What Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters gets right and wrong about Korean music idols’ lives
Reimagining K-pop stars as demon slayers, the animated film offers a sharp look at how the industry presents its stars and hides its scars
After spending a few years covering the fast-paced, glossy K-pop industry, a reporter inevitably starts to see through the glittery veneer.
You get familiar with the ins and outs – from the hot “tea” (gossip) that fans usually crave to the industry’s darkest lore you wish you never knew.
Yet, in fan-driven fiction and spin-offs made to celebrate K-pop fantasy, those insider truths rarely surface.
The industry’s smallest details often remain a secret, carefully concealed in line with K-pop’s golden rule: faults and fears must never be seen.
This is the mantra followed by Huntrix, the fictional K-pop girl group at the centre of KPop Demon Hunters, the new animated film streaming on Netflix.