KPop Demon Hunters is one of the best new animated movies of the year, and the characters have some clear connections to a number of big Korean stars. The incredibly popular Netflix movie is full of fun characters, great humor, and electrifying songs, all inspired by various facets of Korean culture.

KPop Demon Hunters has connections to anime and other international media. The new film’s efforts to capture this exciting subgenre are effective, and it creates several compelling new characters. The Saja Boys and Huntrix are exciting new bands with fun songs that are among the best seen in a Netflix movie.

Some of the inspirations behind the characters have been revealed. Co-director Maggie Kang and other creative members have spoken about some of the inspirations. As audiences await a sequel to KPop Demon Hunters, it is necessary to look into some of these inspirations and see how they could affect the future of these exciting and dynamic characters.

5

The Saja Boys Were An Amalgamation Of Boy Bands

Including Tomorrow X Together, BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, and Monsta X

The Saja Boys serve as the antagonists throughout most of the film. Sent by Gwi-Ma, the handsome group attempts to steal all of Huntrix’s fans. They began to win public attention with their song “Soda Pop,” which has drawn comparisons online to songs by the band SEVENTEEN, among others. The tune is frothy and fun, and draws in audiences.

This makes sense, as the Saja Boys were made to resemble several different, successful K-pop groups. Bands like Tomorrow X Together and BTS were cited as influences, but the most important detail was to ensure that each member of the group fulfilled a different boy-band stereotype. Doing this helped to make them feel more authentic.

Some of these stereotypes include the leader, the heartthrob, and the Maknae, a term which refers to the youngest member of the group. These archetypes are fulfilled in various groups, with most K-pop bands seeing a similar makeup.

Despite all being built on the same animated frame, each member of the Saja Boys looked distinctly different to match these important archetypes. Baby Saja, for example, fulfilled the youthful, rapping stereotype, like BTS’ Jimin and Stray Kids’ Hyunjin.

4

Jinu Was Inspired By Cha Eun-woo & Nam Joo-hyuk

The Leader Of The Saja Boys Drew From Models And Actors

Jinu is the male lead of the film and develops a complex relationship with Rumi. The two have a dark past, as well as connections to the demon horde, which helps to forge a connection between their characters.

While Jinu clearly has ᴀssociations with K-pop groups, especially as a member of the Saja Boys, much of his design and character are also pulled from various stars of Korean dramas. As the romantic lead, the directors turned to various Korean dramas to inspire his character.

Cha Eun-woo is an obvious influence, as a member of the band Astro, and a strong performer in various series. His look in shows like A Good Day to Be a Dog matches the charming, cutesy style Jinu suggests from a distance in KPop Demon Hunters. This romantic-lead styling is an important part of Jinu’s duality.

Nam Joo-hyuk, meanwhile, captures the darker side of Jinu’s character. While also a strong romantic lead, Joo-hyuk has shown great versatility through the years, appearing in films like The Great Battle. Much of Jinu’s darkness seems to be drawn directly from this comparison.

3

Huntrix Was Drawn From Itzy & TWICE

Several K-pop Girl Groups Inspired The Main Trio

Huntrix are the main characters in KPop Demon Hunters and draw from several different K-pop groups. Itzy is one of the most prominent ones, especially with their focus on self-love in their music. The designs and the wholesome stylings of their songs went a long way in shaping how Huntrix interacted with one another.

Much of this can be seen in the songs and performances from the group. “Golden” shines in the film as a single from Huntrix, and the music and lyrics seem to be pulled directly from one of these other contemporary acts. The strong musicality went a long way in making Huntrix feel authentic.

TWICE was also noted as an inspiration for the group. A nine-person group formed in 2015, some of the band’s songs, dances, and styles served as part of the images that would go on to inform Huntrix. Still, Huntrix needed to feel unique, and the band was not created with one single image of what a K-pop group looks like.

A wholesome image built across the bounds of deep friendship was important for the group. This was drawn from various bands, and it is difficult to reduce the inspirations down to only a couple of bands. While less focused on specific archetypes than the Saja Boys were, it was important for each character to feel fully realized and specific.

2

Mira’s Style Resembles Korean Model Ahn So Yeon

The Huntrix Member And Her Outfits Were Drawn From Korean Fashion

Mira is Huntrix’s most fashion-forward member, which is pointed out when she shows up to the MET gala in a sleeping bag. She is tall and wears a number of dynamic outfits throughout the film, showing off several different exciting, casual, and daring styles.

Ahn So Yeon was credited as one of the influences on Mira’s design. The Korean model is tall, thin, and fashion-forward in ways that were perfectly mapped onto the character of Mira. Taking a look at Korean high-fashion and how it is such an influential part of K-pop groups was an effective way to make the character feel authentic.

K-pop stars are more than just their music and help to shape culture in important ways. Putting a fashion-forward spin on one of the group’s members was integral to making their impact feel as real as possible.

Various fashion events through the years have featured stars like Jin, Karina, and more showing up on the carpets. As icons known for more than their music, K-pop stars have been cultural ambᴀssadors in various settings. Embodying that in the film with a fashion-forward character helps to explore this theme.

1

Rumi Has Clear Connections To Jennie From Blackpink

Among Other K-pop Stars

Rumi was in the works for a long time and evolved over the course of the years. Co-director Kang posted on X about how she developed the character more than nine years ago, and showed how so much of her design has changed over the years.

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While it is difficult to distill her design inspirations down to one or two names, many have compared Rumi to Jennie from BLACKPINK. As a dynamic figure who stands out as an individual but also works well as a member of an ensemble, this comparison makes a lot of sense.

A strong performer who has broken out as a solo act, Jennie is a compelling figure in the public eye who aligns with Rumi’s personality and design. Tough, playful, and with great charisma that shines off the screen, Jennie has also recently branched into acting in the 2023 Emmy-winning series The Idol.

Other BLACKPINK stars likely helped to inform the character. BLACKPINK is arguably the most popular K-pop girl group globally, and Lisa, Jisoo, and Rosé are incredibly influential worldwide. While Rumi most resembles Jennie, she is multifaceted and seems to pull from these other stars as well.

K-pop is a hugely influential genre, and many stars from within that framework clearly inspired several of the characters in the new film. KPop Demon Hunters does a great job of translating a whole cultural form into an accessible and entertaining animated movie on Netflix. Hopefully, future sequels will see more of that culture investigated.

Sources: Forbes, Maggie Kang/X