{"id":27156,"date":"2025-08-25T10:22:37","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T15:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/?p=27156"},"modified":"2025-10-16T09:21:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T14:21:23","slug":"berklee-k-pop-expert-dr-ray-seol-on-the-phenomenon-of-kpop-demon-hunters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/berklee-k-pop-expert-dr-ray-seol-on-the-phenomenon-of-kpop-demon-hunters\/","title":{"rendered":"Berklee K-Pop Expert Dr. Ray Seol on the Phenomenon of \u2018KPop Demon Hunters\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-a-netflix-kids-film-made-k-pop-s-summer-anthem-and-won-new-fans\">How a Netflix Kids Film Made K-Pop\u2019s Summer Anthem and Won New Fans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In summer 2025, music headlines from outlets like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/08\/05\/g-s1-81101\/what-is-the-song-of-the-summer-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>NPR<\/em><\/a><em>,<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music\/2025\/jul\/18\/2025-song-of-the-summer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Guardian<\/em><\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2025\/08\/03\/entertainment\/song-of-summer-2025-cec\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>CNN<\/em><\/a> question whether there\u2019s a true song of the summer. Even Berklee\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.berklee.edu\/berklee-now\/news\/2025-song-of-the-summer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Joe Bennett<\/a> weighs in. However, the music from the animated children\u2019s movie <em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> might just be the answer. Since the film\u2019s release on Netflix in June, the songs from the soundtrack have continued to climb the <em>Billboard Hot 100<\/em> charts. By mid-August, the song \u201cGolden,\u201d performed by the film\u2019s fictional K-Pop group HUNTR\/X, was sitting at No. 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u201cGolden\u201d Official Lyric Video | KPop Demon Hunters | Sony Animation\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yebNIHKAC4A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The song \u201cGolden\u201d from <em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em>, which reached No. 1 on the <em>Billboard Hot 100<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a very interesting phenomenon,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/ray-seol?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Ray Seol<\/a>, a K-Pop expert at Berklee who is teaching a virtual masterclass on September 18 called <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/masterclasses\/k-pop-and-beyond-the-rise-of-a-global-sensation?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>K-Pop and Beyond: The Rise of a Global Sensation<\/em><\/a>. \u201cWe all know K-Pop as a musical genre from Korea. We\u2019ve been enjoying many idol groups. But this is a unique one: This is animation. I watched it a couple of times because I wanted to understand the content on a deeper level. They did a really good job on historical facts and analysis of Korean culture, and how it relates to the actual entertainment industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>K-Pop fan <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm10491301\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Emi Faucher<\/a>, a 12-year-old actor who was recently seen as young Snow White in the new Disney live-action remake, says she heard about <em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> from her friends who have streamed the movie upwards of 10 times.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cK-Pop fans are very dedicated,\u201d says Faucher. \u201cWhen we all heard the soundtrack, everybody was like, \u2018Oh, yeah, this is really cool,\u2019 because they included Korean in it, and they included the same kind of catchy beats you would hear in K-Pop music. And I think we just kind of fell in love with the soundtrack.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The film\u2019s fandom has expanded well beyond its tween target audience, resonating with viewers of all ages. In his upcoming masterclass, Seol plans to discuss the cultural impact of <em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> and how it could indicate where the genre is headed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-kpop-demon-hunters-about-nbsp\"><strong>What Is <em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> About?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> is about a K-Pop group\u2014the aforementioned HUNTR\/X\u2014made up of characters Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. Not only do they sell out stadiums, but (as the movie&#8217;s title implies) they also fight demons. What complicates matters is that lead singer Rumi is half-demon herself, keeping this secret from her bandmates. When an all-demon group called the Saja Boys comes on the scene, the HUNTR\/X women need to save the souls of their fans, while also coming to terms with Rumi\u2019s identity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"KPop Demon Hunters | Official Trailer | Netflix\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AzCAwdp1uIQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The trailer of Netflix\u2019s <em>KPop Demon Hunters <\/em>movie.&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Seol points out that the film is a US production, co-directed by Maggie Kang, who is Korean-Canadian, and produced by an American animation studio owned by Sony, which is a Japanese company. He says that this blend of input could be one of the reasons why the film is attracting new fans to K-Pop, while also receiving approval from K-Pop fans and Korean viewers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think her background plays a role in delving really deep into the cultural aspects, and also reaching a balance between Western and Eastern culture,\u201d says Seol about Kang.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mythology\"><strong>Mythology<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the cultural aspects that Seol is referring to is the film\u2019s exploration of Korean mythology. As it turns out, a story about women using music to protect people from demons is nothing new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith the mythology, we wanted to root it in something that existed in Korean culture already. What it is, is Korean Shamanism,\u201d said Kang in an interview with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salon.com\/2025\/06\/29\/kpop-demon-hunters-fandom-folklore-saja-boys-huntrix\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Salon<\/em><\/a>. \u201cHistorically, Korean shamans are mostly women, which was kind of perfect for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The HUNTR\/X women represent shamans, or <em>Mudang<\/em>, who use song, dance, and ritual to ward off evil, while the Saja Boys are based on <em>Jeoseung saja<\/em>, which are Grim Reaper-like figures. Other non-idol demons include <em>Dokkaebi, <\/em>who are trickster goblins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn Korea, in the thirteenth century, people since then rely on some Shamanism ritual for defeating demons,\u201d says Seol. \u201cThere&#8217;s a religious understanding, and we do actually have dancing and songs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tiger-amp-magpie-hojak-do\"><strong>Tiger &amp; Magpie &#8211; Hojak-do<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1614\" height=\"1009\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/a6cceda5-1437-4c14-a381-f793a696f22e.jpg\" alt=\"A side-by-side comparison of Hojak-do. To the left is a traditional painting and to the right is the tiger and magpie from the movie KPop Demon Hunters. \" class=\"wp-image-27159\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another mythological touchstone in the film is the tiger and magpie bird, which appear as sidekick characters. Seol notes that this duo is a reference to <em>Hojak-do<\/em>, which is a style of Korean folk art that goes back more than a thousand years called <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Minhwa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Minhwa<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe love both animals\u2014the tiger, obviously a big, strong, powerful figure, and everybody loves and is also afraid of seeing them,\u201d says Seol. \u201cAnd the little blackbird is very sly and smart. Korean people, when we see it, we immediately go, \u2018Wow!\u2019 because that\u2019s something we all know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tiger serves as comic relief, despite being a fierce animal, which is typical in <em>Hojak-do.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe tiger looks a little stupid intentionally, because people are afraid of tigers,\u201d says Seol. \u201cIn the animation and traditional painting, they always express the tiger as a funny figure. Which is not true. So they really did a great job on delivering the message.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-depiction-of-idols\"><strong>Depiction of Idols<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The film also offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of idols, portraying them not just as celebrities, but as regular people. We see this throughout the movie as the three HUNTR\/X women attempt to have a relaxing week off to visit the spa, wear comfy clothes, and sit on the couch playing video games, which becomes a tagline of the movie (\u201cCouch! Couch! Couch!). Google \u201cKPop Demon Hunters\u201d and you\u2019ll see! This choice reflects the broader trend of K-Pop idols sharing more about their personal lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very relaxed [the portrayal] and sort of like the backstage of celebrity life as an idol,\u201d says Seol. \u201cThey show them as being everyday folks. It is very wise and smart marketing for the idol these days.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Typically, the lives of K-Pop idols are very secretive, and fans don\u2019t get to see what happens behind the scenes. This started changing around 2013, when the group BTS started sharing day-in-the-life videos on YouTube, giving fans a window into their lives and creating even more of a connection.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s say, for example, BLACKPINK; If they do some sort of big show, we don\u2019t know what they do afterwards,\u201d says Seol. \u201cBut maybe it\u2019s similar; They\u2019re eating ramen, maybe they\u2019re playing video games. It makes them very friendly, and lets us come close to their world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ramen\"><strong>Ramen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1200\" data-id=\"27158\" src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/378e39f1-55c7-4d52-90b5-82286af20cbd.jpg\" alt=\"The 3 main characters of KPop Demon Hunters eating ramen\" class=\"wp-image-27158\"\/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\"><em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> images courtesy of Netflix.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Going hand-in-hand with the behind-the-scenes life of an idol, the HUNTR\/X women love to eat. The K-Pop industry is notorious for pushing extreme dieting and exercise, and this portrayal sends a strong message that delighting in food is a good thing and gives you energy to fight demons.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the foods they enjoy is instant ramen, and Seol points out that this $2 treat shows that they have a closeness or bond. He says that this is the case with his 17-year-old daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhenever she does something good, we celebrate by eating instant ramen,\u201d says Seol about his daughter. \u201cSo whenever I saw them [the HUNTR\/X women] eating ramen, it was a very important scene. That type of sharing and time of eating together with that cheap, instant ramen, means a lot as a family, and as friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-to-listen-to-next\"><strong>What to Listen to Next<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For people who enjoyed <em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> and want to know what to listen to next, Seol says he gets this question a lot from his students:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI always have a group of students who ask me a question about, \u2018I want to hear actual Korean pop. I don\u2019t want to hear the K-Pop that\u2019s made for us. I want to hear the K-Pop they made for you.\u2019&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says that there is a distinction between \u201cK-Pop,\u201d which is marketed internationally, and what he calls \u201cKorean pop song,\u201d which is written by Korean artists, for Korean artists called <em>Gayo<\/em>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI want them to find out what Korean people are actually listening to and then try to love that,\u201d says Seol. \u201cGayo, that\u2019s for Korean people, and it\u2019s very charming, very well made. So I think people should try to find a way to discover the Korean songs that are loved by Korean people in Korea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Seol recommends Berklee alum Kim Dong-ryul.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\uae40\ub3d9\ub960 (Kim Dong Ryul) - \uc0b0\ucc45 (Stroll) (Official M\/V)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kZGQttsbFqk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Berklee alum Kim Dong-ryul, who Seol considers a <em>Gayo<\/em> artist. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAny song that you pick from Kim Dong-ryul is like a masterpiece,\u201d he says. \u201cMe and my wife absolutely love him. His tickets sell in like a second.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-future-of-k-pop\"><strong>The Future of K-Pop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As summer in the US comes to an end, the <em>KPop Demon Hunters<\/em> phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down. In early August, the K-Pop group TWICE performed \u201cTAKEDOWN\u201d from the film\u2019s soundtrack at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Not only were they met with an exuberant fan reaction, but they were the first K-Pop girl group to headline the festival. Also, a sing-along version of the film hit theaters and brought in nearly <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Entertainment\/wireStory\/kpop-demon-hunters-netflix-box-office-win-124935769\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$20 million<\/a> in ticket revenue. On Netflix, the movie has officially become the most-streamed animated movie in the platform\u2019s history. Some are saying it could be the next <em>Frozen<\/em> franchise.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"TWICE Full Performance-Lollapalooza Chicago 2025\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ay1wB-2npMQ?start=2617&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">K-Pop group TWICE performing the song \u201cTAKEDOWN\u201d from KPop Demon Hunters at Lollapalooza.&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For Seol, the film\u2019s success points to the evolution of K-Pop itself, and he plans to explore this in depth in his upcoming <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/masterclasses\/k-pop-and-beyond-the-rise-of-a-global-sensation?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">masterclass<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe future of K-Pop has been a very serious question for a while,\u201d says Seol. \u201cMy true wish, as a Korean professor at Berklee, is that K-Pop becomes a culture, like hip-hop or Latin music, that people are trying to learn and preserve. I\u2019d love to see that. K-Pop can be consumed and made outside of Korea as a culture, so that it represents not only Korean people, but also people worldwide who want to have their own voice.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Songs from KPop Demon Hunters have stormed the Billboard charts, with \u201cGolden\u201d hitting No. 1 in summer 2025. Berklee K-Pop expert Dr. Ray Seol unpacks why this animated phenomenon resonates far beyond its tween audience\u2014with its mythology, cultural impact, and irresistible hooks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":27157,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,9633,35,9569,9571],"tags":[9809,8633,9808,9806,9053,9807],"class_list":["post-27156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-faculty-spotlight","category-instructor-profiles","category-music-for-film-tv-and-games-articles","category-music-history-and-liberal-arts-articles","tag-blackpink","tag-bts","tag-k-pop","tag-kpop-demon-hunters","tag-masterclass","tag-ray-seol"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.8 (Yoast SEO v25.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ 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