiltered chaos in their livestreams and variety shows and behind-the-scenes footage. Same goes for BLACKPINK and Red Velvet and TWICE, three of whom are featured on the Kpop Demon Hunters soundtrack. 

About that soundtrack though – it’s such a hit that there are now Oscar possibilities. These are original songs written for a film, they 100% meet the criteria. A world in which Kpop and Wicked songs are featured on the Oscar stage next year, can you imagine it?! And maybe not just the music because the animation in Kpop Demon Hunters is so good that it could also be a factor in the Best Animated Feature category. 

 

For the haters, then, there is no quick end to their pain and confusion. Kpop Demon Hunters is not slowing down. It’s the music, the memes, the merch too (everyone wants a gat now – the hats that the Saja Boys wear in their demon form) because people are obsessed with Derpy Tiger: 

Also, Kpop Demon Hunters has, like Disney, given us a prince. You know how this works – whether it’s Prince Charming or Prince Eric or Li Shang or Flynn Ryder, the Disney boyfriend has become iconic. And now we have a Kpop Prince in the form of Jinu. The streets are horny for Jinu!

@lwolv_

JINU took the world by storm || #kpopdemonhunters #kpopdemonhuntersedit #jinu #jinuedit #jinukpopdemonhunters #sajaboys #fyp #edit #sajaboysedit #fineshyt

♬ original sound - NEENAAE♣️
 

Jinu is voiced by Ahn Hyo-seop who, as I’ve already mentioned in my original post, is a well-known K-drama actor who grew up in Canada. Hyo-seop not only looks good and acts good, he also sings good. The Sony Animation marketing team knew exactly what it was doing when they posted this video yesterday of him singing his cover of “Free” from the soundtrack: 

And it’s great timing for him too because he has a new film coming out. Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy is based on a major webtoon that has over 2.5 billion views and it was just confirmed that the movie is getting a North American released date on August 1st. Ahn Hyo-seop stars alongside Lee Min-ho, another Korean superstar. And also BLACKPINK’s Jisoo. Here’s the trailer. 

 

Yours in gossip, 

Lainey 

Photo credits: Dave Starbuck/ Future Image/ Cover Images/ Instar Images

Share this post