K-POP Drives Film and Animation Production, Pioneering New Entertainment Formats

Film and animation projects set against the backdrop of K-POP are gaining momentum. A wide range of creators, from musicians to major animation studios, are reinterpreting K-POP’s global popularity through visual content. **Anderson .Paak’s First Film, ‘K-Pops!’** The Grammy-winning musician Anderson .Paak made his directorial debut with *K-Pops!*, a film that explores K-POP’s worldwide phenomenon within a vibrant setting where music, family, and identity intersect. Audiences can enjoy the intergenerational bonds and upbeat rhythms without needing prior knowledge of K-POP. .Paak appears in the film himself, alongside his son Soul Rasheed, who is also an actor and serves as co-star. The story was written jointly by .Paak and Khaila Amazan, drawing inspiration from their real-life father-son relationship. .Paak mentioned that the experiences during pandemic lockdowns deepened his bond with Soul, and this emotional connection permeates the entire film with a warm affection. The feeling of people redefining their priorities and focusing on what they love most during the pandemic is reflected in *K-Pops!*. The plot follows musician BJ (.Paak), who wastes his time in LA waiting for a big opportunity. With his friend’s help, he ends up competing as a drummer in Korea’s *Wildcard*, an American idol-style K-POP audition show. In Korea, he reunites with his ex-girlfriend Yeji and discovers that their child Tae is also an audition contestant. Through this, BJ finds joy as a father. Although the setup may seem unrealistic, the film affectionately blends Korean culture with Black culture while warmly depicting the essence of a father-son relationship. **Sony Animation’s ‘K-Pop: Demon Hunter’** Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and its sister company ImageWorks, *K-Pop: Demon Hunter* offers a completely original and unique story amid an industry trend focused on sequels. The film features a K-POP trio of hunters/Xs who function as group members during the day and as demon hunters at night, following a superhero identity concealment concept. It was directed jointly by director Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, director of *Wish Dragon* (2021). Director Kang explained, “Although it is known as a K-POP film, this is the last time such a concept has been incorporated.” She added, “I wanted to create a film set in Korean culture, delving deeply into mythology and demonology to produce something visually distinct from what is seen in mainstream media.” She also stated, “I always wanted to feature amazing and attractive women,” aiming to create strong yet feminine, realistic yet powerful female superheroes. The film assigns different on- and off-stage personas to each of the three main characters. Leader Rumi is a professional perfectionist hiding deep, dark secrets, acting as the film’s ticking time bomb. Mira, the tallest and slimmest member, is the group’s designer and dancer, creating an interesting contrast between her graceful and aggressive performance on stage and her carefree movements off stage. Joy, the youngest member, shifts between her most energetic, playful, and excited everyday self and her intense and passionate performance on stage. The production team conducted extensive research to portray the K-POP setting as realistically as possible. Director Appelhans explained, “We drew inspiration from various elements such as music videos, editorial photos, Korean dramas, concert lighting, and even animation influences.” He added, “All the artists, animators, and lighting professionals involved in the film willingly embraced this challenge and played a vital role in bringing our vision to life.” Director Kang emphasized that Korean photographers’ techniques for facial lighting are difficult to replicate with CGI, but fortunately, collaboration with ImageWorks made it possible to attempt new approaches unseen in animation. Many team members applied knowledge gained from live-action film work to the lighting process, ultimately crafting a style that combines photographic sensibility with fashion flair. Josh Beveridge, the animation supervisor, said, “We were inspired by 2D aesthetics but used a three-dimensional language.” He added, “It was expressed through a very bold and graphic language while still maintaining sufficient richness. We used many lenses along with soft focus and bokeh effects, and implementing such a daring graphic look was one of the truly interesting challenges.”