Netflix Officially Announces ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Sequel, Directors Sign Exclusive Deal
Netflix has confirmed a sequel to KPop Demon Hunters, the streaming platform’s most-watched movie of all time. The announcement comes as critics anticipate potential Oscar wins for the original film, with nominations for best animated feature and best original song. The news was first shared on Netflix’s social media channels and subsequently reported by BBC News and USA Today.
Directors Return Under New Netflix Deal
Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the co-directors of the original KPop Demon Hunters, will return to helm the sequel. This project marks the first under a newly established multi-year writing and directing partnership between the duo and Netflix. Kang expressed her pride as a Korean filmmaker, stating, “I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters.” She added, “There’s so much more to this world we have built, and I’m excited to show you. This is only the beginning.”
Original Film’s Success and Awards
KPop Demon Hunters (2025) follows the story of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, members of the K-pop group Huntr/x, who balance their pop star lives with their secret identities as demon hunters. The film’s breakout hit, “Golden,” won a Grammy Award for best song written for visual media, a first for a K-pop song. The film features the voices of Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, Ken Jeong, Lee Byung-hun, Daniel Dae Kim, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Kim Yunjin, Joel Kim Booster, and Liza Koshy. Netflix offers the film with audio options in German, English, Spanish (Latin America), French, and Mandarin, and subtitles in English, Spanish (Latin America), French, Chinese (Simplified), and Chinese (Traditional).
What to Expect in the Sequel
While a release date has not yet been set, Ejae, who voices Rumi’s singing voice and co-wrote “Golden,” hopes the sequel will incorporate new styles of Korean music. “It depends on what they create and hopefully, you know, we can show more sides of Korea,” Ejae said in an interview with the BBC. “There’s so many different kinds of music in Korea, so that’s what I’m hoping for personally.” The original film’s plot centered on the Huntr/x group – Mira (May Hong, with Audrey Nuna singing), Rumi (Arden Cho and singer EJAE), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo, sang by Rei Ami) – as they worked to seal the Honmoon and prevent demons from encroaching on the human world, while facing challenges from the Saja Boys and their song, “Soda Pop.”