Of all the unexpected earworms of 2025, a song sung by a bunch of demons masquerading as a K-Pop boyband plotting to steal the souls of their fans was probably one of the most unlikely.
However, if you're one of the millions of people who’ve been humming 'You’re my soda pop, my little soda pop’ for the last few months, you’ll understand exactly why a song by a fictional pop band called Saja Boys has had such a monumental impact.
It’s all thanks to KPop Demon Hunters, the animated feature film that has become a cultural phenomenon since its debut on Netflix in June. The Sony-made film is now officially the most-watched film in Netflix’s history, while its sing-along theatrical version (yes, there’s a sing-along theatrical version) became the first Netflix release to top the US box office when it received a limited release last month.
average reaction to this scene
— nyx🌙 (@NyxCosmo) August 23, 2025
featuring the silly kids chanting "KISS KISS" every single time #rujinu was on screen #KPOPDEMONHUNTERS pic.twitter.com/iNgProSmbO
If you’re completely lost or have been hiding under a large rock for the last three months, allow us to explain...
WHAT IS KPOP DEMON HUNTERS ABOUT?
The film opens with a performance by a K-Pop (i.e. Korean pop, a subgenre of pop music that originated in South Korea in the 1990s) girl group called Huntrix (or HUNTR/X). We soon learn that they are the latest in a long line of demon-hunters who have been tasked through the generations to maintain a demon-proof shield around the world called the Honmoon. They do this through the power of music - and their ultimate goal is to make the Honmoon golden, which would mean that demons would be banished from Earth forever. However, the Demon Boss - an entity called Gwi-Ma - has other ideas and unleashes a boyband called the Saja Boys into the world, as rivals to Huntrix with the goal of stealing their fans and destroying the Honmoon.
WHO ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERS?
The three members of Huntrix are Mira, Rumi and Zoey. Their lead singer Rumi is holding a dark secret, which - no spoilers - becomes apparent quite early on in the film. Gwi-Ma is the Demon Overlord, while demon boyband Saja Boys is led by the charismatic Jinu, a one-time human who sold his soul to Gwi-Ma four hundred years earlier.
#KPopDemonHunters (🍅97%) is now the most popular Netflix film of all time! https://t.co/t3Sk7qhaNP pic.twitter.com/Kb3XIymuCZ
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) August 26, 2025
ARE THERE ANY FAMILIAR NAMES IN THE CAST?
You may recognise some of the names, including Ken Jeong (The Hangover), who voices Huntrix's manager Bobby; Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, the Divergent films) as Healer Han; Arden Cho (Avatar: The Last Airbender) who voices Rumi; May Hong (Hacks, Tales of the City) as Mira, or Ji-young Yoo (Moxie, Expats), who voices Zoey. The characters’ singing voices are provided by musicians, many of them K-Pop stars in real life.
actors Ji-Young Yoo, Arden Cho, and May Hong, co-writer/co-director Chris Appelhans,
producer Michelle Wong and Netflix Animation head Hannah Minghella in Los Angeles
WHAT’S THE STORY WITH THE MUSIC?
The music is one of the main draws of KPop Demon Hunters, and the stats back it up: it has been phenomenally successful in the US Billboard Charts and both Huntrix and Saja Boys songs, including Golden and Your Idol, have topped US Spotify charts - surpassing records held by both Blackpink and BTS.
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WHY HAS IT BECOME SUCH A PHENOMENON?
K-Pop has always been a huge deal in Asia, but in recent years it has become a sensation across the world thanks to bands like the aforementioned BTS and Blackpink, who have introduced the genre to the US and UK markets. It meant that the timing was spot-on to unleash a film like this - but it also helps that the songs are well-written and incredibly catchy, and the animation is top-notch, too, drawing in both younger audiences and curious older minds. The 'good vs. evil' storyline may be a well-trodden trope, but it holds a certain appeal - and directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans (who co-wrote the script with Danja Jiminez and Hannah McMechan) certainly brought something original to the table.
IS THERE GOING TO BE A SEQUEL?
Although nothing has been officially announced, the phenomenal success of KPop Demon Hunters means that a sequel is inevitable. In fact, according to one report, Netflix is considering two sequels, a short film, a TV series and a stage musical. You can be assured that there will be at least an animated film sequel on the cards.
