K-pop Demon Hunters set to return with sequel

Netflix’s animated series K-pop Demon Hunters has officially confirmed a sequel.

On March 13, Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation announced that directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans will return to lead the second chapter of K-pop Demon Hunters. The sequel is targeting a 2029 release and remains in the early stages of development.

Kang, a Korean Canadian filmmaker, said she takes great pride as a Korean creator in the audience’s strong enthusiasm for the series’ characters and story. “There is still so much more to reveal in the world we created. This is only the beginning,” she said. Appelhans said the team will continue expanding how the characters evolve and how music and narrative are woven together.

K-pop Demon Hunters, which debuted in June last year, has drawn more than 500 million views since its release, ranking among Netflix’s most popular series of all time. The theme song “Golden,” performed by the fictional group Huntrix in the series, became the first K-pop track to win a Grammy Award and spent a total of eight weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s main singles chart, the Hot 100.

The series is also nominated in two categories at the 98th Academy Awards scheduled for March 15, including best animated feature and best original song.

Min Kim kimmin@donga.com