We first pressed play on our Netflix app with low expectations, thinking that “KPop Demon Hunters” would be just another rashly-made film hopping on the trend of K-pop, a music genre which has seen a surge in global popularity over the past decade. Yet, as TWICE’s remix of “Takedown” began to play behind the end credits, we found ourselves pleasantly surprised with the movie and its execution. This is the power of “KPop Demon Hunters,” an irresistible pull which has allowed the movie to rise to Netflix’s most-watched film and hit No.1 on Billboard Hot 100 with “Golden.” Premiered on Netflix on June 20th, 2025, the movie still currently stands as the top Netflix movie in the U.S. Filled with heartfelt themes of love and belonging, flashy action scenes, and an enchanting soundtrack, “KPop Demon Hunters” creates a stimulating film experience out of a mediocre plotline.
To start, the animation was amazing—fluid, expressive, and filled with vibrant colors, which complemented a style that faintly reminded us of the Miles Morales Spiderman movies. It perfectly captured both the everyday lifestyle of the characters and the action-packed scenes of idol choreography and demon decapitation. Even background details, like the neon lighting of the city at night or the bright glimmer of the concert stage, felt carefully designed to heighten the duality of idol life versus monster hunting.
The soundtrack was also put together extremely well and stood out as one of the best parts of the film. A mixture of catchy and cringey (in a good way), each song was a banger, and could be listened to during any occasion, whether it be a gym session, a carpool karaoke, or a sad shower. The film perfectly emulated the carefree, fun nature of K-pop music, which is known for its carefully crafted blend of high-energy tunes, recognizable hooks, and dramatic melodies. Some songs from the track were pure adrenaline, the kind you could imagine blasting before a big game, while others leaned into melodrama, tugging at emotions in an exaggerated yet effective way. The music was not just background filler; it was the pulse that kept the entire movie moving, perfectly adapting to fit into any given scene.
However, that was all the movie really had to give. Without the pretty animations and phenomenal music, you are really only left with a bare, spotty plot, and scuffed writing. Focusing only on Rumi and Jinu for the great majority of the film, the rest of Huntrix and the Saja Boys were left undeveloped. Both the Saja Boys and the other two members of Huntrix, Mira and Zoey, had so much potential to evolve the storyline, but instead were ignored as quickly as they were introduced. Their presence felt like they were there more for filler than for meaningful contributions, which was frustrating because their brief moments hinted at interesting dynamics that were simply abandoned without follow-up.
Even more frustrating was that during this heightened focus on Rumi and Jinu, their relationship was not even developed fully. Although the chemistry was there, the entire back-and-forth between the two always felt rushed and fake. The overall lack of real, deep character building was very off-putting.
Moreover, the comedic elements, while entertaining at times, often contrasted awkwardly with the more serious or dramatic scenes. In one moment, you were watching the members of Huntrix eating ramyeon together happily, and the next, you were seeing how Jinu was manipulated to abandon his family. This uneven tone created a jarring experience, where viewers might find themselves laughing one moment and then suddenly expected to feel intense emotions the next.
With a constant feeling that the writers were shoving in everything they could into a 1 hour 50 minutes runtime, the film was left with no breathing room, jumping from scene to scene, almost overstimulating viewers with action. The story would have been better off as a series, with ample time to develop the secondary characters and fill the many holes unanswered in the movie. It is clear that the writers had ambitious ideas, but the execution fell short when weaving them into a cohesive narrative.
Ultimately, “KPop Demon Hunters” is a movie carried almost entirely by its style rather than its substance. Though the plot is weak, shallow, and filled with tropes, the songs are excellent, and it would be a lie to say that we didn’t have fun watching this movie. It isn’t a bad film by any means; it’s just a reminder that it takes more than a couple catchy songs to seal the honmoon. In conclusion, we would rate this movie a solid 6 demon tattoos out of 10 golden honmoons. While the plot had its flaws, its energy, music, and visuals made it an enjoyable watch. And as a final note, Jinu’s cat–tiger spirit was really cute.
