Korean lyrics power global rise of 'KPop Demon Hunters'

Netflix’s global sensation "KPop Demon Hunters" is an American animated musical that follows the adventures of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group that battles evil with their music. True to its theme, the film features a range of original songs that are climbing global music charts at an unprecedented pace, fueled by the movie’s explosive popularity.

The soundtrack captures the distinctive rhythms and melodies of traditional K-pop so effectively that even the demons in the story find themselves humming along. The breakout hit, "Golden," which recently reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Singles Chart, is the standout track. The song echoes the emotional arc of "Disney’s Let It Go," as the film’s protagonist moves from self-doubt to empowerment, soaring into high notes as she declares she will no longer hide. "Golden" has already surpassed the Billboard peak of "Let It Go," which reached No. 5.

But what truly sets "Golden" apart is its subtle yet powerful use of Korean lyrics. Though the film was produced entirely by an American team and is primarily in English, Korean lines appear unexpectedly throughout the songs. In "Golden," the phrase “Yeongwon-hee Kkaejil-soo Eop-neun” ("forever unbreakable") is seamlessly woven into the chorus: “Up, up, up with our voices, Yeongwon-hee Kkaejil-soo Eop-neun, Gonna be, gonna be golden.”

There is no narrative reason for Korean to appear in that moment. Yet the Korean phrase blends naturally into the melody, adding rhythm and emotional resonance. For Korean audiences, the effect is particularly powerful. Until now, English was often used in K-pop lyrics for exactly this kind of impact, injecting global flair and a sense of modernity.

In the 2010s, studies on Korean pop culture frequently examined the widespread use of English in lyrics. One found that more than half of K-pop songs incorporated English, typically to set the mood, build rhythm, or subtly express taboo ideas. English served as a marker of trendiness and sophistication, though critics argued it reflected cultural subservience and diminished the value of the Korean language.

Now, the script has flipped: Korean lyrics are providing the same sense of authenticity, edge, and cool that English once brought to K-pop.

Other hit songs from the film, including Huntrix’s "How It's Done and Soda Pop" by rival boy band Saja Boys, also feature Korean phrases for effect. Lines like Bureul Bichueo (“Shine the light”) and Jigeum Dangjang Nareul Boa (“Look at me right now”) give the tracks a distinctly Korean flavor. In dialogue, casual Korean words such as gaja gaja (“let's go”) or hubae (“junior”) enhance the authenticity of the world the film portrays.

At this point, it seems the final touch that completes globally successful K-content is the Korean language itself. Culture, after all, has the power to challenge even long-standing linguistic dominance.