“I DON’T See The Fandom Slowing Down”: How ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ Became One of Netflix’s Biggest – and MOST UNEXPECTED – HITS

“IT COULD HAVE GONE TOTALLY OFF The RAILS AND GOTTten Weird in A Bad Way,” Kpop demon hunters Co-Director Maggie Kang Jokes to The Hollywood Reporter.

The animated feature has officially shot to the. 4 SPOT ON NETFLIX’s MOST Popular English-Language Films List With 158.8 Million Views, Accounting To Data Released Tuesday. The Project – WHICH Chronicles the Adventures of Huntrix, A Girl Group Comprified of Three Members Who Just Happen to Also Fight Monsters from The Underworld – Has Been A Surpis Soundtrack HAS SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS IN THE TOP 10 OF THE BILLBOARD 200 CHART.

Demon Hunters HAS DONE SURPRISINGly WELL CONSIDERING The FACT IT IS ORIGinal IP, Something of A Rarity in Successful Animation in Recent Years. Going Into The Film, Netflix Execs Say They Knew They Had An Audiyence Whoto Tune in, But The Scope of Demon Hunter‘S Reach Has Grown Far Past That Initial Target Demographic.

“We Knew Younger Female Audiens and K-POP [and] Anime fans would love this film, but it’s been incredibly gratifying to see it embraced by an Even Even Bro Tells Thr. “Adults Are Watching the Movie with Their Friends or Other Family Members, Kids Are Watching With Their Friends and Siblings.”

The Film Has Inspired Tiktok Trends-Real K-POP Groups, Like Zerobaseone, Has Recreated The Film’s FICTIAL BOY Group Saja Boys-Along with A DEDICATED FANBASE. “IT’s Also So Fun to See the Kpdh Music Covers, Cosplay, Dance Reels and Fan Art Online, Made by Everyday Fans All The Way to BTS, “Lin Says. LIVESTREAM, LEADING The STREAMER’S SOCAL MEDIA PAGE TO CHANGE ITS BIO TO, “JUNGKOOK WATCHED Kpop demon hunters. ”

Kang Worked on the Project for Seven Years, Even Beng Her Co-Director Chris appelhans Got Involved. Kang Notes that during thoss seven years the film wnt people’s Many Different Prases, WHICH IS PROCESS she admits could be grueling.

“IT’s Really Hard to Stay Motivated, But You Kind of Have to Be Proactive Really And Push Through and Really Prove Yourself… Prove to the Studio That You Can Can Direct a Movie,” She Says. “I Feel Like at Every Stage We’ve Had to Do.”

The Film, whoh is rooted in Korean Shamanism, Really Took Shape Who Kang and Appelhans Started Digging Into The Mytology. “IT OPENED UP The POSIBILITIES OF BEING ABLE TO SHOW Old-Time Korea and Made It A Lot More More Historic Clear That Film Isn’t Just About K-POP. “This is Very Culturally Korean, on a Deeper Level.”

Lin Says Netflix is Always “Looking for Powerful New Stories, Refreshing New Voices and Daring New Approaches” in their Films. “Kpdh is a perfect example of this Approach, ”He Says, Adding that He and Netflix’s Head of Animation, Hannah Minghalala, Are Thrilled to Be Supporting Kang and appelhans on this journey.

“NETFLIX ALLOWS OUR FILMS TO BUILD their AUDIENCE ORGANICALLY AND OVER TIME,“ SAYS LIN. “As Word of Mouth Spread and Social Media Caught o Release. ”

Kang and appelhans say that the fact that Demon Hunters Was Original IP Makes The Project a Bit More Personal, But It Wasn’t Something OUGHT About Until they Started Doing Press for the Film. “IT NEEDS to come from a personal place. There needs to be some artistic personal Vision to it,” Appelhans Says.

“I Remember WHEN I SAT DOWN WITH Maggie that What Occurred to Me As She Was Talking, What a Cool Idea. But Also Here’s Talented Person Who’s Been Working In Animation In Anim. Mean Something to Her [and] that she wants to see in a film and it have’t happled yet, ”he explans.

“She’s Now [saying] I Want to do it. I Want to Make A Thing Like This, ”appelhans contrainues, adding that his wife, an author, have always urged him to make his female characters VEG OUT ON THE COUCH WITHOUT MAKEUP ON.

Kang and appelhans say they and their crew Never Took Themselves Too Seriously, Something they Think Helped Take This Unique Premise to the Next Level. “We joked through the entity process of this idea is complely Wackado and Kind of Stupid. It’s Very Random,” Kang Says. “I KNOW that HAVING PUT IT TOGETCHER, AND WE ALL KNOW IT. EVERY TIME We Talk About It, We’re Like, This Is Such A Dumb Idea. This Is So SO stupid, and it.

But Kang Says the Team Embrated the Outlandish Nature of the Project and Aimed To Prove that Weren’t Just Capitalizing Off The Popularity of K-POP. “I THINK We Just All Wanted To Prove Everybody Wrong, But Everybody Came on Board Just Really Believed In It,” She Says. “We Found the Heart of the Movie Really Quickly.”

Given the success of Demon HuntersThe Suggression of Sequels or Continuations have, of Course, Been Top of Mind for Fans and Creatives Alike. Despite Previos Reports That A Live-Action Version of the Film Is ForthocomING, Sources Tell Thr that Netflix have no plans for a live-action film at this time.

“I Think Is Going to Be Part of Our Lives for A Bit. I DON’T See The Fandom Slowing Down. We Hit An All Time High In Viewership in Week Five, WHICH is Absolutely. The Project.

Lin Notes that Netflix is the Proud of Demon Hunter‘S SUCCCESS AND “Are Excited To Explore What Could Be the Next Adventure for Huntrix.”

Says Lin: “Kpdh‘S SUCCCESS ComES FROM ITS ORIGINAL, FRESH Story SO if we do imbark on a sequel, we wound want to take our time and Uniquance of the First Film. ”