Genre: Animated action/ musical
Songs and swords chime together in latest Netflix release, K-Pop Demon Hunters, which brings to life a beautiful animated story about overcoming shame through the power of sisterhood.
Rumi (Arden Cho) and her bandmates, Mira (May Hong) and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) are members of the fictional K-pop group, Huntrix.
They are bound together by a mission to slay songs and demons in order to protect the souls of their fans but this duty is threatened when a rival demon-disguised boy band, the Saja Boys, emerges.
The Saja Boys threaten to weaken the barrier that keeps the demons at bay from the fans and exposing a secret that Mira has kept hidden her whole life.
A K-pop musical score combined with animated action sounds like an unlikely combination but in the movie the elements create an interestingly enjoyable watch with a unique premise.
It follows the simple arc of a hero narrative which involves the central character, Rumi, being forced to confront her flaws in order to find self-acceptance and resilience.
The movie’s core premise is the discovery the power gained in confronting shame.
Grace, courage and bravery are the themes at the forefront of K-Pop Demon Hunters, making it relatable viewing for all ages.
For the K-pop uninitiated, the movie is a baptism into the world of South Korean entertainment that has reshaped the global frontiers of fashion, art, music and visual media.
The art style blends K-pop aesthetics, anime and Korean mythology.
CGI ensures for fluid action scenes that are likely to become iconic visual media, given their nostalgic references to fight scenes familiar to fans of Charlie’s Angels and Totally Spies.
The plot sets the backdrop for the music and the soundtrack’s production is aimed at ensuring the movie becomes a K-pop favourite.
The tracklist is extensive and features incredible vocals from K-pop artists like EJAE who is the voice behind Rumi’s belting vocals on the penultimate track, Golden.
The song captures the movie’s central ideas about self-acceptance and is a powerful anthem that has transcended the movie with more than 200-million streams.
Despite a few plot holes, the movie is an enjoyable watch that is likely to lead to a sequel given its widespread praise from audiences. If you love anime and action and are curious to see how this combines with music, you can stream K-Pop Demon Hunters on Netflix.
The movie is a baptism into the world of South Korean entertainment that has reshaped the global frontiers of fashion, art, music and visual media
