Netflix has confirmed it is preparing a sequel to “KPop Demon Hunters” after the K-pop demon-hunting animated film became the platform's most-watched movie in history. The film has won major international awards and is a strong contender for top prizes at the Oscars this Sunday. The creators have revealed that there is still much more story to develop.
Netflix officially announced the production of a sequel to "KPop Demon Hunters," the animated film that has become the platform’s all-time most-watched content, with over 480 million views within just six months since its summer release last year.
This sequel project is the first work under a special multi-year deal between Netflix and the two esteemed directors, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. Although an exact release date has not yet been announced, the confirmation has excited fans worldwide.
The announcement comes at a particularly notable time, as KPop Demon Hunters is a major contender at the Oscars ceremony this Sunday, nominated for two top awards: Best Animated Feature, competing against titles like Zootopia 2 and Elio, and Best Original Song.
Previously, the hit song "Golden" made history as the first K-pop song to win a Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media, also taking awards at the Golden Globes. Additionally, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Maggie Kang, the South Korean director, shared on social media, “As a Korean filmmaker, I feel very proud that audiences want to see more of our Korean stories and characters. The world we have created still has so much to explore, and this is just the beginning.”
Ejae, the singer who voices the character Rumi and co-wrote the song "Golden," said she hopes the sequel will showcase a broader range of Korean musical styles and aspects. “Korea has so many musical genres. I hope to reveal new sides of it to the world,” she added.
Despite its rapid success, the first film took seven years to develop from project proposal to release. Its cultural phenomenon status is credited to seamlessly blending global appeal with Korean identity, including food, language, and symbols, even though it was produced by an American team.
The first film’s story follows Rumi, Mira, and Zoe, three members of the girl group Huntr/x who juggle their public fame with secret lives as demon hunters. For the sequel, songwriter Mark Sonnenblick noted that development is just beginning, focusing first on strengthening the storyline before composing new songs that perfectly align with the narrative.
,BBC