Anderson .Paak’s ‘K-Pops!’ Blends Family, Music and Korean Heritage

Anderson .Paak has added feature film director to his already impressive resume with the release of “K-Pops!” The musical comedy, which premiered at TIFF before its February 27, 2026, theatrical release, marks .Paak’s directorial debut and explores themes of family reconciliation, identity, and the intersection of Black American music and K-pop culture. He also co-wrote the screenplay and stars in the film alongside his son, Soul Rasheed.

A Story Rooted in Personal Connection

“K-Pops!” follows a Los Angeles musician, played by .Paak, who seeks to revitalize his career by joining a K-pop group and competing in a music contest in South Korea. The story takes a heartwarming turn when he unexpectedly reconnects with his long-lost son, who is also a competitor in the reveal.

.Paak shared that the film was inspired by his relationship with his own son during the COVID-19 pandemic. “My son inspired me. He wanted to be a YouTuber, and we were in quarantine. I had no more shows. Everything was shut down and I was in the house with him,” .Paak said. “When we started making these YouTube videos, it brought me back to when I was a kid and wanting to do, like, all kinds of home videos with my sisters. And we’d just do, like, silly skits and bits and that’s what me and my son started doing.”

Exploring Korean Heritage

The film also serves as a personal exploration of .Paak’s Korean heritage. Born Brandon Paak Anderson, the artist is one-quarter Korean, stemming from his mother’s side. His mother was born in South Korea to a Korean woman and an African American sailor in the U.S. Navy, and was later adopted by a Black family in Compton, California. .Paak has openly acknowledged his Korean roots throughout his career, incorporating them into his identity and artwork, including tattoos of a Korean flag and a bomber plane on his left arm.

.Paak emphasized the importance of his son understanding both sides of his heritage. “I was always, you know, pushing for my son to know about both cultures. You know, I thought that was important. I knew he knew a lot about BTS but I was always, like, ‘Do you know about BET?'” he stated. The film aims to bridge these cultural connections for both his son and the audience.

From Silk Sonic to Seoul

.Paak noted that his visibility increased after his work with Bruno Mars in the duo Silk Sonic, leading to more recognition of his Korean heritage. He described how, after Silk Sonic’s success, “More Koreans wanted to claim me.”

A Wholesome Approach to Filmmaking

.Paak described his approach to filmmaking as “wholesome,” focusing on themes of comedy, love, music, food, and culture as coping mechanisms. “Comedy, laughter, love, music, food, culture has always been the way to cope,” he explained.

“K-Pops!” is distributed by Aura Entertainment and is rated PG-13.