ENTERTAINMENT / MOVIES

Is HUNTR/X a real K-pop band? ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ trio wows with first live performance of ‘Golden’

The fictional girl group HUNTR/X made its real-world debut and proved that even animated idols can dominate the charts

Late-night television turned into a full-on K-pop concert on October 7. The stars behind Netflix's animated phenomenon ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ took center stage on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.’ Performing as their on-screen alter egos, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami lit up the stage with the first-ever live rendition of the record-breaking single ‘Golden.’ The trio lent their voices to the fierce and fashionable demon-slaying pop idols Rumi (voiced by Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), as per Soompi.

If any fan tuned in without context, they could easily believe HUNTR/X was a real K-pop group, thanks to the performers’ chemistry and the film’s viral success. In reality, the animated supergroup exists only within the world of ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ with EJAE, Nuna, and Ami lending their vocals to bring the fictional idols to life. Fallon introduced the group with thunderous applause, before revealing a major surprise: the ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ soundtrack has officially gone platinum. According to Billboard, the soundtrack recently scored its second non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It earned 102,000 equivalent album units and amassed over 117 million on-demand streams in its latest tracking week.

Since its release on June 20, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ has shattered records for Netflix, according to Variety. By late August, it had become the most-watched film in the platform’s history, surpassing ‘Red Notice’ with a staggering 236 million views. Directed by Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang, the film follows a globally adored girl group who secretly moonlight as demon slayers protecting humanity. The movie’s breakout track, ‘Golden,’ has been unstoppable since its debut. In September, it made history by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, becoming the longest-running No. 1 single ever by an animated act. The phenomenon didn’t stop there.

The soundtrack produced four Top 10 hits on the same chart, including ‘Your Idol’ (No. 4), ‘Soda Pop’ (No. 5), and ‘How It’s Done’ (No. 8). And it looks like the fierce members of HUNTR/X aren’t hanging up their demon-slaying boots just yet. Sources confirm that Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix are currently in active discussions to produce a sequel. But the path to making ‘KPop Demon Hunters 2’ isn’t as straightforward as it seems. The situation is a bit tangled, and it all comes down to who actually owns what. Here’s the catch: the original film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation. However, instead of releasing it in theaters, Sony struck a 'first-look' partnership with Netflix.

It was the first movie made under that agreement, and it paid off in a big way. But despite its record-breaking success, insiders report that Sony’s financial gain from the deal was surprisingly modest, allegedly around $20 million in profit. Now that Netflix wants to move forward with a sequel, the streamer once again needs Sony’s animation team. But this time, the negotiations are shaping up to be a lot more complex. With ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ having proven itself as a cultural juggernaut, Sony reportedly holds a much stronger position at the bargaining table. Neither Sony Pictures Animation nor Netflix has publicly commented on the ongoing talks. So, for now, though, nothing is official.