Director Maggie Kang on “KPop Demon Hunters”: “Shame” Is the True Theme, with Plans for Sequels Involving K-Trot and Pansori

Maggie Kang, the Korean-Canadian director of Netflix’s globally popular series “KPop Demon Hunters,” held a press conference in Seoul on the 22nd to reveal behind-the-scenes details about the production and her future plans for the series. Kang emphasized that “although it appears to follow a superhero narrative, the ultimate theme I wanted to explore in this work was ‘shame.’” She explained that the core storyline revolves around Rumi, the leader of the girl group HUNTRIX, experiencing embarrassment and fear due to her mixed-race identity. Kang stated, “I believed animation is not exclusive to children, so I aimed to incorporate more mature themes through superhero characters and stunning visuals. When audiences connect emotionally with the characters’ inner worlds, a true emotional blockbuster is created.” Regarding the integration of K-pop and Musok beliefs in the series, she said, “Guks are like the first concerts in our culture. The tradition of using music and dance to drive away evil spirits naturally connects with K-pop stages.” In the series, HUNTRIX is portrayed as descendants of shamanistic practitioners, blending Musok beliefs with female-centered narratives. She also noted, “Many Korean-related content productions overseas have caused offense due to inaccurate historical representations. For this project, I focused heavily on accurately depicting Korean details such as placing napkins under utensils, public bath culture, and scenes of eating kimbap.” About the group’s signature song “Golden,” she admitted it was “the most difficult song to write.” She explained, “It had to convey the protagonist Rumi’s aspirations while also delivering each character’s growth story, which required high musical notes. It took 7 to 8 demos to finalize the version, and I cried when I heard it for the first time.” When asked about the possibility of sequels, Kang said, “I can’t announce anything officially yet, but I have many stories and ideas that I haven’t shown to fans. If a sequel is made, I’d like to include various Korean music genres such as trot and heavy metal.” During a meeting with Yoo Hong-jun, director of the National Museum of Korea, Kang also mentioned her desire to showcase diverse Korean musical forms like pansori. Reflecting on her early experience in Canada, where a teacher failed to locate Korea on a map, Kang shared that incident shocked her and sparked her desire to promote her culture. She said, “‘KPop Demon Hunters’ became beloved worldwide because of its story and authenticity. By capturing the universal human desire to be loved and recognized, it resonated across ages and nationalities.” She emphasized, “For Korean content to gain more love in the global market, we must confidently showcase our culture and perspectives without hiding them. Audiences want authenticity. The moment creators deliver sincerity, that becomes the key to success.” Looking back on the 7-year production process from the initial pitch to completion, she said, “The longest part was developing the story, as it is ultimately the story that moves audiences. I will continue to create works centered on strong storytelling and authenticity.”