Kpop Demon Hunters creator excited at potential for extra tales

[ad_1] Colin Paterson Leisure correspondent

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/5227/live/940c9bf0-a5ea-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/5227/live/940c9bf0-a5ea-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5227/live/940c9bf0-a5ea-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/5227/live/940c9bf0-a5ea-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/5227/live/940c9bf0-a5ea-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/5227/live/940c9bf0-a5ea-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/5227/live/940c9bf0-a5ea-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5227/live/940c9bf0-a5ea-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Netflix The three female animated stars from the pop group Huntr/x of KPop Demon Hunters" class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Netflix Zoey, Rumi and Mira are Huntr/x - the Kpop trio who additionally try to save the world from evil

Maggie Kang, the creator and co-director of Kpop Demon Hunters, has mentioned she is "excited for the potential for extra tales" involving animated lady group Huntr/x.

Chatting with the BBC throughout a go to to Europe, Kang defined that whereas there was "nothing official we are able to discuss", she and co-director Chris Appelhans imagine "there's undoubtedly extra we are able to do with these characters on this world".

"And no matter it is going to be, it is going to be a narrative that deserves to be a sequel, and it is going to be one thing that we need to see," she added.

Kpop Demon Hunters has turn into a cultural phenomenon this yr, overtaking Squid Sport as essentially the most watched title in Netflix historical past, with greater than 325m views.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/ea8c/live/504972d0-a5e5-11f0-920e-cb66ee1d5eb0.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/ea8c/live/504972d0-a5e5-11f0-920e-cb66ee1d5eb0.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ea8c/live/504972d0-a5e5-11f0-920e-cb66ee1d5eb0.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/ea8c/live/504972d0-a5e5-11f0-920e-cb66ee1d5eb0.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/ea8c/live/504972d0-a5e5-11f0-920e-cb66ee1d5eb0.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/ea8c/live/504972d0-a5e5-11f0-920e-cb66ee1d5eb0.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/ea8c/live/504972d0-a5e5-11f0-920e-cb66ee1d5eb0.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ea8c/live/504972d0-a5e5-11f0-920e-cb66ee1d5eb0.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty The directors of the film, Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang" class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Getty The administrators of Kpop Demon Hunters, Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang

The animated movie tells the story of a massively profitable feminine Kpop trio, who play huge concert events concurrently attempting to save lots of the world from evil forces.

They find yourself locked in battle in opposition to a boy band known as Saja Boys, who're made up of demons.

The movie has damaged file after file. A sing-a-long model launched in cinemas in August grew to become the primary ever Netflix movie to prime the US field workplace.

Its music additionally topped the US singles and albums charts, turning into the primary soundtrack in historical past to have 4 songs concurrently within the US prime 10, one thing not even Saturday Evening Fever might obtain.

The movie's anthem Golden, sung by Huntr/x, has spent eight weeks at primary, tying Sugar Sugar by The Archies for essentially the most time on the prime of the charts by an animated act.

Might the Oscars go Golden?

There may be now an actual perception that Kpop Demon Hunters may very well be set to slay the Oscars.

Critics have cherished the movie, which holds a rating of 95% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, the web evaluate aggregator.

The influential Gold Derby predictions web site now has it because the favorite for one of the best animated movie, forward of Zootopia 2 and Elio.

"The title alone is clearly Oscar bait," laughs Chris Appelhans, the American who's the opposite half of the directing duo.

"We tried to do one thing new and it was actually onerous and I believe we're actually pleased with the way it got here out. But when individuals are going to reward that, that will be superior."

The opposite class the place the movie must be a robust challenger is greatest authentic tune, the place the principles state that any movie can solely enter three numbers.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/c34f/live/b03c5ad0-a45b-11f0-bf2c-b564608f4fa4.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/c34f/live/b03c5ad0-a45b-11f0-bf2c-b564608f4fa4.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c34f/live/b03c5ad0-a45b-11f0-bf2c-b564608f4fa4.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/c34f/live/b03c5ad0-a45b-11f0-bf2c-b564608f4fa4.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/c34f/live/b03c5ad0-a45b-11f0-bf2c-b564608f4fa4.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/c34f/live/b03c5ad0-a45b-11f0-bf2c-b564608f4fa4.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/c34f/live/b03c5ad0-a45b-11f0-bf2c-b564608f4fa4.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c34f/live/b03c5ad0-a45b-11f0-bf2c-b564608f4fa4.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Netflix The animated group Saja boys from the Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters" class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Netflix Songs by each Hunter/x and the Saja Boys, the boyband populated by demons, may very well be nominated on the Oscars

Netflix have already said that breakout hit Golden will probably be included for Academy consideration, however what concerning the different two slots?

"I believe Your Idol is such a banger," says Kang about tune the Saja Boys sing whereas feeding the souls of their viewers to the evil overlord Gwi-Ma.

"We're so pleased with the tune, but additionally the sequence. We cheered, we have been so pleased with it."

Appelhans, nevertheless, is group Huntr/x, choosing What it Sounds Like.

"The finale was such a technical problem, each in songwriting and storytelling," he explains. "To make a tune that was the climax of your film, with a variety of transferring elements, however was additionally an precise cathartic tune."

Kang concurs: "It is the one tune that each time I hear it, I simply cry. It's totally emotional."

"No room for Soda Pop?" I query concerning the Saja Boys earworm.

"Perhaps we might get 4?" laughs Kang.

"We'll simply submit then all," joins in Appelhans.

Summer time of success

Appelhans can pin level the precise second again in June when he realised they'd successful on their palms.

"It is actually 2am the night time after the movie got here out. I am on TikTok and within the feedback part they're completely articulating Rumi's emotional journey."

He was overjoyed that the followers have been already partaking with movie's essential protagonist, on a deep degree.

Kang, who was born in South Korea and moved to Canada aged 5, locations the breakthrough second as barely later. "We have been capable of join with our core viewers, which is the KPop viewers and the animation followers and that demographic took to our movie in a short time.

"But it surely was the third week when the trajectory of the graph of viewership actually modified. We have been like, 'Woah. That was bizarre.'

"And we might see via our social media all of the completely different pockets of demographic that have been connecting to it."

Kang believes that the followers have been essential in movie's all conquering rise: "They're an age group that likes to make content material. And it was sort of like free promoting. They have been simply spreading the phrase of this film all over the place. I believe that helped it develop these lengthy legs."

The movie's success continues to develop. 4 months after its launch, it was nonetheless essentially the most watched movie in 19 international locations final week, together with the UK and US.

The Kpop stars Rei Ami, Audrey Nuna, and EJAY, who present the singing voices for Huntr/x, have appeared on each Saturday Evening Reside (in a skit with Unhealthy Bunny) and gave their first ever stay efficiency of Golden on Jimmy Fallon's US chat present.

"We have been so bummed that we weren't capable of be there at Fallon," says Kang in a uncommon second of non-total positivity.

"We have been asleep in Paris. Simply to see him talking to our ladies was so bizarre. It now feels extra actual than ever. I am simply so pleased with them.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/8e98/live/0b82ce50-a5de-11f0-965a-d710a4841bd9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/8e98/live/0b82ce50-a5de-11f0-965a-d710a4841bd9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/8e98/live/0b82ce50-a5de-11f0-965a-d710a4841bd9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/8e98/live/0b82ce50-a5de-11f0-965a-d710a4841bd9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/8e98/live/0b82ce50-a5de-11f0-965a-d710a4841bd9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/8e98/live/0b82ce50-a5de-11f0-965a-d710a4841bd9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/8e98/live/0b82ce50-a5de-11f0-965a-d710a4841bd9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/8e98/live/0b82ce50-a5de-11f0-965a-d710a4841bd9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images Rei Ami, Audrey Nuna, and EJAY, who provide the singing voices of Huntr/x. They performed on Jimmy Fallon's US talk show. Fallon is holiding a platinum disc with which the singers are being presented." class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Todd Owyoung/NBC by way of Getty Photos (L-R) Rei Ami, Audrey Nuna, and EJAY, who present the singing voices of Huntr/x, have been offered with a platinum disc by Fallon

One factor the pair wish to clear up is that they don't imagine that their movie must be categorized as anime.

"I do not suppose we're large enough anime followers to be that impressed from it," explains Kang.

"The anime we like are very old skool, like Cowboy Bebop and Sailor Moon," referencing two Japanese TV exhibits which originated within the 90s.

Appelhans agrees: "I believe it was a flavour. I believe we have been influenced by a variety of Korean movie makers and k-dramas. It was a part of a large spectrum of tones that we wished to hit, however not the dominant one."

No stay motion adaptation

They're additionally fast to rule out rumours of a Kpop Demon Hunters live-action adaptation.

Kang desires to kick that concept into the underworld: "There's so many components of the tone and the comedy which are so fitted to animation," she says.

"It is actually onerous to think about these characters in a stay motion world. It might really feel too grounded. So completely it would not work for me."

For Appelhans, it's an ill-conceived thought: "One of many nice issues about animation is that you simply make these composites of impossibly nice attributes. Rumi might be this goofy comic after which singing and doing a spinning back-kick a second later after which freefalling via the sky.

"The enjoyment of animation is how far you'll be able to push and elevate what's doable. I bear in mind they tailored a variety of completely different animes and infrequently instances, it simply feels a bit of stilted."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/4c57/live/1cfc74f0-a463-11f0-b741-177e3e2c2fc7.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/4c57/live/1cfc74f0-a463-11f0-b741-177e3e2c2fc7.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4c57/live/1cfc74f0-a463-11f0-b741-177e3e2c2fc7.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/4c57/live/1cfc74f0-a463-11f0-b741-177e3e2c2fc7.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/4c57/live/1cfc74f0-a463-11f0-b741-177e3e2c2fc7.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/4c57/live/1cfc74f0-a463-11f0-b741-177e3e2c2fc7.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/4c57/live/1cfc74f0-a463-11f0-b741-177e3e2c2fc7.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4c57/live/1cfc74f0-a463-11f0-b741-177e3e2c2fc7.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Ricky Midlesworth/ Netflix Ji-young Yoo (voice of ZOEY), Arden Cho (voice of RUMI) and May Hong (voice of MIRA)" class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Ricky Midlesworth/ Netflix The talking voices of Huntr/x: Ji-young Yoo (Zoey), Arden Cho (Rumi) and Could Hong (Rumi)

It doesn't matter what occurs this awards season, Kang says their expectations for the movie have already been greater than surpassed.

She surmises that the purpose was "to attach folks and produce them to Kpop".

"Simply seeing folks bond over this film has been so great," she displays.

"So all of the awards can be nice, however I believe we really feel actually unimaginable about what the film has achieved already. So it seems like we have sort of gained in a method."