A little over 6 months ago, Netflix‘s latest shock smash hit caught lightning in a bottle, went super viral, and sold a staggering number of song and album downloads. And prior to its release, barely anyone had even heard of KPop Demon Hunters. But thanks to exceptional songs framing a compelling story, and wildly charismatic characters, the animated fantasy fairly quickly became Netflix’s biggest movie ever. That is no small feat.
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Since then, lots of other movies have released, and many of them will get a lot more awards attention than KPop Demon Hunters when the season kicks off, but none feel like they quite changed the world as much. For many, the musical is the undisputed best film of the year, and looking back at why has been big business. An irrefutably over-sized part of that success was down to the music, and debates have raged since release on which is the best. Now that I’m certain it’s the film of the year, I’m adding my own take.
Note: I’m not including the instrumental Score Suite, as pleasant as it is, and the Twice version of “Takedown” that plays over the end credits is really a bonus. So only the actual songs by Huntr/x and Saja Boys here.
7. Takedown (Huntr/x)
It’s perhaps fitting that the song that sits most unevenly in the film itself should be the lowest ranking. That doesn’t mean “Takedown” is in any way a bad song: it suffers in comparison because it doesn’t match the spirit of Huntr/x by design, and it’s not really as easily quotable as the other songs. The diss lyrics feel a little hollow until the impostor versions of Mira and Zoey sing it, and it does feel a little like we never get to hear a complete version.
6. How It’s Done (Huntr/x)
“How It’s Done” announces Huntr/x with style, but in a packed field, it’s just not as much of an earworm. What the opening does well very well is set the tone of the action, with the frenetic pace defying expectations for anyone who went in blind, as I did. The song’s energy matches the adrenaline of the aerial battle, and each of the girls gets to showcase their part in the band dynamic. As such, it’s a great introduction to the golden trio, even if it lacks the added depth that comes as the story reveals its emotional elements.
5. Soda Pop (Saja Boys)
If this ranking was based solely on how many times I’ve replayed the songs of KPop Demon Hunters, “Soda Pop” would win with embarrassing ease. It struck a chord with me before I actually saw the film, and it feels like a beautifully subtle commentary on the business of K-pop music alongside just being a great pop song. It obviously lacks the added depth of the other songs that outrank it, but that’s very much by design, and honestly, from here on, there’s nothing below a 5 star song.
4. Free (Rumi & Jinu)
If the upcoming KPop Demon Hunters sequel dares to leave Rumi and Yinu in the past, there could well be riots on the streets, and part of that comes down to how well “Free” establishes their romantic dynamic. If you’ve paid any attention to literary trends in the past few years, yearning is big business, and if you add in an enemies-to-lovers spin, and fantasy, you’re basically printing money. Put all of that into a beautiful, pained ballad between two incredible voices, and you have real magic.
3. What It Sounds Like (Huntr/x)
Set against the other songs, “This is What It Sounds Like” easily has the best build-up, starting with Rumi’s stripped-back, almost pained vocal track, before Zoey and Mira join her. That all happens before the beat kicks in, and narratively underlines their commitment to fighting back against Gwi-Ma and the Saja Boys. From there, it marries EDM, anthemic backing vocals, and an urgency that is impossible to resist. Depending on the day, I flip between thinking this or “Golden” is the superior song: they’re both very good, but “Golden” shades it on instant recognition and sing-along factors.
2. Golden (Huntr/x)
For many, “Golden” broke into cultural consciousness before its source (partly thanks to a blisteringly viral TikTok campaign). The song is what the kids who actually use TikTok would call a certifiable banger, mashing up genres and throwing in both disarming key changes and frankly ridiculously good vocals. It feels like the song will live on well beyond the film, which is a remarkable testament to the creative team who put this together. It’s still not the best one though…
1. Your Idol (Saja Boys)
Perhaps it’s sacrilege to give the top spot to a song not sung by Huntr/x, but “Your Idol” is the more rounded song, and there’s just something inherently cooler about the villain song in a musical. So it’s no slight against Huntr/x or against “Golden” in particular. I’m also a sucker for any sort of monastic chanting, which the opening channels.
In contrast both to “Soda Pop” and all of the Huntr/x songs, “Your Idol” also showcases the range of difference in the Saja Boys’ voices very well. And as with every song on this soundtrack, the vocals are immaculate. Somewhat (perversely) fittingly, the final “can I get the mic a little higher” is almost a biblical experience.
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