KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

A Perfect Pitch with a Flat Note Ending

Kpop Demon Hunter is an entertaining film with a unique concept, vibrant visuals, beautiful cinematography, and a few catchy songs, but unfortunately, it relies too heavily on overused tropes and underdeveloped storytelling. As a result, it feels like it was made to appeal to a narrow audience, rather than exploring the full potential of its creative premise.

The film centers around Huntr/X, a K-pop girl group that doubles as demon hunters, and the Saja Boys, a K-pop boy group who are demons. While the setup is promising, the story fails to give the Saja Boys meaningful development. Only Jinu, the group’s leader, is given a real arc, he displayed glimpses of complexity as he struggles between good and evil. However, his journey is cut short. When he finally comes to his senses, he’s killed off within seconds, which undercuts emotional payoff tremendously.

Jinu’s character had strong potential, his desire to be free and his sense of being misunderstood were compelling. That same depth could have been extended to the rest of the Saja Boys. Giving each member a unique reason for being in the group and showing their eventual growth would’ve added real emotional weight and created a stronger connection to the audience. But they were reduced to background noise.

It would have been far more impactful to show The Saja Boys and Huntr/X teaming up, to defeat Gwi-Ma, providing a powerful message of unity and growth. Instead, the film takes a shortcut, and it shows.

The film also leans into a somewhat problematic dynamic: girls fix problems and saves the world, while boys create them and seek destruction. All the main villains are male, and while there are female villains, they’re under the control of Gwi-Ma. That dynamic felt one-sided and oversimplified. This one-dimensional portrayal felt both imbalanced and reductive. There was a real opportunity to subvert expectations and show unity and collaboration between the groups, but instead, the film leaned into division and sacrifice.

The film also leaves a number of questions unanswered: (just a few listed)

1. What happened to Rumi’s aunt?
2. Was the demon world actually sealed successfully?
3. What are the consequences of Rumi being half-demon and half-hunter? (If there are any)
4. Were past bands completely unsuccessful, and is Huntr/X the first to succeed?
5. And if Gwi-Ma is defeated, is he truly gone or could he return?

On the musical side, only three songs stood out as potential singles: “What It Sounds Like,” “Free,” and “Golden.” The rest are decent, but feel more like standard movie soundtrack that’s only enjoyable in the moment, but not something I’d revisit outside the film.

Overall, I did enjoy the movie, but I wasn’t satisfied with the direction it took. The ending, in particular, felt rushed and underdeveloped. This concept would’ve worked much better as a limited series, where the characters and their arcs could be properly explored and given the depth they deserved. As it stands, some moments felt sloppy, inconsistent, and creatively lazy! Especially in the final act. I may be overthinking this movie, but at least it’s a good one time watch.

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A Standout Animated Film

KPop Demon Hunters is easily one of the most compelling animated films released this year. It manages to blend modern pop culture with supernatural action in a way that feels fresh without trying too hard. The premise—K-pop idols secretly fighting demons—could’ve gone gimmicky fast, but the film handles it with a surprising level of care and style.

What really stands out is seeing this film listed on kisskh. Usually, animations—especially ones from non-Asian countries—don’t make the cut there. But in this case, it actually makes sense. Unlike a lot of Western attempts to tap into K-culture, KPop Demon Hunters shows a real understanding of its influences, and it doesn’t just borrow the aesthetics—it respects them. That’s probably why it was given a chance where others weren’t.

The animation is clean, the action is sharp, and the characters are well-designed both visually and emotionally. The music hits the right notes without overshadowing the story. It’s fun, but it also has enough substance to hold your attention beyond the spectacle.

It’s not just good “for a Western animation”—it’s a strong film in its own right, and a smart, entertaining watch for anyone interested in a cross-genre story done right.

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Visually Beautiful With Enchanting Music

The story is not very special and some of the characters are not fully fleshed out which make the characters a bit unrelatable but overall the movie is quite enjoyable. Mainly due to the bright visuals and the goosebumps-inducing music. There are some funny moments like introducing the Saja Boys (Ahn Hyo Seop) to Love, Maybe (Business Proposal OST).

From Soda Pop to Golden to Your Idol, the songs are fun to listen to on repeat. The movie isn't boring for a minute and holds your attention quite well. But it is geared towards those who enjoy KPop, Kdramas and Korean language and culture. There are words in Korean that don't seem to have been translated so you won't be able to understand those little things.

If you look into the cultural references, a lot of details went into the art and animation of KPop Demon Hunters which is quite cool! The details on the animation is especially impressive.

Overall, I would say the plot is the weakest aspect of the movie but the overall fun feel and being a family entertainer certainly makes it worth watching at least once and is possibly a movie that you can even watch on repeat if you enjoy this kind of music.

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Fun to Watch and Even More Fun to Listen To

This is the perfect gateway introduction to K-pop/K-dramas for the uninitiated. I'm not a devotee of animation, but I had a watching party for KPDH, and the viewers were enthusiastic, especially about the OST.

As an avid K-drama fan, I laughed when "Love, Maybe" played when Jinu met Rumi, knowing that Jinu was voiced by Ahn Hyo Seop, who played the ML in Business Proposal, where the song featured heavily. What a lovely Easter egg for fans!

I awarded an extra star for the soundtrack. "Free" has beautiful lyrics; "Takedown" and "How It's Done" are great for working out; and "Golden" is powerful. "Soda Pop" may be pure sugar, but if I'm dragging on my daily walk, I play it and get instant energy.

I'm looking forward to a sequel, as the story felt rushed and unfinished at the end.

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Love And Embrace Who You Are!

I’ve been watching K-Dramas for almost eight years now. I’ve watched shows from Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, and Taiwan. For my money, the Koreans are masters of the industry because they almost always incorporate some kind of meaning and wisdom. Not to mention that they are experts at putting different genres together and making them all work.

This collaboration of Korean and American performers is incredible! Frankly, I was hesitant to give this movie a try until a co-worker came in the next morning and told me how much he loved it.

The film takes all of the best elements of K-Dramas and K-pop music to give everyone—no matter what your age—an absolutely magical thrill-ride and puts them front and center! Better yet, this movie presents an important message for both young and old.

A “demon” is nothing more than the culmination of your fears that originates within your mind. Of course, none of the things that your mind tells you about yourself are real. And yet, so many people allow those thoughts to tell you who you are. They can reveal no more about who you are than a freckle can at the end of your nose. Too often, we focus too much on who we are not.

Rumi, Mira, and Zoey are three friends of the hottest K-pop band in Korea. They are also given the ability to fight demons. Thus, they provide entertainment, love, and protection. However, Rumi has a secret. She is also part demon, and she refuses to let anyone know for fear of everyone seeing her differently. Sound familiar? How often do people do all they can to cover up parts and aspects of themselves that they are too afraid to reveal? Guilt and shame are learned behaviors.

Enter the Saja Boys, a new K-pop boy group who secretly work for Gwi-Ma a powerful demon who wants the souls of everyone. Led by Jinu, he and his group are actually Grim Reapers—if you’ve watched enough K-Dramas, they are easily identified by their dark coats and black hats. Grim Reapers in Korean lore have the job of helping souls cross over. Some depictions have them as good beings, while others have them depicted as evil and serving evil.

Jinu uses Rumi—especially after finding out that she’s part demon—to get close to her with the hope of tricking her. It nearly works as Rumi is suddenly forced to face who she is and come to terms that there is nothing wrong with her, nor has there ever been. This is the core lesson that this wonderful movie is attempting to pass on to its viewers, and for my money, it more than succeeds. Children, teens, and everyone should take heed of this message.

The end of the film has one of the most inspirational songs and scenes that I have ever seen. I can only recall a handful of films that touch both the heart and the soul, and frankly, I can’t think of another animated movie that has done this. As the fans begin to snap out of Gwi Ma’s control, they begin to lend their own voices—and power—to Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. There are few things more inspiring than people coming together to fight for a common cause. Many viewers have been surprised to find themselves needing some tissues during this powerful climactic ending! And frankly, I can’t blame them in the least. This is a movie the world desperately needs right now, and it’s no surprise how much it's resonating with people everywhere.

The vivid colors and animation bring an amazing world to life, something that Disney could take some lessons from. Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans deserve so much credit and praise as well as everyone who was a part of this project. I loved seeing Korean performers Ahn Hyo-Seop (Jinu) and one of Korea’s absolute top actors in Lee Byung-Hun (Gwi-Ma) participate.

As I write this review, I found that the soundtrack is ranked #1, and the song “Golden” is the number one song! I’ll wager that kids and adults alike are bopping to these incredible tunes as much as possible! I know I will be! Frankly, I haven’t seen a soundtrack this loaded with great songs since “The Greatest Showman.”

I hope the rest of the world takes a note from Korean culture and entertainment; that it’s not only possible to make entertaining movies and shows with a message, but that the world is desperately eager for them! I already know that I’ll be watching this gem of a movie again and again!

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My lil overhyped cartoon pop! *boop*

I enjoyed this animation a moderate amount! lol It wasn't bad at all, but I wouldn't say it's as amazing as the online obsession with it suggests. Some have been comparing it to Encanto, and as a person who loved Encanto, I can't see it! lol! Encanto has a soul to it; the plot is very sincere, and by the end, that sincerity is felt through the development of all the characters. Here, however, though sincerity is a part of the story, it's not really felt. Nowhere more so than in how it treats two out of the three main characters. But the most important thing about this animation, in my opinion, is that it's a well-made piece of work made by a production team that isn't Disney, and that's something we desperately need, for variety reasons.
I found the promotion around this film very icky. As well as my overall contempt for kpop, this made me approach the film with ire, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was simply a light-hearted entertaining cartoon which can be enjoyed by children and their families together.

Plot: That said, I found certain elements in the plot a bit underwhelming. For one, the narrator makes it sound like fans are very important to the main force behind the plot, being who helps the artists create the honmoon and all, and pointing out how without them, there's no point and such. This should mean that fans should be respected by the narrative as precious and beloved entities, right? However, throughout the film, fans were only treated as a brainless mass who follow like sheep where they're led, only good to be milked for profits. Fans were the butt of the jokes all the time too. So maybe that's true to how kpop industry sees the fans but it's a bit odd to make it so obvious in your PR film for the industry, lol?!
Secondly, the story is supposedly about a trio, but truthfully, one character has the main arc in the story, and the others are oblivious and rather shallow sidekicks who barely get any development besides a few dramatic lines in a song at the very end. They could have done more with all three?
Lastly, this film tries sooooooo hard to make the idols seem like relatable girls next door....it was trying a bit too hard. They were so media-trained-to-look-like-humans-but-actually-have-no-soul-behind-their-eyes feel to them! lol
Now for the positive part: Rumi's plot was really interesting. (I still think the payoff wasn't satisfying enough.) The demons are fun, and the comedy is actually funny. The whole plot works. I think it operates really well as an average Children's film. It has positive messages, with a fun friendship-centric story and a generally entertaining introduction to Korean music industry ...even if it's not true to life at all! lol It doesn't need to be though, it's fiction.

Acting: The voice actors were great.

The music: It's not really my taste. I don't like kpop and I didn't like these but they weren't so bad as to skip. You can sit through them once.

Production: I think the strongest part of this project is the animation. It was genuinely well done.

Rewatch: Hmmm, I thought about it, but I haven't actually done it yet. I might watch it again once but it's not gonna be something I would rewatch over and over again like Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away or like...Lion King!

Overall: Sure, watch it! It's a fun lil film.

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A critical look at "Kpop Demon Hunters"

"Kpop Demon Hunters" leaves much to be desired in terms of its premise and execution

From the onset, the premise of a bunch of demon hunters drooling over the very demons they're tasked with defeating is frustratingly superficial and distasteful. Where they should be fighting the demons, they're busy ogling and pursuing them

The forced non-platonic exchanges between the male and female idols diminished my interest in their character arcs. There’s zero chemistry between the characters. Their "comedic" facial expressions aren't funny or comedic. And their supposed good looks are exaggerated. They do little to offset the monotony of their bland personas

The demons are subjected to the clichéd "romanticized" treatment that presents them as objects of desire rather than malevolent beings deserving of their fate in the underworld. Several of these demons (Jinu included) have earned their place in hell, having displayed a callous disregard for others. They've betrayed their own kin for self-preservation, and manipulated the truth to appeal to others' feelings

Rumi: "I know your story. You were a good person, and you still are"
Jinu: "I lied to you. I made a deal with Gwi-Ma to get myself out of that miserable life. I left my family alone while I slept on silk sheets in the palace with my belly full every night. I left them" (1:9:50)

Jinu abandoned his loved ones to a life of poverty and starvation to secure comfort and survival. And I'm expected to pity him for his time in hell? Regret doesn't erase his actions

The act of forgiveness rests in the hands of his family, the ones bearing the brunt of his actions. No one else has the right to grant him forgiveness. Not me, not the fans, not the demon hunters. Whatever decision the family makes, be it extending mercy or withholding it, should be respected. However, they might've departed to heaven. We're left with no clarity on where they stand in the matter

The story still brushes the problems aside, trivializing the severity of the demons' past misdeeds, robbing them of accountability, and seeking to evoke unwarranted sympathy for them

They were successful in swaying the public perception of the demons. I've seen fans taking their side. "They didn't deserve it," they say. The truth is, the demons in question aren't misunderstood or fallen angels whose small errors brought about their condemnation

Rumi: "if this is the Honmoon I'm supposed to protect, I'm glad to see it destroyed" (1:14:42)

Rumi, who seconds ago endorsed the destruction of Honmoon, appears at the Saja Boys' concert with a newfound determination to protect it. Neither her change of heart nor her actions are explored. Everything falls flat. The character designs, the dialogues, the decisions made, the songs

There's a notable divide in opinion regarding the songs featured in "Kpop Demon Hunters." Fans assert the superiority of the songs over those of established Kpop artists, and I disagree with them. Numerous Kpop groups, BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, MAMAMOO, ITZY, FIFTY FIFTY, etc, released songs that I'm able to enjoy on a regular basis, on repeat, due to their catchy melodies and meaningful lyrics. I find the tracks from "Kpop Demon Hunters" to be unbearable to listen to more than once

Considering the exceptional bar set by certain Kpop groups, I believe the popularity surrounding "Kpop Demon Hunters" is disproportionate to its merits

TL;DR On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd rate the movie a 2

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First things first, why this movie is here? It doesn't meet the requirement to be here I suppose?

The story is quite lightweight, animated movie level. It's about an idol group HUNTR/X who is also a demon hunter part-timer. The idea is excelllent to be honest, but the execution relies too much on the music. Like for every problem, the solution is always music. The animation is excellent, but somehow the motion is a bit not smooth. For the cast I prefer to have the actor/actress who do both the voiceover and singing, though the current option is still excellent. Jinu's voice alters a lot between his normal and singing voice.

I have seen a lot of KDramas, they often disappoint us with lackluster ending. Although this movie isn't even Korean, I don't understand why they replicate this "culture". With such great story idea and decent build up, they bottled it so hard. The ending is quite anticlimatic and lazy. Think about it: after winning such big fight, then it's... the end?? I think they didn't show whether Gwi Ma is defeated or not for potential sequel. However, the way they didn't tell us how can Rumi become half-demon/half-hunter is pretty disappointing. Another thing annoys me a lot is HUNTR/X never complete their main songs on screen.

This movie relies so hard on the soundtracks, either existing or new songs all are lit. They have #1 Billboard 100 song and #1 Billboard 200 album now, INSANE! For the lightweight story and catchy soundtracks, it is very recommended for rewatch, escpecially for younger people.

PS: Since it's a US show, I'll give my rating with US standard instead of "suggested overall".

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This became one of my favourite animation film ever!!

I usually don't write reviews but a review for this was totally needed.

My expectations were so low when I first heard the title "Kpop demon hunters" but NAH it proved me all wrong. overall everything was so perfect; the story, the animation🤌🏻, the musics🫡, the characters, everything was legit. I was so DAMN amazed.

Kpop: Main theme being kpop what it made me to watch it. As a hardcore stan, I literally loved how this movie portrayed kpop and it's fans. The songs are sooo refreshing and all of them are such BOPS❗I added all of them to my playlists as soon as I heard them😛 So happy that non kpop fans are also fan watching this and liking it. I will say that this movie was literally made for me. I like the characters too, rumi is my bias in huntr/x (HER VOICE) and abby in saja boys (ABS HEH) LOL. I love saja boys and huntr/x and their concepts?!? Totally my type.

Ending: I loved it when they sang 'take down' and sealed the honmoon but was jinu dying really necessary😭 I CRIED SO MUCH AT THAT PART and I realised I was rigged in the name of love. rujinu could've been the perfect couples ever but no they had to kill the ml, literally all that romantic buildup for nothing but to go in vain.. WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE MYSTERY'S FACE TOO!! + gwima is going to my hear me out list👅

Overall: chat just watch it. don't listen to the people hating kpop. kpop is fun and the songs are good! especially when you just listen to the songs and not listening to a bitch who whispers in your ears saying it's not (my personal experience and opinion) ANYWAYS IT'S A WORTH WATCH ⭐

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A cultural fenomenon

I didn’t know that kisskh also features animations. In that case, I’d love to post reviews on some Pororo movies as well :)

As for KPop Demon Hunters, it’s a truly great movie, with stylish animation, an emotional story, exciting action sequences, and top-charting songs. And everything fits together perfectly. What more could someone ask for? The team behind this film managed to create a universal story that at the same time pays perfect homage and respect to both K-pop and Korean culture.

Rarely do we get a movie with this much rewatch value—not only for the songs and the animated action but also for the many small details that can be discovered with each repeat viewing. It’s a film that captures both the energy of a concert and the imagination of a fantasy adventure. KPop Demon Hunters is definitely a movie to remember.

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