As Netflix’s surprising anime hit KPop Demon Hunters continues to dominate the streamer’s viewership charts, its accompanying soundtrack is doing pretty well, too.
At the risk of this review consisting solely of statistics, I’ll spare you the exhaustive list of the soundtrack’s accolades. Instead, I’ll let you know that the official soundtrack for KPop Demon Hunters has recently outperformed KPop mainstays such as BTS and Blackpink, as well as virtually every other working artist. For a taste of its reach, Spotify’s streaming charts reveal a top 20 of singles strictly alternating between KPop Demon Hunters and Sabrina Carpenter.
As our team has covered in our review of the film, the story revolves around a trio of young women in a Korean pop band known as Huntr/x. Their bond goes beyond making music though: They spend their time fighting demons when they’re not busy producing hits.
When reviewing the soundtrack’s lead single, “Golden,” my colleague Adam Holz compared the song’s lyrics and themes to those of popular Disney anthems from Frozen and Moana. A comparison that’s certainly warranted.
Yet, the songs also carry distinct flavors of sweetness and irresistible charm that have become linked to the KPop genre. Not to mention, the creators of the soundtrack enlisted several veteran collaborators to develop a 40-minute syllabus of KPop excellence.
This attention to detail leads to a unique blend of multilingual music filled with the relatable themes of self-acceptance and positive identity. Even though the music can read dorky and overly sincere, an endearing sense of friendship and love keeps both the film’s demons and real-life listeners coming back for more and more.
The demon fighting girl group Huntr/x’s songs rotate between revealing ballads of honest reflection and warrior anthems sung before a fight.
Huntr/x’s breakout “Golden” genuinely delivers on themes of breakthrough and a hero’s journey. As the group bonds together, they sing, “We’re dreamin’ hard/We came so far/Now I believe.” The song crescendos with the declaration that they’re ready to “finally live like the girl they all see.”
“Takedown” falls into the anthem category as the girls sing about how they finally see the demons’ true identities. Huntr/x sings, “I’m about to switch up these vibes, I finally opened my eyes/It’s time to kick you straight back into the night.” Their honesty continues as they deliver justice to the demons in singing, “’Cause I see your real face, and it’s ugly as sin/Time to put you in your place, cause you’re rotten within.”
“Free” serves as the film’s emotional centerpiece as Rumi, a half-demon in Huntr/x, and Jinu, a former human in another group called the Saja Boys, share their deepest secrets with each other. It’s not a stretch to say that their shared revelations about identity and purpose echo familiar ballads from West Side Story and Beauty and the Beast.
The duo sings, “I tried to hide, but somethin’ broke/I tried to sing but couldn’t hit the notes. … But here with you I can finally breathe.” They go on to admit that, “You’re breaking through all the dark in me when I thought no one could/And you’re waking up all the parts of me I thought were buried for good.”
Conversely, the movie’s villains, the Saja Boys, are a group of demons masquerading as a KPop boy band. Their introductory song, “Soda Pop” serves a sweet and enticing entry hiding their true motives.
“Soda Pop’s” sweetness promises satisfaction but ultimately has a darker message lurking under its surface. The Saja Boys sing, “You’re all I can think of/Every drop I drink up/You’re my soda pop.” The sweetness disappears when you know that it’s sung by a group of predatory demons looking for their next victim to devour.
“Your Idol” reveals the true leader of the demons as the King of the Demons sings, “I’m the only one who will love your sins/Feel my voice get underneath your skin.” In the typical showcase for a villain, the song continues, “I can be the star you rely on…You’re down on your knees, I’ma be your idol.”
“How It’s Done” is the introduction to the demon-hunting group Huntr/x. While the song mainly tells us how the group plans to fight demons, there are a few suggestive lyrics. The group sings, “Body on body/I’m naughty, not even sorry,” and “Heels, nails, blade, mascara/Fit check for my napalm era/Need to beat my face make it cute and savage/Mirror, mirror on the phone, who’s the baddest?”
Given the popularity of the film, conversations with your kids about KPop Demon Hunters likely extend beyond one song’s catchy lyrics. If you find the film’s soundtrack on repeat in your home or car, it’s worth considering the messages your kids are taking in as they listen.
The soundtrack, like the film, is predicated on the spiritual and supernatural, with Eastern demons obviously taking a central role. Parents should certainly take note of those issues. But in its fascination with the supernatural, it tackles spiritual issues that might sound familiar to most Christians.
And the music touches on some other universal themes, too. Amid their demon-slaying intentions and popstar aspirations, Huntr/x desperately want to know their true identities and if they’ll be accepted. The film’s music carries weighty but worthwhile messages about how to learn from your mistakes and overcome other people’s opinions.
While the end result might not perfectly mirror the comfort and guidance found through Jesus’ teachings in the Bible, there are messages parents can find useful in conversations with their children.
Though navigating the spirituality of this world may be tricky and parents should use caution, approaching these topics with thoughtfulness and care could be instrumental in helping your young ones fight off demons of their own down the road.
Jackson Greer is a High School English Teacher in the suburbs of Texas. He lives in Coppell, Texas with his wife, Clara. They love debating whether or not to get another cat and reading poetry together. Also, he is a former employee of Focus on the Family’s Parenting Department.
