Review of KPop Demon Hunters

I Think I like K-Pop now.

Coming into the film, I knew nothing about Kpop. The vague impression I had was an imitation of Japan’s pop idol cultural phenoms and the 90’s boy bands aesthetic. Therefore, my mind categorized the genre as generally silly. But I get it now. The style, choreography, amazing lyrics and impressive singing can whisk you away into a different world. I didn’t expect what I got – escapist masterpiece. Kpop is about entertainment first and foremost. Kpop Demon Hunters knew this and crushed expectations across the board. The movie is a gem that might revive the dwindling hope of lovers of great animated productions.

Like most surprise hits, it caught on through word of mouth. The title tells the viewer enough. Most people in the current market would brush it off immediately if it weren’t for the undeniably devoted fans.

The title establishes the premise. Demon hunting is nothing new. Countless mangas and animes have established the tropes. A Korean Kpop girl band named Huntrix moonlights as humanity’s protectors against invasive demons. Through their magical powers, they saturate the hearts of a fanatic populace while nearly wiping out the demonic threat. Their progress is represented by a glowing net over the city, a barrier against the underworld.

Of course, the demons come up with their most diabolical scheme yet: creating a rival boy band to woo the fans, and thus dismantle the protective layer while harvesting juicy souls. You are thinking Good Vs. Evil, zombified fanboys, super-model characters posing eccentrically – seen it before. You’re not wrong. The setup could describe numerous animes and the movie’s creators were aware of their predecessors. The reactions and movements in this movie are anime-expressive, in other words, cartoonish, but the writing renders them endearing and modern. You can freeze frame just about any scene from this movie and instantly interpret the emotions on screen because the 2D animation is melded with the 3D CGI seamlessly. Their frenetic antics may challenge the dexterity of your extraocular musculature, but many will find them relatable in the extreme.

In short, I haven’t had this much fun and laughs during a cinematic experience since the Spiderverse movies. And predictably, this is the same studio. The writers on staff are holding up their end, as are the animators and voice actors. The jokes bring energy to match the quick cuts and wild color palette. The Huntrix girls and the Saja Boys – their demon boy band rival – will likely be shipped and cosplayed for years. The topnotch voice acting adds additional layers to each major character. Everyone involved was having fun making this thing.

Another standout is the soundtrack. Not a bland song in the bunch. The animation is sleek and stylish when the movie briefly turns into music videos, and Spiderman-esque during the demon fights. Not to mention, somber and down-to-earth emotional gut punches lie in wait at key points in the story. The characters resemble living Kpop band specimens, albeit with some satirical touches. A lot of planning went into the clothing and environmental design. Westerners will feel immersed in the exotic setting and those who call Korea home will likely appreciate the cultural references.

Not since Frozen’s “Let it Go” hit theaters like a virus have musical numbers slapped this hard. These are list-toppers, and Kpop in genre has been trending as a result, giving artists a boost in their market from previous non-fans.

The plot doesn’t shatter the mold, and the twists are not particularly mind-blowing. The ending suffers (or triumphs depending on your opinion) as a result of the “love saves the world” reconciliation trope. If you have to do something we’ve seen thousands of times, at least do it well. And since the filmmakers make us care about the characters, it works. Because ultimately, we experience stories for the characters, not plot twists.

This movie still lands in the silly and weird category. But it’s everything a fan of animation could hope for. It takes risks; it knows it can’t take itself too seriously, but knows when it needs to turn off the crazy so the characters can speak. It does what it wants to do. Is it perfect? No. Plot threads don’t all get tied up tight (calling for a sequel!) and the characters’ faces while singing aren’t convincingly matched to the incredible voices. But this is easily one of my favorite animated movies. A strong recommendation for fans of animation, anime, and Kpop, plus anyone sufficiently adventurous. Audiences recognize quality when they see it, even if it’s not aimed at their demographic.

Disney and Pixar, this movie is a diss track aimed at you.