On every social media platform from Instagram to Youtube, I’ve been recommended or shown videos about why I should watch “Kpop Demon Hunters.” Initially I was skeptical, writing it off as a children’s movie that would fade out the public’s eye in a few weeks. Fast forward those few weeks I see that not just one, but three of the songs from the sound track are on the Billboard Hot 100. Now like the YouTube videos and Instagram reels that I’ve seen, I’m going to give you a quick summary and reasons you should watch this movie.
In the “Kpop Demon Hunters” universe, demons who feed on human souls have existed for millennia. One day, heroes formed known as demon hunters who used music as a way to seal demons away from earth. This seal, called the Honmoon, works by using people’s hearts who were moved by their music as a catalyst to make a barrier that demons can’t get through. The tradition was carried down with each generation of demon hunters to present day Seoul, South Korea with the newest K-pop group HUNTR/X, consisting of lead singer Rumi, dancer Mira and lyricist Zoey.
Everything was perfect until Rumi loses her voice and rushes to get it back before the Honmoon ceremony. Meanwhile, as Rumi is trying to find a way to get her voice back a demon proposes an idea to the demon king, Gwi-Ma, to form a demon boy band to capture the hearts of HUNTR/X fans and prevent the Honmoon from taking place. Will good or evil prevail? Watch Kpop Demon Hunters to find out!
Coming from the studio responsible for Into the Spiderverse, it is no surprise that Kpop Demon Hunters is a beautiful movie with its own unique art style and animations. The movie looks realistic in some aspects while being cartoonish at the same time. To the naked eye, it seems that it was made through stop motion similar to movies such as Kubo. I love the contrast of colors used to portray the differences between the hunters with vibrant colors and the demons having dull colors.
Although I’m not too fond of musicals, I actually enjoyed the movie and songs. The singing scenes didn’t feel forced and occurred naturally which is usually an issue I have with musicals. Furthermore, the songs are catchy and sound like modern music. The songs are well written with my personal favorite being “What It Sounds Like.” Each song in the track has a meaning that could be interpreted differently by everyone and that’s what makes the soundtrack of this movie so special.
Furthermore, the characters are well fleshed out with the limited time they are given on screen. For example, Mira isn’t given much screentime or a complete backstory but she became my favorite character by how well written her lines are with other members of the cast. Kpop Demon Hunters is a movie that has lasting appeal because of the amount of detail put into the animation that goes along with the lines given to the characters. There is a lot of information that could be dissected by going frame by frame in the movie. If you love to theorize, you will love this movie.
The movie being rated PG was a complete surprise to me, because of how dark the movie can get. It skillfully tackled topics such as insecurity, depression, and regret. Although I do have a lot of praise for this movie, I have one major critique when it comes to the story of the film. The main villain of the story, Gwi-Ma, isn’t given much personality other than he’s a villain. Additionally, the other members of the Saja Boys, besides Jinu, aren’t really fleshed out other than being handsome to the fans. With the messages the movie is trying to convey to the audience, I feel it would have benefited from giving the villains more depth.
Overall, Kpop Demon Hunters is a short and fun watch. If you are skeptical of modern-day animation movies, it is a breath of fresh air. Even for people like me who absolutely dislike musicals, I found myself enjoying the singing scenes more than the action because of the raw emotion and talent the voice actors portray. I recommend getting over that bias and giving the film a chance.
