You could call it the understatement of the year to claim that KPop Demon Hunters has taken the world by storm. Audiences cite various reasons for its overwhelming popularity, including its infectious songs, a vibrant fan community that creates its own choreography and covers, and a staggering volume of fanfiction.
As a woman, one of the favorite elements of KPop Demon Hunters is the relationship between the group's members Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. Against all challenges, they band together to vanquish evil and save their world. While there is an complicated love story between Rumi and Saja Boys' Jinu, it doesn't detract from the heartwarming friendship among the three girls. They are loud, unapologetic and aren't afraid to look a little goofy.
Deliberate Silliness of Huntr/x
As revealed by Maggie Kang, the silliness of Huntr/x was a conscious choice. Speaking at a recent press conference alongside the vocalists and fellow director/writer Chris Appelhans, Kang was asked about the essential components she wanted women of all generations to see in the series.
"The most important is I wanted to see really silly women," Kang explained. "In my experience, we're often hesitant, especially in animation, to show female characters be really silly and become the most humorous character."
She recalled her experiences from working on films where an ensemble cast included a single female lead. Teams would struggle in lengthy meetings about defining her distinctiveness. Kang suggested making the funniest character female, but the idea was frequently rejected.
Strength Through Comedy
She confessed that this disappointment over the reluctance to showcase goofy female characters directly shaped the creation of KPop Demon Hunters. She was set to make all three Huntr/x members humorous.
"I firmly believe there's empowerment and strength in comedy," Kang said. "Being funny requires bravery. To propose gags. To be silly in front of somebody. And if you find a group that embrace you and your weirdest side, and they are just as weird with you, that is an ideal bond. I really wanted to highlight that type of female relationship."
The strategy succeeded: The series is filled with hilarious scenes, often conveyed through the animation style. Examples include the three girls chugging ramen with exaggerated expressions and falling over each other when they see the attractive Saja Boys. These quirky traits make the characters unforgettable and are clearly a major factor why fans are heavily invested and hoping for a follow-up project.
KPop Demon Hunters is currently streaming on Netflix.
