Official poster for “KPop Demon Hunters.” Courtesy of Netflix.

     If you haven’t heard someone humming “Soda Pop” or seen clips from this movie flooding your feed, you might be living under a rock. Or, more appropriately, the Demon Realm.

     “KPop Demon Hunters,” the animated musical film, was released earlier this summer by Netflix to massive global recognition.  

     While I do listen to a bit of K-pop, I admit I wasn’t very interested in the movie at first—at all. I still remember my reaction to the title the first time I saw the trailer on TikTok: “This is ridiculous. ‘KPop Demon Hunters?’ Who’s going to watch that?”

     Everyone, apparently.

     Because “KPop Demon Hunters” just became Netflix’s most-watched movie of all time, reaching over 266 million cumulative views shortly after its release. Many songs from the film have charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Spotify’s U.S. charts, achieving historic feats for animated soundtracks. 

     However, reactions among those I know are pretty polarized: Half love it, and half can’t stop making fun of it. So, naturally, I had to decide for myself. 

     The film’s premise is simple but unique: a K-pop girl group, HUNTR/X, leads double lives as — you guessed it — demon hunters. They face off against a rival boy band, The Saja Boys, whose members are secretly demons trying to take over the world with their music.

     I have to admit, my first impression of the movie wasn’t great. There were some corny moments in the beginning (cough cough…Zoey’s aegyo, their first meeting with the Saja Boys and that awful character “Baby Saja” as a whole). But it has some genuinely funny moments too, and the comedic timing was often on point. The film is wacky and humorous, with a story that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

     It’d be a crime to review this movie without mentioning its most viral part: the soundtrack. “Soda Pop” is infectious like a disease—and truth be told—has burrowed into my brain like a parasite.

     “Your Idol” is my favorite track from the film, but “Golden” also surprised me. The chorus? Immediate goosebumps. 

     I kept having to ask myself, “Wait, why am I nodding along?” and consciously stop myself. Even after the movie was over, I was humming the songs to myself while writing this article. (Send help.) 

     By this point, I had gone from “Fine, I’ll give this movie a chance” to “…you know what, I’m actually kind of enjoying this.” 

     The next thing that really strikes viewers is the sheer effort that went into this project — the subtleties in the characters’ expressions, the individually animated characters in every crowd. The animators even went so far as to portray the girls’ faces without makeup during their off-stage scenes. It just goes to show how much thought and detail they put into everything. 

     The girls themselves are great, too. They’re couch potatoes, they snack all the time and they’re quite lazy. But at the end of the day, they always lock in to perform for their fans and vanquish demons. One has to appreciate that dedication. 

     Another aspect of the film that hit home for many viewers was its message. The biggest plot twist in the story is that Rumi, the leader of HUNTR/X, is secretly half-demon and was taught by her mentor to hide it. She goes to great lengths to do so, always wearing long sleeves to cover her “demon patterns” and constantly refusing her friends’ offers to join them at the bathhouse. 

     But throughout the course of the movie, Rumi comes to accept herself — every part of her. 

     “I’d say my favorite thing about the movie is its message,” senior and fan Caleb Williams said. “It’s a lot different from other animated shows because it deals with things that a lot of shows won’t touch, like generational trauma and vulnerability. I think that’s the main reason why I love it so much.” 

     All these aspects of the film — the music, the storyline, the girls and their message — really surprised me. In a good way. 

     The verdict? It really wasn’t half bad. It’s zany and weird for the most part, but I genuinely enjoyed it. So, to my friends who hate on the film — you just might have to give it a try.

     “I feel like a lot of the dislike comes from notions of what it will be. People will hear ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ and for a lot of people, that’s probably the cringiest thing that could ever exist in one title,” Williams said. “But I think if you approach it with an open mind, you’ll see that it’s a good movie.”