‘KPop Demon Hunters’ stars on lasting mainstream success: ‘Drop the K’
It follows the huge global success of the animated film.
The stars behind the Netflix smash hit KPop Demon Hunters have called for the ‘K’ at the front of ‘K-Pop’ to be dropped in order to help fully integrate Korean pop culture into the global mainstream.
In an interview with Variety, the six actors who provide the singing and speaking voices for the three main characters in the film explained the significance of the film’s ability to showcase South Korean culture to a global audience.
“It was the first Korean-based animated film [from American producers],” said EJAE, the singing voice of Rumi in the film.
“I’ve seen Kung Fu Panda and Big Hero 6. There were other Asian cultures represented. I wanted to see Korea, so I was very excited for that, and the story was genius,” she continued, also adding: “I heard from a Korean director who said that, if it were made by a Korean director, it would not be the same.
“The fact that it was made by a Korean Canadian (Maggie Kang) means that we were able to make a film like this that can resonate with both Korea and the world, because our perspective of Korea is also very different,” EJAE said.
The stars of the film also reflected on its huge success (the track Golden from KPop Demon Hunters has been streamed just shy of 1.5 billion times on Spotify alone), and said that changing how the scene is perceived will prove important. It is now Netflix’s most streamed film of all time.
Arden Cho, the speaking voice of Rumi, said: “This movie is now, and I feel like this is the beginning of showing the world that K-pop, K-fashion, K-beauty, the ‘K’ is…”
“It’s no more,” continued Rei Ami, Zoey’s singing voice. “Drop the ‘K’.”
A KPop Demon Hunters sequel is “in process” according to Golden songwriter Mark Sonnenblick, Sony Pictures Animation have confirmed it won’t be released this decade.
The success of the film comes at a huge cultural moment for K-Pop. BTS singer Jungkook is the latest cover star of Rolling Stone UK, while his band will release a new album later this year and embark on a global world tour including two dates at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.