[OSENWORLD] South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has declared himself a fan of Netflix’s global animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters, praising its cultural details.
During a live broadcast of K-Pop: The Next Chapter on Arirang TV on August 20—hosted by Jang Sung-kyu and featuring director Maggie Kang alongside TWICE members Jeongyeon and Jihyo—President Lee highlighted two key elements: the folkloric tiger character Duffy and the reaper-inspired designs. “The tiger was so adorable. I even noticed the Grim Reaper—it was amazing,” he said.
Director Maggie Kang expanded on the creative choices, pointing to the Grim Reaper’s Korean imagery: “The image of the Grim Reaper (saja) in a gat and black attire is very iconic and cool. This imagery has already appeared often in K-pop music videos, and I wanted to recreate that same energy in an animated sequence.”
Kang also emphasized the team’s dedication to visual detail: “Lighting and color were crucial. It was the first time such palettes were applied in animation, and we spent a lot of time perfecting them. When we finished, our team applauded—it was a moment of real pride for us.”
Meanwhile, Duffy has taken on unexpected popularity of its own, reportedly rivaling Chinese mascot Labubu in demand. Kang laughed as she added, “I think we’ll be seeing Duffy hanging on bags as a keychain soon.”
Released on June 20, K-Pop Demon Hunters follows superstar girl group Huntress as they battle evil spirits behind the glitz of their stage performances. The film now ranks as Netflix’s second-most-watched movie of all time, while its soundtrack single “Golden” topped the Billboard Hot 100, sparking a worldwide K-pop phenomenon.
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
[Photo] Courtesy of YouTube, Netflix.
