KPop Demon Hunters is currently one of the most popular movies on Netflix. Recently breaking the record for the most-watched original animated movie on their platform, people around the world have been buzzing about the fantasy musical. Audiences and critics agreed that the film has a strong story and a fast-paced, fluid animation style, but most of the conversation around the movie isn’t about the plot or filmmaking; it’s about the music. The film follows a K-pop trio, HUNTR/X, who battle a group of demons, who eventually become a boy band, Saja Boys, and all of their songs have been dominating the charts since their June release date.
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Despite performing well on Netflix and having a universal message for the viewer, people’s main takeaway is how much they enjoyed the songs. From catchy pop tunes to melodic ballads, Kpop: Demons Hunters has created the most popular songs of the summer.
The KPop Demon Hunters Music Team is Extremely Impressive
Recent movie musicals like Moana 2 and Mufasa: The Lion King have failed to create original songs that made a cultural impact. Every once in a while, there is A Star is Born or Barbie that releases songs that connect with an audience, but it seems to be way more difficult than it used to be. KPop Demon Hunters doesn’t have this problem, as it brought together a fantastic group of musicians. From Grammy-winning producers like Lindgren to BTS collaborator Teddy Park, the film made sure to hire the best producers in the K-pop business.
The voice actors behind HUNTR/X and Saja Boys have professional singers take on the musical numbers. The HUNTR/X singers consist of EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, while the Saja Boys are portrayed by Andrew Choi, Kevin Woo, SamUIL Lee, Neckwav, and Danny Chung. The decision to have different actors for the dialogue and singing could’ve easily gone wrong, but the two mesh together extremely well. By having professional singers perform the songs, it made it much easier to sell the characters as global pop stars.
The songs may not be experimenting much with the music medium, but the beats and overall production value are extremely strong. The producers created the songs in a manner that fans of any genre can enjoy. From the inclusion of rap in songs like “Soda Pop” and “Takedown” to a slower-paced, thematically driven song like “Free”, the soundtrack mixes a multitude of genres in order to satisfy all kinds of music lovers.
The Music Drives The Narrative in the Best Ways
Too often do movie musicals bloat their runtime with songs that fail to push the narrative forward. Luckily, KPop Demon Hunters avoids this problem by only including songs that support the script. With its soundtrack lasting only 37 minutes in total length according to Spotify, the small number of songs allows for them to have a much bigger impact on the film compared to if there were 15-20 songs. Netflix seems to be extremely happy with the way the songs turned out, as they are starting an awards campaign for the soundtrack.
Songs like “Golden,” “Free,” and “What It Sounds Like” act as a cathartic release of emotion for the characters. While “Golden” may appear to be a basic pop song, it acts as a great representation of the film’s thesis. The film follows characters trying to find their place in a world of conflict and eventually discovering their true selves, and “Golden” perfectly captures that idea. “What It Sounds Like” works great as the climactic song of the film, with each of the HUNTR/X characters apologizing for their actions in the song. It also acts as Rumi, the protagonist, learning to accept her flaws and use them to better others. Although the lyrics are on-the-nose with their messaging, it works extremely well for the movie and the audience’s overall takeaway.
The songs by the Saja Boys represent their attempt to steal HUNTR/X’s fans. “Soda Pop” is purposefully an extremely corny pop song about how the band will treat you well if you are with them, likely in a relationship sense. Not only does the writing in the song represent the band’s goal of getting people on their side, but the annoyingly catchy production serves the film in a physical and metaphorical sense. “Your Idol” serves a similar purpose, but in a much darker manner than “Soda Pop.” The song discusses exactly what the Saja Boys want to do to their fans: steal their souls. Despite the horrifying things the lyrics are discussing, the production is so strong that it sucks the listener in. The Saja Boys may be the characters the audience is supposed to be against, but their songs are so strong that they make the viewer rethink who to root for.
KPop Demon Hunters may have a strong story, but the songs do an equally good job of conveying the character development and themes of the movie. From emotional releases to hypnotising pop bangers, the songs make up what is one of the best movie soundtracks that Netflix has ever produced. People may watch the film for its anime influences, but what audiences will be remembering is the songs by HUNTR/X and Baja Boys.
KPop Demon Hunters is available to stream on Netflix
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