Why are K-pop stars obsessed with 'KPop Demon Hunters'?

Neftflix changed its header image to capture the moment BTS Jung Kook teared up in a livestream while watching "KPop Demon Hunters," July 14. Captured from Netflix' X account

The Netflix animated sensation, “KPop Demon Hunters,” has taken the K-pop world by storm, captivating even the brightest stars in the industry.

K-pop icons are embracing “KPop Demon Hunters” not just as a movie, but as a global phenomenon, covering its songs, expressing admiration and joining fans worldwide in celebrating the film’s electrifying blend of music, fantasy and star power.

Various K-pop artists — including Mamamoo’s Solar, Urban Zakapa’s Kwon Soon-il, Kwon Jin-ah, A.C.E’s Junhee and Epik High’s Tablo — have released covers of the film’s soundtrack.

The cover video by Kwon Soon-il, in which he flawlessly handles the original song’s high notes, surpassed a total of 2.5 million views on Instagram and YouTube. Lily of girl group NMIXX achieved over 10 million views on TikTok with her cover of the show’s anthem “Golden.” IVE’s An Yu-jin’s version of “Golden” racked up 1.6 million views within just two days of its release, drawing comparisons to IVE’s own hit “I AM,” with both songs celebrated for empowering themes of self-love and confidence.

Actor Ahn Hyo-seop, the voice of Jinu from the fictional boy group Saja Boys, posted a video of him singing “Free,” a song included in the soundtrack of the film, with a caption saying, “missing Jinu.”

Riding the film’s wave of popularity, its soundtrack has become the highest-charting animated film soundtrack since “Encanto” in 2022, soaring to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart for the week of July 19.

As of Sunday, eight songs from the soundtrack are on the Billboard Hot 100. The lead single, “Golden,” leapt from No. 23 to No. 6 on the Hot 100 this week, with 18.8 million streams and nearly 1 million radio airplay impressions.

Singer and actor Cha Eun-woo performed a dance cover of “Soda Pop” during a fan meeting in Seoul, July 12. Courtesy of Fantagio

Three songs from the film simultaneously entered the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart Top 100 as well on Friday (local time), with “Golden” reaching No. 9 — marking its fourth consecutive week on the chart. “Golden” is expected to be submitted for Best Original Song at the upcoming Academy Awards.

On July 14, BTS member Jung Kook revealed during a Weverse live broadcast that he shed tears at the ending of “KPop Demon Hunters.” He became emotional at the scene where the main character, Jinu, disappears while trying to protect Rumi. He also sang Saja Boys’ “Soda Pop.”

Jung Kook has referenced “KPop Demon Hunters” before. When RM hummed “Soda Pop” during a group live broadcast July 1, Jung Kook commented, “Did you see that? It was fun.”

Netflix responded immediately. As this scene quickly gained traction online, Netflix’s official X (formerly Twitter) account retweeted the live broadcast and updated its bio to read, “BTS Noticed Saja Boys.” They also changed their header image to capture the moment Jung Kook teared up watching “KPop Demon Hunters” on July 14. The phrase “jungkook watched kpop demon hunters” was then added to Netflix’s X profile.

Not just vocal covers, but social media is now flooded with with dance covers from idols and fans alike. One standout came from singer and actor Cha Eun-woo, who was cited by the film’s directors as one of real-life inspirations for the animated character Jinu. He surprised fans by performing the highlight choreography of “Soda Pop” at his last fan meeting before enlisting, July 12.

A 20-second video of him dancing at the event reached 1.5 million views on YouTube. Dressed in an outfit reminiscent of a crown prince, he showcased precise choreography and after finishing the dance, he shyly turned his head, earning an enthusiastic response from fans. Comments from his fans included, “This looks like a live-action version from the animation,” and “Cha Eun-woo is on another level.”

Excitement is also building with news of Cha’s duet with Korean American actor Arden Cho, who voices Rumi in the film. In a recent interview with Elle Korea, Cho revealed that the two recorded a cover of “Free” together.

Singer Wonho performs in his cover video of "Soda Pop." Captured from singer's YouTube

Singer Wonho, former member of K-pop boy band MONSTA X, drew praise for perfectly recreating Saja Boys member Abby’s style in his “Soda Pop” cover video. The singer appears in a yellow beanie, pink hair, floral shirt and jeans, astonishing viewers by matching Abby from head to toe.

Meanwhile, MONSTA X members Kihyun, Hyungwon and Joohoney also posted a challenge video for Saja Boys’ song “Your Idol” on the group's YouTube channel. Sporting gat, traditional Korean black hats and hanbok, they closely resembled the actual characters and perfectly recreated the Saja Boys’ stage.