K-Pop Demon Hunters Review (2025) – A Riotously Stylish, Demon-Slaying, Girl Power Bop That Shreds Expectations and Your Soul (In the Best Way Possible)!

As summer begins to fade (FINALLY!!) and the world keeps pressing down, we potatoes were craving something wild. Something loud. Something fun. Something weird enough to jolt us out of the fog and remind us that joy still exists. Thanks to Animated August, we got exactly that. Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters exploded onto our screen and we potatoes were blown away!

While K-Pop Demon Hunters is a vibrant, glittering powerhouse of fun, it also touches on some heavy themes. Viewers should be aware that the film explores burnout, shame, emotional manipulation, generational trauma, identity suppression, and self-hatred. These themes are handled with care, but they may be difficult for some viewers, especially those with strained family dynamics or trauma around self-acceptance. Please take care of yourselves always.

We will try to avoid major spoilers, but please be aware that there will be some in this review, so read with caution.

Let’s dive in!

We open on a sold-out show! Strobes flash. Beats drop. The crowd is chanting “HUNTRIX!!”

Then a voice over, “The world will know you as Popstars but you will be much more than that. You will be Hunters.”

Fade to black, and fade into exposition on the origins of the Demon Hunters. Why they fight demons, why they sing, and how they use the power of song to touch the hearts and souls of their fans. The demons are after their souls, which they collect to send to the Demon King Gwi-Ma. The Hunters fight back utilizing weapons and the power of song! Their fans are able to give the Hunters special powers and the tools to fight the demons and to shield the world from them with the Honmoon. The ultimate goal is to turn the Honmoon gold which would seal the demons away for good!

It sounds incredibly corny, but we potatoes swear that it holds up!

After our brief history lesson, we get back to the sold-out show! The crowd is still going wild! They are incredibly excited and are more than happy to talk about their favorite member of HUNTRIX. We potatoes honesty cannot choose ourselves! We love all three of them! Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo)! They are all fantastic!

The concert is supposed to be starting…but, the girls are not there? In fact they are still on the plane! They are chatting, and carb loading, “For the fans!” They start stuffing their faces with a wide variety of delicious food as their plane seems to pass right over their concert… odd.

At first they do not realize that anything is wrong…until they get a call from their manager Bobby (Ken Jeong) asking them where they are!? “Why are you so late? Fifty thousand fans are waiting for you.” Confused they look out the plane window to see that, sure enough, they have flown right over the stadium. Slowly, they turn back to inside the cab eyeing the flight attendants and the pilot suspiciously. The girls quickly realize that something is extremely off with them, “Keep your shirt on Bobby. We’ll be there in three.”

“Why do they always interrupt our snacking?!”

Rumi stands, walks over to the flight attendant who is sweating bullets. “We don’t have time. You’re a demon, right?”

“What do you mean?”

The flight attendant tries to deny it, but Rumi sees her patterns, which mark her as a demon. The demons give it up, and let go of their disguises. Mira steps forward, “Aaaww, you got the patterns. Now you gotta die.”

“The only ones dying tonight are your… fans! We’re going to eat your fans!”

“Whoa!” Well, the fight was already on… but now it REALLY is. “When you mess with our fans…” (Zoey), “We need to make it hurt.” (Mira). The beat drops, and the girls start singing “How It’s Done” while killing every last demon!

They fall from the plane, and land in perfect sync on the stage going right into their performance! It truly is an epic way to start a show! They finish the song just as the camera pans to show more demons trapped under the Honmoon, not far from the venue. Screen goes to black and the title of the film is presented in bold caps, and shimmering letters.

KPOP DEMON HUNTERS

Moving into the demon world beneath the Honmoon, we see Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun). For such a fierce demon king… he is incredibly small. Without his demons being able to collect souls above the Honmoon, he is starving.

Enraged at the demons failure, Gwi-Ma is getting desperate. “You are weak! Pathetic! Useless! All of you!”

The demons surrounding him cower. “Don’t you idiots know?! Once the Hunters turn the Honmoon gold, it’s over for us!”

Is it? Well, not if Jinu (Ahn Hyo-Seop) has anything to say about it. Jinu, a talented demon, steps forward. He sings to the demon king. Gwi-Ma is insulted and unimpressed, but he allows Jinu to tell him his plan. Another K-Pop band… a boy band to fight fire with fire. To win over the fans, and destroy the Honmoon. “A demon Boy Band?” Gwi-Ma laughs loudly, “What makes you think that could work?”

The other members of the band that joined Jinu in front of Gwi-Ma all show him their demon features being morphed into conventionally attractive human faces. Then they end with a pose that they hold, so that everyone can take them in.

The crowd mumbles, “Oh yeah. That’s totally gonna work.” Gwi-Ma, a bit taken aback, but impressed agrees. Jinu is not known for doing anything that does not serve him in some fashion and that is true here. He wants the memories of his misdeeds and poor treatment of others erased.

We are going to wrap things up from here! To be brief, the show went great, but Rumi wants to push them even further. They are so close to gold, that Rumi can almost taste it! However, things get tripped up a little bit when a mysterious boy band, The Saja Boys, pops up to challenge them. Their hit song “Soda Pop” goes off the charts, and they start to develop a strong fan base. The girls are beside themselves, and are fighting harder than ever to keep their fans. There is more but we potatoes do not want to spoil everything!

We know this film sounds silly… but it’s not. The surprising depth took us potatoes delightfully off guard! The demon-slaying in K-Pop Demon Hunters is metaphorical as much as it is literal. The monsters aren’t just soul-sucking beasts. They’re manifestations of burnout, insecurity, obsession, and greed. The girls of HUNTRIX aren’t just fighting to survive. They’re fighting for each other. For their art, but especially for the souls of their fans. And when they stand together, bruised, bleeding, but still singing, it’s nothing short of electric, and we potatoes LOVE it!

The film also offers a surprisingly thoughtful meditation on what it actually means to be a “demon.” At first, the girls are taught to see demons as evil monsters, irredeemable threats to be eliminated. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that many demons are people who have been consumed by their own shame, guilt, or obsession. They’re not all born evil. They’re broken, manipulated, and trapped by their own self-hatred. The demon king, Gwi-ma, helps foster and feed that shame, twisting it into something monstrous.

But we potatoes couldn’t help but wonder, how many of these demons might be freed not through violence, but through truth? Through accountability? Through the painful, necessary work of facing what they’ve done and choosing to grow? Not everyone wants to do that work. Many would rather run from themselves. And yes, some people really are just monsters (serial killers, abusers, fascists, pedophiles, etc.) But the film gently suggests that for others, for most of us, healing is possible. And that idea, that redemption can begin where honesty does, is a beautiful one.

But, Jinu… oh Jinu, he avoids that. He drowns in guilt but never truly confronts what he’s done. In fact he wants it all erased so he never has to face it. He knows he hurt people. He even blames himself. But instead of moving forward, he gets stuck, haunted by Gwi-ma, who feeds off that self-loathing and shame. Jinu mistakes shame for accountability, but they’re not the same. Sitting in your shame isn’t the same as doing the work to move through it. Touching the truth isn’t the same as holding it. And acknowledging you’ve done harm isn’t the same as doing the work to make it right. We’ve all known people like that, who repeat the same patterns, and are convinced that their guilt is growth.

Jinu eventually finds a measure of redemption, but that power was always within him. We potatoes loved him as a character. But wow, was he frustrating.

Because we get it. We potatoes know how painful it is to face ourselves, to look at our inner demons and take real responsibility. Healing is beautiful, but it’s also painful and raw. It’s uncomfortable. It’s isolating and lonely. It asks us to grieve who we thought we were, to recognize patterns, and to see others more clearly, too. That kind of growth doesn’t come from shame or guilt. It takes courage, clarity, mindfulness, and a willingness to sit with hard truths and actually look at them. And even though it’s messy and exhausting, we firmly believe it’s worth it.

He gets so close…

While the film’s world is a vibrant fantasy, the themes it tackles also feel deeply grounded in our current reality, especially here in the United States. We’re living in a time when shame, fear, obsession, and greed are not just personal struggles but national ones. Our country is being hollowed out by systems that feed on self-hatred, mythology, misinformation, and the refusal to take accountability. Much like the demons in the film, we’re watching what happens when people are manipulated by forces that thrive on division, cruelty and denial.

Healing feels almost radical. Honesty feels dangerous. And yet, that’s where the work has to begin. We have to look at our history, our complicity, and our failures; not to be consumed by guilt, but to be accountable, to learn and to do better. To become better. Like the characters in K-Pop Demon Hunters, we aren’t doomed. But we do have to fight for our future. And it starts by facing the truth and facing ourselves.

The path forward, both personal and collective, isn’t an easy one. But the work we do within ourselves ripples outward. Every time we choose clarity over denial, truth over convenience, and mindfulness over reaction, we chip away at the systems built on shame, fear, and willful ignorance. That work matters. It shifts the culture. The pain of self-confrontation is real, but the reward isn’t just our own growth, it’s the chance to help shape a more honest, accountable, and compassionate future. That’s why K-Pop Demon Hunters hit so hard. Because it reminded us that healing can effect more than just ourselves. If enough of us commit to it, and do the work… it could change the world. We potatoes are still learning. Still stumbling. But we believe it’s possible and the change it brings could be lasting.

One final theme we couldn’t ignore, and frankly found a little troubling, was the glorification of burnout. The girls of HUNTRIX never truly get a break. They're always performing, training, saving the world, and somehow expected to smile through it all. Yes, it’s clear they love their work, but that doesn’t mean it should cost them everything. Their exhaustion is treated like a badge of honor, but we potatoes believe rest is not something that is earned, it’s essential to our well-being and general health. You can love your craft and still need time to breathe. We would’ve loved to see the film give the girls a real moment of peace. Even demon slayers need a vacation. We all do. Especially in a society that runs us ragged and expects gratitude in return.

But there is hope! There is hope for us, and there is hope to be found in Rumi’s story. Rumi’s journey is one of the most powerful in the film. She’s been taught to hide the truth, not just from the world, but from the very people who love her most. Celine (Yunjin Kim) instills in her not pride or peace, but shame. She’s told to suppress it, to conceal it, to carry her uniqueness like a burden. It’s heartbreaking, and all too familiar.

But unlike Jinu, Rumi finds the courage to face the truth. She does the terrifying, liberating thing: she accepts herself. She takes responsibility for herself. She chooses honesty. Fully. Openly. It’s a breathtaking moment, not just for her, but for us! Because when Rumi steps into the fullness of who she is, without fear, without shame, it feels like healing. It feels like freedom. And it reminds us that self-acceptance, accountability, and self-love especially in the face of generational trauma and shame, is its own kind of rebellion. We potatoes love this for her, and we love this message.

Ok, now that we potatoes have discussed the deeper aspects of the film, let us delve into the visual master piece that this film is! It is an all-out feast for the senses! The animation is so vibrant and fun! The colors are bright and unapologetically bold. Fight scenes explode like music videos. Hair moves like fire. The facial expressions hit with emotional impact, and hilarity! Every single frame is doing the absolute most, and we potatoes could not get enough of it! It’s messy. It’s maximalist. It’s a riot. And it is stunning!

And the soundtrack? Banger after banger. The vocals are absolutely stunning! Choosing a favorite was basically impossible. We potatoes added the whole thing to our Spotify before the credits finished rolling. You will want to dance. You will get chills. Possibly at the same time! “What It Sounds Like”… is absolutely beautiful.

The characters are just as effervescent! Rumi, Mira, and Zoey each bring a distinct energy, fierce, flawed, and funny! The way they clash and care for each other is truly beautiful. We potatoes are absolute suckers for a found family storyline, and HUNTRIX gave us that in spades. Even their manager, Bobby, who easily could’ve been a cardboard cutout of an “agent guy,” is instead one of the most sweet, present, and genuinely supportive figures! This caught us by surprise in the best way possible!

And the writing? Whip-smart and full of heart. The jokes land. The emotional punches hit harder than expected. This film doesn’t just swing between tones, it skillfully rolls between them, and somehow makes it all work. We laughed. We cried. But most importantly, we sang!

Now, is the plot perfect? No. Some side characters get lost in the shuffle, and the second act gets a little shaky before powering into a dazzling finale. But honestly? These things did nothing to detract from the fun, song, and depth of this wonderful film. This isn’t a film about structural perfection. It’s about catharsis. Power. Healing. Humor. And heart.

We potatoes went in expecting a fun little flick about magical pop stars and came out feeling like we’d been hit by a freight train! K-Pop Demon Hunters is loud, proud, and utterly sincere. It knows exactly what it is and leans into the absurdity without ever losing sight of the emotional core. It’s about facing your demons, literal and metaphorical, with the people who know your scars and still show up for you anyway. We potatoes love this film and highly recommend it!

So! If you’re looking for something beautifully animated, joyfully chaotic, and deeply sincere, this is your sign to watch K-Pop Demon Hunters! Grab your snacks. Turn the volume up. Let yourself feel it all!

Cheers to Rumi, Zoey, and Mira for being unapologetically themselves and lifting each other up through every battle! Cheers to Bobby, the manager who actually cares! Cheers to rest, recovery, and healing! And most importantly… cheers to you, may we all find the courage to face our own truths, to fight our own demons and to continue to band together to fight for ourselves and each other!

Now, we potatoes summon you all to the hottest ticket in town… your couch! Couch! Couch! Couch!

We give this movie 5 out of 5 glasses of Soju!

The K-Pop Demon Hunters Drinking Game

Take a sip anytime:

1.     Anyone sings

2.     Anyone says “Hunters”

3.     Anyone says “Demon/demons”

4.     Anyone says “Honmoon”

5.     Bobby says “Girls”

6.     Tiger blinks

7.     Crow smirks

8.     Exaggerated facial expressions on screen

9.     Patterns flash or glow prominently on screen

What did you think? Did you like the movie? Did you hate it? What movies should we watch? Any and all thoughts are welcome! Let us know here in the comments and always remember to be safe and drink responsibly!

What do you think? Do you like this drinking game? Are there rules missing? Is the game too intense? Are there movies that you think we should make a drinking game for? Let us know here in the comments and always remember to be safe and drink responsibly! (Drinks can be water, soda, anything nonalcoholic, etc. Please be safe, have fun and take care of you!)