The creator reveals that K-Pop was not part of the story at first.
K-Pop was originally not a central element in Netflix ‘success film “KPOP Demon Hunters”, as Schöpfin Maggie Kang explained at the Netflix Creative Asia Panel of the Busan International Film Festival on Saturday (September 20).
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Representation of South Korea
Kang, which was involved in the co-director and the script of the film, wanted to realize a South Korean animation project and see her country of birth represented on the screen. “In my 12 or 13 years in Hollywood I’ve never come across such a project,” she said according to “Variety”. She moved into her inspiration from Korean mythology and the creatures that she had met in her childhood.
“Of course, the idea of demons led to demon hunters, a group of incredible women who fight against demons. But the idea needed a little more. It was just not enough,” said Kang.
K-pop as a gamechanger
Here K-Pop came into play. “The film got bigger immediately, it became a musical and there was simply more spectacle,” said Kang. The story follows the girl band Huntr/X, which leads a double life as demon hunters and fights against the rival boy band Saja Boys, who also hides demons.
The creator attached great importance to showing Korean female main characters. Her favorite figure is Mira, the main dancer of Huntr/X. Kang worked for film music with prominent K-pop producer: “We hired real K-pop hit makers, from producers: inside over songwriters: inside up to poets: inside to ensure that the DNA is preserved for music.”
The second single “Golden” reached first place in the USA and Great Britain. In addition, the Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro covered the song for BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, and members of the Twice group took another song, “Takedown”, for the soundtrack album.
Influence of Korean shamanism traditions
Kang emphasized the influence of Korean shamanism traditions: “We have this great tradition, the Mudang. The idea of using music and singing to ward off demons comes from the Mudang.” The rituals carried out by Korean shamans inspired the way the demon hunters pull their powers out of singing and dance and thus create “Sonish weapons”.
Research in Korea
Kang visited South Korea for the research and explored places such as the Gwangjang Market, the Shopping district Myeongdong, the Namsan Tower, the Seonsan Folk Village and the Seoul Olympic Stadium. “You have to know Korea to show it as it really is,” she said.
Future prospects
According to Netflix, KPOP Demon Hunters is the most watched film of the platform. But although the film has been a huge success, there has been no official information about sequels so far. However, “Deadline” reported in August that Netflix is already thinking about a second part. According to “The Wrap”, a live action remake could also be in the works.
Kang also expressed that some originally planned elements of the film, such as the background stories of the main characters, could be taken up again in a successor. “There was really no place to show all of this. But maybe it can be told another time,” said Kang.