• Directed by Maggie Kang & Chris Appelhans
• Written by Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang & Chris Appelhans
• Release Date: 06/20/2025
• Runtime: 100 minutes

Spoiler free mini review – The singers are chosen to protect the barrier between the demon world and human world. Great music, good pacing and a deeper meaning make for a good time and a fun family watch. This fun and colorful romp has us asking “what if the demons we battle on the inside, were real beasts we had to fight?”

Is an original universe that is charming, funny and artfully punchy, [KPop Demon Hunters] is funniest when it pokes at pop culture that is highly manufactured, from K-pop to K-dramas to mass-produced singing competitions. – The New York Times

KPop Demon Hunters has taken the world by storm. Since mid June its been talked about, sang and danced through the halls of my house. When I got the chance to sit down and watch it, I can totally see why kids of all ages are connecting with and loving KPop Demon Hunters. The bright colors and catchy music are reminiscent of 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse or 2023’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. But beneath the shiny surface and flashy action sequences, KPop Demon Hunters conveys a deeper message about navigating life’s difficulties, facing the choices we’ve made, trust, and self acceptance.

The 100 minute runtime feels like a breeze as there is actually very little downtime or slow moments. Even the softer sections where characters are being open and vulnerable to each other are truncated by the beginning of a song, dance number or demon attack. The voice acting is very good, comprised of a primarily Korean cast, the range of each character is on full display, from sad broken voices, playful banter and high pitched belted songs. The violence and action is stylized enough that it doesn’t feel gratuitous or cumbersome, but instead it serves the plot.

As mentioned before, for all the singing and chatting, in KPop Demon Hunters, the story itself has something to say. The main character is caught in an impossible situation, being a Demon Hunter and being a demon herself. She must battle with hiding her secret and staying true to her friends, all while fighting other demons and being a literal rock star. KPop Demon Hunters plays with the notion that we all have demons that we fight all the time, secrets and lies, choices we made, things we have to face. KPop Demon Hunters shows us what courage in the face of those demons looks like. A playful allegory in the form of cartoon slayers, but given the context, are we not all part demon hunter?

I would recommend this movie to fans of anime, fans of KPop music, fans of movies with great music that you can sing and dance to, and lovers of movies with a deeper meaning.