'KPop Demon Hunters' director visits Lotte World Adventure

Maggie Kang, second from left, co-director of Netflix's global animated hit "KPop Demon Hunters," poses with her daughter at Lotte World Adventure in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Lotte World Adventure

Fresh off a historic run at the Academy Awards, filmmaker Maggie Kang made a high-profile return to her roots Monday, visiting Lotte World Adventure in southern Seoul with her family.

Kang, the acclaimed director behind Netflix’s global animated juggernaut "KPop Demon Hunters," was greeted at the theme park by its signature mascot characters, Lotty and Lorry. During her visit, she rode the park’s popular Balloon Ride with her daughter, Lumi, and toured the Lotte World Folk Museum, an exhibition space dedicated to immersive displays of traditional Korean history and cultural heritage.

Born in Korea and raised in Canada, Kang has transitioned into the upper echelon of global animation. Her 2025 feature, "KPop Demon Hunters," shattered streaming metrics upon its release, ultimately surpassing 500 million cumulative views to rank among the most-watched animated properties in Netflix’s history.

The film’s commercial dominance was matched by critical acclaim this past March at the 98th Academy Awards. Celebrated for seamlessly blending contemporary music subcultures with traditional lore, the film secured two Oscars, including the highly coveted award for Best Animated Feature.

Industry analysts view Kang’s trajectory as part of a broader shift in Western animation, where major studios are increasingly backing projects rooted in distinct regional cultures. For Kang, the visit to Seoul offered a moment of reflection. By pairing a trip to a modern amusement park with an exploration of traditional history at the folk museum, the director's itinerary mirrored the very duality that propelled her animated feature to international success.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.