1 of 5 | “KPop Demon Hunters” stars Ji-young Yoo (voice of Zoey), Arden Cho (voice of Rumi) and May Hong (voice of Mira). Photo by Ricky Middlesworth/Netflix
Sept. 19 (UPI) — This summer’s biggest Netflix hit, KPop Demon Hunters, is doing more than just setting records on the streaming service’s platform, it’s inspiring fan events all across the globe.
The animated film is about a K-pop girl group called Huntr/x that battles a rival boy band of demons in disguise, the Saja Boys. The Huntr/x girls include singers Rumi (voiced by Arden Cho), Mira (voiced by May Hong) and Zoey (voiced by Ji-young Yoo). They perform original songs in the film voiced by singers Ejae (Rumi), Audrey Nina (Mira) and Rei Ami (Zoey).
KPop Demon Hunters is not only Netflix’s most-watched animated film, it set the record for most-watched film of all time on the platform. As of Aug. 26, the movie had more than 236 million views.
It’s no wonder, then, that a fandom has taken over, hosting all manner of KPop Demon Hunter events across the globe, from sing-alongs, to museum exhibits and light shows.
Here are our some of our favorites:
Drone light show
Seoul’s Ttukseom Hangang Park is playing host to a series of drone light shows drawing on imagery from the Netflix hit. The shows are part of the city’s regular Han River Light Performance, a growing tourist attraction that draws upwards of 22,000 people for each performance.
Some 1,200 drones fill the night sky, morphing into images of Rumi, Mira and Zoey, members of the Saja Boys, and scenes from the hit movie.
The show is expected to run periodically through Oct. 18, according to Korea Times.
K-pop meets fine art
Also in Seoul, two museums are drawing inspiration from KPop Demon Hunters with exhibitions exploring Korea’s history and tradition.
The Leeum Museum of Art recently opened its Tigers and Magpies exhibit featuring traditional paintings of the two animals, considered cultural mascots for the country, The Korea Herald reported. The two figures also appear in KPop Demon Hunters, characters known as Derpy and Sussie.
The exhibit runs through Nov. 30.
Meanwhile, the National Museum of Korea is kicking off a three-day Dress Like a Museum Exhibit event on Sept. 26, allowing attendees to rent traditional Korean costumes and attire. The museum will have themed zones for participants to take photos in.
On Sept. 27, guests will be invited to dress in traditional attire or as characters from KPop Demon Hunters for a costume contest. A dancer inspired by the Saja Boys is scheduled to perform.
Show off your chops
For those wanting to see if they have what it takes to be a K-pop star, Netflix has released a sing-along version of KPop Demon Hunters on the streaming platform. The online release came in late August after a run in theaters drew fans in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Britain.
Empire State light show
Two of the voices and one singer of the Huntr/x girls — Arden Cho, May Hong and Rei Ami — attended an event to light up New York City’s Empire State Building. Lights on the iconic building were synced to the film’s song “Golden” in honor of the sing-along release.
At the event, the movie’s director, Chris Applehans, praised the collaboration between the women who voiced the characters and the fans, making the movie “a beacon of connection and joy in the last few months.”
“I think it’s really awesome to have a symbol like the Empire State Building lit golden, just to kind of bring everybody in the city together and have a moment with music connecting us all, because it does do that,” he said, according to amNY.
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