“We’re going up, up, up, it’s our moment.” – Huntrix’s Golden. Truer words have never been spoken: K-Pop Demon Hunters — the summer hit movie of 2025 — now has over 236 million views on Netflix, making it the most-watched film ever on Netflix.
The movie focuses on three main K-pop stars: Rumi, Mira and Zoey. At first, they seem like your regular K-pop stars — and in a way they are — but they are also more than that: they are heroes. But not just any heroes, they are golden heroes. They destroy demons at night and protect the city, making it the classic two-sided identity. As the show goes on, we start to learn more about each of the characters: their backgrounds, insecurities, and, most of all, their desires to just fit in. The movie gives us classic themes about coming into your own.
When my six-year-old cousin introduced me to K-pop Demon Hunters, I was reluctant. I thought that it was just another show. What would these so-called Demon Hunters know about our world now? What would be interesting about a classic good vs bad story? I only watched the first 15 minutes of the movie. A few weeks after my cousins left, I walked into our living room to find my dad nearly in tears watching the show. So, I decided to finally sit down and watch it. I don’t think I have ever felt more in touch with a movie. I was nearly in tears by the end.
Throughout the beginning of this school year, I have been trying to figure out why K-pop Demon Hunters seem to resonate with Ripley and me, especially because I keep seeing many Instagram reels about it, and I think that I finally have the answer. Or, in this case, answers.
The first reason why it is so popular is the amount of detail and work that was put into it. Its character development — the way it introduces the characters and how they grow and evolve throughout the movie. Each of the characters seem like a pretty typical teenage girl, but as you go on, you see deeper stories and the traits that they try to hide. It is also unique in the fact that music plays a central role, not just as background or filler. The song lyrics highlight the internal struggles of the three main characters, juxtaposing their public personas of happiness and self-confidence. This is one of the central themes of the movie — what we feel on the inside versus what we show to others and the image we create to protect ourselves.
Additionally, the culture of South Korea is incorporated seamlessly into the movie; the story itself is based on ancient Korean mythology. The three girls are based on Shamans — people who fight evil spirits the same way that the girls do. The demons themselves are based on the Grim Reaper. They also display common food and culture from Seoul, and overall, do a really astounding job blending the culture with the plot of the story.
The main reason why this movie speaks so much to me now is because of its themes. In the movie, you would think that Rumi, Mira and Zoey are all happy. They seem like they have no imperfections. The truth is, though, that they all have problems and they all feel alone.
Rumi struggles with having two identities, which speaks to a lot of people now who are trying to figure out who they are. Zoey speaks to the fact of how hard it is to be happy all the time, and the fear that people use you and that they don’t like you for who you are. Mira’s story is about being different and how that can make us feel alone. The demons represent our insecurities, which is how they get their souls.
The true theme of this movie is acceptance. Acceptance of who we are and our fears. This is why the song, “This Is What It Sounds Like”, is such an important one. Its lyrics, “I broke into a million pieces, and I can’t go back. But now I’m seeing all the beauty in the broken glass. The scars are part of me, darkness and harmony. My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like,” are such fundamental parts of the theme of the movie.
All of these reasons are why K-Pop Demon Hunters has risen through the ranks to become the most-watched Netflix movie of all time. From the Americas to South Korea to Australia. Take the lessons from the movie: stand up for your beliefs, be honest with who you are and remember that you aren’t alone.
