KPop Demon Hunters

I broke into a million pieces, and I can’t go back
But now I’m seeing all the beauty in the broken glass
The scars are part of me, darkness and harmony
My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like.

~HUNTR/X’s “What it Sounds Like”

There’s something special about the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters. In this movie meant for 8+ viewers, a shield called the Honmoon is the only thing keeping demons out of our world, and it’s powered by pop stars’ voices and the love of their loyal fans.

Those pop stars are the demon-hunting trio, HUNTR/X. With both weapons and their (extremely catchy) music, they face the threat of the (disguised) demon boy band Saja Boys stealing their fans and thereby tearing down the shield keeping demons from taking over the world. Action scenes abound as they fight back the evil forces trying to break through. There’s also an adorable, derpy, supernatural tiger and a magpie with sass. Silly? Totally. Enjoyable? Absolutely.

But beneath all the shiny vocals, there’s greater depth to be found. In here is a sweet love story between friends, and a little romance between hunter Rumi and conflicted demon/bad boy Jinu. The story points out the danger of blind idolization of pop stars, the beautiful facade sin wears, and that we all are in need of grace. All through bops and cute anime girl superheroes.

With that said, I can’t help but note the irony of a song like “Your Idol” which talks about the trap of idolization/obsession when HUNTR/X’s power lies in the overwhelming adoration of their fans. But hey, at least the girls don’t want to steal their fans’ souls and seem to genuinely care about them as human beings.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go try (and fail) to hit the high note of “Golden” while I fold laundry.

Overall rating: ★★★★☆
Movie rating: PG
Worth watching: Yes, if you don’t mind having the songs stuck in your head 
Best parts:
– The music
– The action
– The FEELS when grace stands up to the dark power of guilt
Content concerns: The girls in HUNTR/X wear some short tops and skirts on stage, but really, it’s not too skimpy (especially when one considers they’re pop stars). One of the Saja Boys is named “Abby” because he shows his abs off throughout the movie. The demons (we refer to them as “monsters” in our house) are mostly cartoonish, but younger, more sensitive kids might find them scary (especially toward the end of the movie).