KPop Demon Hunters

I enjoyed this movie, but boy do I have issues with the storytelling and the glamorizing of K-pop idols' lives. SPOILERS AHEAD: 1. Rumi was born part-demon, right? Her mother was a demon hunter and her father was a demon, which implies that not all demons are evil, right? Yes? No? We are never told how Rumi's mother died and we are never told what happened to Rumi's father, but I highly doubt that Rumi's mother was tricked into a relationship by a demon long enough to have a child. 2. All demons are supposed to be banished when the Honmoon is sealed, so how the heck is the cat and the crow still there, also, why do we even have a demon cat and crow? They're cute, but what are they? Are there "true demons" like Gwi-Ma, the cat and the crow, and "enslaved demons" like Jinu and his boy band? 3. Gwi-Ma enslaves other demons and practically tortures them with their shame for all eternity and we end the movie by permanently trapping them all in the demon realm with him? Really? Even though Jinu shows that demons can be redeemed by... showing them kindness and forgiveness?! REALLY?! Okay! The last one is my biggest issue with the plot. As for my issues with the representation of K-pop idols; their lives are only glamorous on the surface. K-pop idols are not born, they're made. These kids go through hell, for lack of a better way to describe it. It's not so much an issue with the K-pop industry itself, as it's a "cultural" issue. Koreans push themselves and each other to the brink, and it can and does lead to suicide. South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. The movie shows our K-pop protagonists snacking out and enjoying life, when in reality, these kids are on a strict diet and are allegedly not allowed these things. I like the movie, but I've read too much about the real lives of K-pop idols to overlook the glamorized misrepresentation shown here.

MustachedMovieMan

I don't want to say anything because I don't want to create expectations and this is one of those films where I'd recommend going in as blind as possible. – But don't sleep on this movie! Even if nothing about the premise of this movie appeals to you, I would still say it's worth watching.

Nick

Jinu can Soda Pop me inside out any day of the week.

Nick

KPop Demon Hunters is a visual and musical treat that takes you on a wild ride through a world inspired by K-pop, anime, and the Spider-Verse. The animation is so colorful and creative that it’s like a kaleidoscope explosion! The music is catchy and upbeat, and the story is layered with depth and emotion. Arden Cho and the rest of the voice cast do amazing jobs bringing the characters to life. The main character, Rumi, is on a journey of self-discovery, and it’s really heartwarming to see how much they grow and learn. The film does have a few minor flaws, like some uneven tones and underdeveloped secondary characters, but overall, it’s a fun and entertaining fantasy parody of pop culture. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves K-pop, anime, and just great storytelling.

This might be my new favorite Sony Pictures Animation movie ever!!!!!!!!!!! KPop Demon Hunters excels from start to finish in every facet, including its animation, music, characters, and story. Sony is definitely showing us, "how it's done, done, done".

CinemaSerf

OK, so I really am not the demographic - by about forty-five years - for this, but once it got going I didn't hate it! It's all about the "Huntrix" - a group of feisty girls whose adoring fans don't realise that they have a double-indentity. By day they are the pop stars with millions of screaming fans - but by night they are fearsome demon hunters. Tired of their successes on both fronts, the demons decide it is time to fight back and so craft an ultimate in manufactured boy bands that might impress even Simon Cowell. "Saja Boys" are handsome, floppy haired and extremely skinny boy-next-door types who take social media by storm. They have a more sinister agenda, though, and their leader "Jinu" sets his sights on the mentally compromised "Rumi" - a woman with quite a secret of of her own - as as way to undermine and defeat the "Huntrix" once and for all. As he hones in on his target, we discover that he too has issues - dare one even say "demons" - he even has his own lament, so is there even a glimmer of hope that she might end up turning him? The almost doll-like style of animation didn't really work for me; their big eyes and fake smiles didn't resonate and I found the overall style of the production remarkably sterile. Bluntly, the thing has no soul whatsoever. That said, though, what passes for the plot does mix the menace, the romance and the melodrama reasonably well and the stand out songs "Golden" and "What It Sounds Like" sit head and shoulders above the more banal songs like the unbelievably awful "Soda Pop" and a slew of other power ballads that even the writers are going to struggle to remember. It's the stuff of sequels, so don't be surprised if we see another but they really do need to do something about the plastic style artwork.

Joogle83

Sony Animation Strikes Gold with a K-Pop-Inspired Blend of Myth, Music, and MagicWatched KPop: Demon Hunters With Arden Cho(Teen Wolf) as Rumi , May Hong (Hacks) as Mira, Ji-Young Yoo(Freaky Tales) as Zoey, Ahn Hyo-seop(Business Porppsal) as Jinu, Yunjin Kim(Lost) as Celine, Joel Kim Booster(Fire Island) as Romance Saja , Alan Lee(Killing Eve) as Mystery Saja, SungWon Cho(God Of War Ragnarok) as Abs Saja, Daniel Dae Kim(Raya The Last Dragon) as Healer Han, Ken Joeng(Community, The Hangover Trilogy) as Bobby and Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game) as Gwi-ma. as well incorporated real Divas Ejae,Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami. I really enjoyed the film — the trio of Huntrix members, Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, were fantastic! I especially loved the underlying theme that fame is often a facade. Zoey was my favorite — her bubbly personality was so infectious. I also really dug the supernatural elements, particularly Rumi literally battling her inner demons while serving as Earth's protector. Mira’s stoic but honest nature added a great balance to the group. The use of music as a source of power in a contemporary sense was a standout. Once again, Sony Animation delivers with this fun and heartfelt tribute to K-pop, Korean culture, mythology, and supernatural storytelling.Great Music By Marcelo Zarvos(May December), Directing By Chris Applehans(Wish Dragon) and By Maggie King . Sony Animation Strikes Gold with a K-Pop-Inspired Blend of Myth, Music, and Magic 8/10.

K-Pop Demon Hunters was recommended to me but I am very disappointed. The movie starts and the first thing I see is what looks like AI generated visuals touched up by humans. Not saying that's what it is or isn't, that's what it looks like. Soulless. Next thing I hear is "this person comes from the United States"... and I was like wait... all the voices are in American English so what are you talking about? I notice every character looks asian but they speak (American) English and everything about them and about the world, the writing, the characters, the story, everything just oozes American. Sure, you can point out that the voice actors all have Korean heritage as well as most working on this film but that doesn't change that what I see and hear on my tv doesn't feel in any way authentically Korean. That's it's written and directed by a woman of Korean descent doesn't change that this is an American production through and through. If this was made in Korea it would have Korean voices with subtitles. It's not as egregious as when Matt Damon saved China or Tom Cruise was the last samurai but it's up there somewhere.\ \ My final thoughts don't even matter at this point but here it is: there's not even the redeeming factor of having a decent story or even good songs to sing to. It's all style and zero substance and it even fails on a stylistic level.