A British religious school is in the news for banning its students from singing original songs from Netflix’s hit anime “KPop Demon Hunters.” The school was concerned that the lyrics of certain songs were not in line with its “Christian ethos”, the BBC reported.
“Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, Dorset, sent a message to parents on Friday saying some members of the local community were ‘deeply uncomfortable’ with references to the devil,” the BBC wrote. “The reason is because they are ‘associated with spiritual forces that are hostile to God and good.'” In an update on Monday, acting principal Lloyd Arrington said he had since received feedback from parents that emphasized the song’s positive message, but said the school was trying to support students who found the theme “difficult.”
The school initially asked students not to sing these songs at school “out of respect for those whose themes conflict with their faith,” but some parents soon objected. One parent told the BBC: “I thought it was ridiculous. My daughter is obsessed with K-pop, and she and all her little friends love it.”
Some parents informed the school that KPop Demon Hunters’ popular songs, such as the Grammy-nominated smash hit “Golden,” have a positive effect on children, including teaching them how to build teamwork.
Headteacher Lloyd Allington responded: “While we fully respect children’s right to make choices about what they engage in at home, we also want to be mindful of the diversity of beliefs within our school community.” “For some Christians, references to the devil can be very offensive because they associate it with spiritual forces that are opposed to God and good. We are not saying that parents should tell their children that there is nothing wrong with enjoying a movie or its songs if it aligns with their own views and beliefs. Our role is simply to help children understand that some of their friends may have different opinions and explore how they can respect those friends and protect their faith.”
KPop Demon Hunters, released on Netflix in June, became Netflix’s most-watched movie of all time, with over 325 million views and counting. Three of the original songs, “Golden,” “Your Idol,” and “Soda Pop” were mainstays on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for several weeks, with “Golden” topping the chart and earning a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year.
Variety reported earlier this month that Netflix and Sony have finalized a deal for a sequel to KPop Demon Hunters, with plans to release the film in 2029. Series co-director Maggie Kang, who co-directed the film with Chris Appelhans, has long expressed a desire for a sequel.
“We’ve been preparing a lot for potential backstories,” Kang told Variety in July. “Obviously, there are a lot of unanswered questions and unexplored areas. There’s only so much a movie can tell in 85 minutes, so we had to do that.”
