Cover Months after its release, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ behaves like a launching pad for a new music group, confirming the global audience’s deep, continued demand for Huntr/x’s Rumi, Zoey and Mira (Photo: stylised by Angela Nicole Guiral)
Months after its release, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ behaves like a launching pad for a new music group, confirming the global audience’s deep, continued demand for Huntr/x’s Rumi, Zoey and Mira (Photo: stylised by Angela Nicole Guiral)
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Considered a cultural phenomenon, Huntr/x from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ continues to dominate charts worldwide, proving that a soundtrack can have a second life beyond the screen
Months after KPop Demon Hunters hit Netflix, its fictional girl group, Huntr/x, continues to climb charts like an act that never existed only in animation. The soundtrack, equal parts neon pop and emotional confession, has become something of an anomaly. It behaves like a living K-pop discography rather than a film relic, keeping audiences (young and old) replaying tracks long after the credits rolled.
Much of that comes down to intent. Director Chris Appelhans recalls that the creative rule of thumb during production was simple: “If there was ever a question, make it more Korean, and trust that audiences would find that rewarding.” That decision shaped the film’s identity. This guiding principle was crucial in overcoming the pitfalls often associated with Western-produced, K-pop-inspired media, namely a sense of inauthenticity or cultural appropriation. EJAE, who voices Rumi, wrote early demo songs that became so integral they functioned as a creative blueprint, ultimately helping secure the film’s green light. “Without her music, there’s no green light. And without her singing voice, there’s no Rumi,” Appelhans says. The film’s roster—REI AMI as Zoey, AUDREY NUNA as Mira—completed a line-up that felt unusually authentic for a fantasy about demon-hunting idols.
Which is exactly why the music works. It bypasses the common critique of ‘style over substance.’ Beneath the glossy production sits a core idea of duality: the pop star versus the fighter, the mask versus the self. REI AMI says the story’s power lies in its honesty about the universal struggle with inner conflict. “It’s about our figurative demons—the parts of ourselves we try to hide. The more we suppress them, the louder they get.” EJAE adds, “It’s about loving all of yourself, the good and the difficult parts alike.” This thematic depth transforms the genre from mere escapism into a vehicle for exploring mental health and self-acceptance, a topic of growing importance among the youth demographics driving the soundtrack’s success.
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The result is music that is resonant. Huntr/x’s songs turn shame and anxiety into release. AUDREY NUNA describes it best: “We feel seen and heard. We’re flawed and still strong. We fight demons while dealing with life and being human.” The combination of spectacle and sincerity gives the tracks an emotional gravity rare for a film soundtrack—and explains why the streaming numbers refuse to taper off. This continuous high performance is unusual in a streaming era defined by fleeting hits, suggesting the soundtrack has achieved a level of sustained engagement more typical of established musical acts.
It also helps that the soundtrack sits comfortably beside heavyweights. Sharing an album with Twice and featuring Lea Salonga’s voice turned the project into a multicultural echo chamber of influence and admiration. REI AMI calls it “so accessible across cultures,” an apt phrase for a film that found kinship with fans who know what it feels like to live between worlds. This ‘in-betweenness’ is a significant cultural touchpoint for the diaspora—particularly the Asian diaspora—for whom the concept of negotiating dual identities is a lived experience. Huntr/x’s blend of Korean-inflected pop with American production and diverse vocalists speaks directly to this transnational identity.
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Above AUDREY NUNA, EJAE and REI AMI, the vocalists behind Huntr/x (Photo: courtesy of Netflix)
AUDREY NUNA, EJAE and REI AMI, the vocalists behind Huntr/x (Photo: courtesy of Netflix)
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When teasingly asked about what kind of “comeback” could possibly follow the last song sang in the film (What It Sounds Like), the cast’s ideas are unashamedly ambitious. EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI imagine the concept “Diamond”—a new album that is radiant and intergalactic, perhaps even featuring a “cheeky Rihanna feature.” It’s a fun projection for a group that started in fiction and found real-world momentum.
KPop Demon Hunters may have been an animated adventure, yet Huntr/x’s songs have outlived the frame. The music plays on, looping like memory and solidifying the group’s unlikely place as a cultural touchstone. The soundtrack, in essence, is a powerful argument for the emotional potency of culturally specific, yet universally felt, storytelling in global pop.
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is the assistant digital editor of Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
