Topping The Charts In Two Worlds: Behind The Music of KPop Demon Hunters
Fictional K-pop groups draw on the passion of both current and new fans of the genre, blending catchy lyrics with an exciting plot to break records.
Whether you’ve heard Soda Pop or Golden on the radio, or you’ve seen artists like HUNTR/X or the Saja Boys topping the charts, you’ve probably come across Netflix’s new film, KPop Demon Hunters. It’s the animated musical featuring vibrant concert visuals, secret identities, forbidden love, and a blue derpy tiger. This movie and its soundtrack have been named the Most-Watched Movie on Netflix, No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, No. 1 on the UK’s Official Singles Chart, the Highest-Charting Soundtrack of 2025 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, and the Highest Charting K-pop Boy Band/Girl Group in US Spotify history.
Even members of K-pop and global groups such as BTS, ENHYPHEN, TWICE, Stray Kids, TXT, FIFTY FIFTY, and KATSEYE have danced to the soundtrack or at least talked about it. It’s not just a film – it’s an entire fandom experience and global sensation.
So, what is KPop Demon Hunters actually about? It’s about a famous K-pop girl group named HUNTR/X, with its members Rumi, Mira, and Zoey hunting demons to protect the human world. They are working to seal the Honmoon, a barrier between the human and demon worlds, which they do through their singing and the fans’ energy. Just as they get close to their goal, their plan is threatened by a rival demon boy band, the Saja Boys. The Saja Boys quickly rise in popularity, stealing the HUNTR/X fans and weakening the Honmoon. The movie follows the conflict between the two groups as well as the emotions, relationships, and secrets of the group members.
While HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys battle it out as hunters versus demons and as rival K-pop groups, they are simultaneously taking down the competition in the “real” world of music and film. There are many factors causing this success.
A lot of it comes down to the energy and passion that went into the entire process of creating KPop Demon Hunters and its unforgettable music. To learn more about the movie’s soundtrack and how it’s connecting with so many people right now, we chatted with one of the vocalists of the Saja Boys as well as two songwriters and producers who contributed to this masterpiece.
In the film, Romance’s flowing pink hair frames his face in a heart shape. He blows heart kisses to the adoring Saja Boys fans while dancing with ease. In real life, samUIL Lee sits on the other side of a virtual meeting screen, balancing the effects of his role in KPop Demon Hunters with his current work as a K-pop songwriter and composer. Although his main breakthrough into the music industry came from working on Entrance by Stray Kids in 2019, samUIL initially pictured himself being a singer and connecting with fans as an artist. “I did pursue an artist career, and I wanted [that side of the success, and] I wanted to have great albums [and the ability] to express my own songs and my own lyrics … Eventually that passion swerved towards songwriting because I wanted to be as creative as possible [and] I wanted to represent as many people as possible,” he tells me. Since that career path change, samUIL didn’t have the same aspirations to be an artist on the charts anymore. Still, his friend in the industry encouraged him to sing for the film after noticing how his voice texture matched exactly what the team was seeking for Romance – airy, raspy, and sultry.
Various K-pop groups and idols have been listed as inspirations for the Saja Boys, such as TXT, BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, and MONSTA X. samUIL didn’t think of just one group and channel them in his singing as Romance. He focused on the importance of his assigned character within the fictional boy band, especially in relation to how fans of “real” groups usually have “biases” (or favourite members) based on their personalities and emotional connections. This artist recognised how fandoms often feel very protective of their favourite groups, and he wanted to ensure that fans didn’t just like Saja Boys but instead appreciated K-pop overall.
The process of recording vocals for Romance shared similarities with working on music for real artists, but still was distinctive due to the vocals being used for an animated character. samUIL talked about how the singers were scheduled to go and record vocals one after another individually, so not in the room at the same time for “gang vocals” with those vocals being layered together in later editing. However, showing up early or staying later allowed samUIL to see other singers such as Kevin Woo (who sang the vocals as Mystery from the Saja Boys). Ian Eisendrath, the executive music producer for the movie, directed samUIL on what to do through Zoom. He was able to see a rough cut of the animation to understand the story behind each song and the context.
samUIL spoke very highly of the process of being involved with KPop Demon Hunters. He discussed many favourite parts of the experience, such as getting to see the power of simplicity in catchy songs like Soda Pop. This artist was able to dive deeper into creativity and innovation through this role, while reminding himself of his songwriting future and how he can apply what he built on as a singer in the film. Still, he faced new obstacles and learned from overcoming those.
While “real” artists often have more creative license with making demos and don’t have to stay singing strictly as a boy band, samUIL had to stick with a very specific plan (but at least didn’t have to work around any overthinking). “Recording the songs for the movie [was] a breath of fresh air because it [allowed me] to settle into [a mindset of not having] to think about ‘what about this, what about that,’ and all these other elements. [I] could settle in and focus on what [I was] trying to do,” samUIL explains to me.
The songs of KPop Demon Hunters not only connect with fans – they also connect with the team behind the music. samUIL chatted about how he appreciates both the heavier lyrics of Your Idol as well as the accessibility of Soda Pop among the public, telling me about a young boy who recognised him as one of the singers from the Saja Boys because of these songs. Although the Saja Boys are rivals to HUNTR/X in the film, samUIL said that he enjoys the girl group’s tracks too.
Those HUNTR/X songs make an emotional impact on songwriter and producer duo Jenna Andrews and Stephen Kirk, who worked on What It Sounds Like and Free. They described these songs from the soundtrack as a passion project and something that the couple felt themselves even relating to on a more personal level. From heartbreak and insecurities to chasing dreams and inspiration, Jenna and Stephen can see parts of their own journey in the songs that they contributed to.
This creative duo had worked with many major artists on popular songs before KPop Demon Hunters. For example, they helped to bring Butter and Permission to Dance by BTS to life. Jenna Andrews and Stephen Kirk met during Butter and formed a strong connection, leading to them working together on other projects right away. “We just built such a divine friendship … the two of us are so aligned in so many of our core values and our thought processes,” Stephen says. Recently, they’ve been a part of the Hitmakers reality show on Netflix and even formed their own record label called Graffiti Sound.
Jenna and Stephen were introduced to the film when they were connected with Spring Aspers, the President of Sony Pictures Music. Since they had already worked in K-pop before, they were able to understand the genre and use their own chemistry and authentic experience to create music that would tie together with the movie. Free was the first song the couple worked on, and Jenna described that initial work as “magical.” They were given a brief about the artist (HUNTR/X) and the basis of the story, with rough sketches of the girls and their personalities. Their inspirations for the soundtrack were mainly story-based, finding ways to make the animated film feel as human as possible.
Like samUIL, Jenna Andrews and Stephen Kirk described the process of writing and producing songs for the movie as both similar and different to what they’ve worked on before. They travelled a lot while making the music and mentioned that it took over two years for the soundtrack to come together from locations around the world. It was made in multiple countries and was constantly being worked on, which was busy and stressful while also being inspiring.
Working on the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack was an exciting new challenge for these collaborators. Discussing their favourite parts of the project, Stephen reflected on the relationships and friendships formed and how those are “a testament to music and how music can bring people together and keep people together.” He described the duo as “process people,” trusting the process and living with the results. Even though some songs took a while to finish (like two whole years for What It Sounds Like), the process of getting there was filled with amazing memories.
Reflecting on the success of the film, both the singer and songwriters expressed how grateful and excited they are to see it connect with fans. samUIL mentioned that it’s very encouraging how the music has the power to bring joy and excitement to others. He feels like the recognition and magnitude of the project are crazy, and he is looking forward to using this new energy and motivation to continue doing what he loves and creating more music outside of the film. Jenna and Stephen are pleasantly surprised by the success of the movie and its ability to spread its important message to others, especially as a soundtrack. “Regardless of how amazing it is, it is so hard for a soundtrack to actually translate to streams,” Jenna tells us. They explained how important it is to have a film and soundtrack about self-acceptance and perseverance being recognised right now, with so much of the world only showcasing the highlights of life and not the challenges.
Since the success of KPOP Demon Hunters, the pair have even featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
What does the current success of KPop Demon Hunters mean for the future of music and film? It’s sure to inspire more animated movies that connect with current music fandoms, finding ways to even unite fans of rival artists. The movie may also draw more attention to the importance of singers in soundtracks (and how they differ from the main voice actors). More artists may gain popularity and build fandoms from their work as singers in animated musicals, making their way into the music industry in a unique way. Fan short-form video edits of the characters may even impact the success of “real” songs, which it already has for artists like Tommee Profitt (with Forbidden Fruit) as well as maryjo and Mergui (with LIVING ROOM).
Not only could this film affect the entertainment industry as a whole, but it could also impact fans on an individual level. Children could grow up more proud of their identity and differences. Those battling darkness in life could turn to music as a beacon of hope and support for their soul. Some fans may even explore K-pop more, such as listening to new groups or even working towards a career in this genre. For those enthusiasts, samUIL stressed the importance of discovering what you have to offer to the music industry and collaborating with others throughout successes and failures. Jenna Andrews and Stephen Kirk encourage aspiring songwriters to stick with it and recognise that struggles and setbacks eventually lead to progress and growth.
The team that worked on it wasn’t just chasing the awards when they created it. Real creatives who care about the story, art, and music of the fictional movie channelled their passion and energy into it. Recognition and charting success weren’t the main motives behind KPop Demon Hunters. The team sought to create the best music and best animation they could, and seeing how people resonate with it inspired them to keep creating, even outside of this project.
Despite the witty name, KPop Demon Hunters isn’t necessarily just a lighthearted film with memorable songs – it’s the start of something new for the music industry and for many fans inspired by its message. Whether someone is fighting their own personal demons or looking for a spirited distraction away from life, they are sure to find something to appreciate in this movie. The team behind the soundtrack and animation poured their enthusiasm into the project, and its recent success is just the beginning. HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys may not exist in “real” life. Still, their impact extends far beyond the screens. If you’re looking for an animated film with a soundtrack that’ll keep you inspired and reflective, this is what it sounds like.
