KPop Demon Hunters music producer Ian Eisendrath explains the deeper meaning behind some of the film’s songs. Netflix’s original animated movie follows a fictional girl group that spends part of their time hunting demons. The pop musical features a voice cast including Arden Cho, May Hong, Li-young Yoo, Lee Byung-hun, and Daniel Dae Kim.

The movie has been incredibly popular since hitting Netflix and has consistently made it onto the streaming charts. Among its most popular elements are KPop Demon Hunters‘ original songs, which have become big hits despite being sung by a fictional band.

Speaking with Variety, Eisendrath explains the meaning behind some of KPop Demon Hunters‘ big songs. Speaking about some of the music from Saja Boys, the music producer explained that “the idea was to innocently and naively seduce the fans.” The tunes would lure them in by seeming “adorable” and “light.” But underneath the surface, they are “actually saying ‘I’m gonna prey on you.” Check out the full explanation below:

“The idea was to innocently and naively seduce the fans. To show up and be the most adorable, Sєxy in some ways, light, fun. It’s actually saying, ‘I’m gonna prey on you.’ That’s what these demons do. They suck your souls. But you would never know it!”

What This Means For KPop Demon Hunters

The Songs Take A Clever Approach

Led by Jinu, the Saja Boys are a group of demons disguised as a boy band. They report to Gwi-Ma, the major antagonist in KPop Demon Hunters. As Eisendrath describes, hiding in plain sight is key for the Saja Boys, as they have to present a charming exterior that hides their dark intentions.

This is a clever approach given the broader context of popular K-Pop bands. The Saja Boys’ melodies seem pretty directly inspired by Korean boy band sensation BTS. The real-life band has hits like “ʙuттer” and “Dynamite,” which have a light bubblegum pop feel. For the Saja Boys, these styles are especially reflected in the song “Soda Pop.” Even the name seems cutesy, giving the song its “light, fun” feel.

It is clever for Eisendrath and his team to use this image as a gimmick. Audiences who like the music medium are also accustomed to this social craze surrounding K-pop bands. The same would be true for in-universe Saja Boys audiences, who would have some sense of trust and security in the malevolent group.

Our Take On The Saja Boys In KPop Demon Hunters

This Is A Testament To Its Strength

Elements like these serve as a good reminder of how clever KPop Demon Hunters actually is. There is a reason why the movie has gotten strong reviews in addition to its viewership. Creative people like Eisendrath really took their time to develop clever plot details that play upon real-world tropes, which improved KPop Demon Hunters.

Source: Variety