TORONTO'S OWN MAGGIE KANG IS OVERWHELMED BY THE SUCCESS OF HER BRAINCHILD, K-POP DEMON HUNTERS

K-Pop Demon Hunters, now streaming on Netflix has taken on the hearts of fans all around the world.

Slaying records left and right, KPop Demon Hunters reached another significant milestone as it officially became Netflix’s longest-running English film title to remain in the Top 10. In its record-making 15th week, the film took the No. 1 spot on the English Film list with an additional 19.3 million views.

In addition to being the most-watched Netflix animated original film of all time, it’s now Netflix’s most popular English-language film ever, with more than 236 million views.

Currently sitting as Netflix’s Most Popular English-language film, and arguably the frontrunner for many Halloween costume picks this year, fans can also look forward to HUNTR/X’s first-ever live televised performance as the singing voices for the film – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – appear on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Oct. 7.

This whole phenonmenon has been a complete whirlwind for creator and director Maggie Kang. Born in Seoul, South Korea, she immigrated to Toronto at age five and grew up in the North York area of Toronto. Her father's love of film exposed her to classic cinema, which, along with her passion for K-pop, influenced her career in animation. After studying classical animation at Sheridan College, she began her career at DreamWorks Animation and later became Head of Story at Warner Animation Group before directing KPop Demon Hunters. 

Maggie kang

Maggie has always had a love of KPop - so when she came up with the idea of melding Korean mythology with Kpop for KPop Demon Hunters, she never in her wildest dreams imagined that it would become a world-wide cultural phenomenon.

The animated original film, which is currently streaming on Netflix, centers around K-pop superstars Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) who aren’t selling out stadiums or topping Billboard charts but they’re using their secret identities as demon hunters to protect their fans from ever-present supernatural danger. Together, they must face their biggest threat — an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise. 

Cho, Hong, and Yoo lead the ensemble as the film’s superstar girl group HUNTR/X, while Ahn Hyo-seop voices a member of the rival boy band the Saja Boys, who pose their biggest threat yet.  

The film features songs written by TEDDY, 24, Danny Chung, IDO, Vince, KUSH, EJAE, Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk, Lindgren, Mark Sonnenblick, and Daniel Rojas. Plus, Marcelo Zarvos wrote the score. 

I spoke with Magge Kang about the unbelievable popularity of the film and how it all began.

www.netflix.com/kpopdemonhunters #KPopDemonHunters @kpopdemonhuntersnetflix