Up, up, up! -- KPOP DEMON HUNTERS

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/KpopDemonHunters_ProRes422HQ_SDR_2ch_20250424.01_04_39_22-e1751348536322.jpg?w=1000&h=667&crop=1

Can't handwave it now, it's the monster that took over Netflix, the charts, the box office for a weekend two and a half months after it first streaming, etc., and now this, so roll on the inevitable franchise:

https://deadline.com/2025/08/kpop-demon-hunters-netflix-most-popular-film-ever-1236498083/

The couple of caveats I have about it when I saw it back in June remain (a little too glossy a portrayal of an intense industry, a little 'hmm' about a central metaphor) but it was a treat and seeing it become THE treat has kinda been nuts, in a good way. (Also it was fun watching it in the Korean dub.)

my younger-than-me gay besties told me they watched this for fun on a lark and ended up crying etc. one of their partners walked in on them and pulled a "dorothy face".

I was weirdly ahead of the curve on this one in that I watched it with my kids on the day it was released on netflix (my daughters just picked it because it was the new release that Friday, not knowing anything about it). I didn't think it was particularly good, never would have thought it would become some kind of phenomenon. I don't really like the animation style that much, the songs are okay I guess, but I am just generally not a fan of musicals so this was never going to be for me. My daughters (ages 9 and 12) loved it and have watched it at least 3 times and sing that Soda Pop song while doing the associated dance all the time.

this is all my children are singing these days. pretty sure they've watched it at least a half dozen times. my oldest (10) is straight up reciting full scenes from it to anyone who will listen.

they're also obsessed with the manga Demon Slayer so it kinda goes without saying this was right up their alley.

I watched it because I like to know what's going on, and I thought it was fine, though obviously not for me. Christ, they are all so thin, though, aren't they, those cartoon people?

This definitely wasn't my thing, but I do like when an original animated film or series blows up like this.

One detail I do like: one of the voice actors was an aspiring singer but got rejected for being "too old" by the K-Pop industry. And now she sings in some of the most wildly successful k-pop songs ever!

Even more wildly successful!

https://variety.com/2025/music/news/kpop-demon-hunters-soundtrack-number-one-golden-charts-1236519478/

i had an awkward conversation today with a 40 year old coworker of mine thinking we were both talking about this movie when he was in fact talking about the new Demon Slayer movie that just came out! apparently both have similar themes!

I hope they sing in that one too.

three days ago, my various social media short-video feeds went from no "Golden" to like 80% "Golden"