When Maggie Kang had the opportunity to direct and market her own animated film, she knew exactly what was missing in Hollywood animation. After working in the industry for over a decade, Korean-American filmmakers have never encountered a single Korean project. So she created “Kpop Demon Hunters.” Netflix’s animated musical became the first feature animation, along with a global phenomenon that surprised even all Korean characters and their creators.
Offering Masterclass at the Netflix Creative Asia Conference and at the Busan International Film Festival, Kang detailed his journey from concept to global success, revealing how he systematically injected every aspect of the supernatural girl group story into authentic Korean culture.
“I always wanted to see Koreans represented on screen,” Kang told the audience on Saturday. “I really wanted to work on a Korean project, but I never came across one in the 12 or 13 years since I worked in the animation industry in Hollywood.”
The story of the film’s origins began with the charm of Kang, who was fascinated by Korean mythology, particularly the creatures she grew up listening to, such as the dokka shrimp, dalshin, and syaja. “The idea of the devil naturally led to a group of demon hunters, truly incredible women fighting the devil,” she explained. “But the idea required something else. That wasn’t enough.”
That missing element turned out to be K-Pop, and completely converted the project. “The film instantly grew on scale. It became a musical. And it was just more spectacular,” Kang said.
To build a fantastical concept in authentic Korean culture, Kang turned to the country’s shamanic traditions. “To us, this amazing tradition is Mudan. It’s Korean shamanism. So the idea of using music is to drive away the devils and sing songs. This is what Mudan did,” she explained.
The film’s hunters draw supernatural powers from songs and dances, creating “sonic weapons to counterattack hordes of demons.” Kang drew inspiration from the gut, a traditional Korean folk dancer who performed rituals to protect his community from demons and evil spirits. “In a way, they were really their first concert in Korea,” she pointed out.
In 2022, her core creative team, including Kang and co-director Chris Appelhans, set out on an extensive research trip to Korea. They visited places such as Gwangjang Market, Namsan Tower, Olympic Stadium, Myeongdong Shopping District, and Seonsan Folk Village.
“You have to know Korea. The team’s first-hand experience conveyed every visual detail, from modelled buildings in the Seoul skyline to authentic details of the restaurant scene.
One particularly meaningful place was the village of Bukkon Hanok, chosen for the first meeting of the main character Rumi and Jiyu. “Hanok is Junu, and the modern skyline is like we thought we were Romi and modern and old,” Kang explained, explaining how the juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary architecture reflected the characters themselves.
The production commitment to the authenticity has been extended to minimal detail. Kang highlighted how the Korean artist in the production flagged cultural elements, including a colleague’s suggestion to add napkins under location settings in the restaurant scene.
The team also took iconic Korean elements like Taekwon Do and visited both Kukkiwon and K-Tigers demo teams. “Their demonstrations really proved to us that dance and fight can be seamlessly incorporated,” Kang said.
Even the animal characters in the film paid tribute to Korean culture, and Darpy the Tigger was inspired by the National Animals and Chokd Art.
Creating a female Korean character made particularly meaningful to Kang. Kang worked to create “a charming, ambitious and unique, but most importantly Korean.” Of her personal favorites, she picked out Mira. “I think Mira is very cool. I think she’s very beautiful in a completely different way, so I wish she was Mira.”
The film features seven original songs created by well-known K-Pop producers, including a team from a black label led by Teddy Park. “We went to the Bonafide K-Pop hit maker to make sure that from producers to songwriters to lyricists and K-POP music DNA is our main concern,” Kang said.
The soundtrack breakout hit “Golden” reached number one on the Billboard charts, with two members covering the film’s “Takedown” track. “Their excitement about the film really validated what we are trying to achieve and achieve in the K-Pop space,” Kang said.
Kang praised his work relationship with co-director Chris Appelhans, explaining that their collaboration is essential to maintaining the film’s vision. “The story is king. Without the story, there’s nothing wrong,” she said, explaining the process of trading scenes and expressing opinions on each other’s work.
“In the middle of it, we were in sync, so we mostly shared our brains,” Kang said. She said Appelhans, whose wife is Korean, brought cultural sensitivity to the project, and he moved to China for two years while he previously directed “Wish Dragon.”
The film’s global popularity was amazed even by creators. “When you make a movie, you don’t think about you, you don’t want it to make it and people to connect with it,” Kang retorted. “This is what we didn’t expect. It’s blowing our minds.”
Fans frequently ask about sequels, but Kang says there is “no official word” for future installments, but she and the team are “excited by the possibilities of more stories.”
Success represents a broader victory for the South Korean representative in animation. “Every time you click on the play button on Netflix, they’re not only watching your movie, they’re back to Korean culture.
