KPop Demon Hunters Expands into Graphic Novels and Children’s Books

Netflix’s popular animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” has been reimagined as graphic novels and children’s books. Netflix and publisher Random House released the graphic novel in English-speaking markets on July 30 (local time), marking the beginning of a full-scale media expansion that includes key scenes and dialogue from the anime.

The graphic novel is a 208-page full-color edition that features almost all of the major scenes and dialogue from the series, faithfully recreating the original story. However, performance scenes and song lyrics are omitted.

Random House also published a children’s book targeted at ages 7 to 10 around the same time. This book is based on the original series but has been adapted for younger readers. It focuses on the conflict between the girl group HUNTR/X and the boy group Lion Boys, and was written by Jessica Yoon, the author known for children’s books such as “Jeong Is Jeong” and “Legend of Bandal.”

“KPop Demon Hunters” is an anime that tells the story of K-pop girl groups defending the human world from evil spirits. Since its release in June last year, it has continued to perform well at the box office. It remains on Netflix’s English-language top 10 list for 58 consecutive weeks and has accumulated over 600 million views. The series is also the most-watched show in Netflix’s history.

Product expansion through intellectual property (IP) is also active. Recently, Mattel released dolls inspired by the main characters, along with various other products such as instant noodles and puzzles. Netflix has announced a “KPop Demon Hunters” world tour for next year, further accelerating its transformation into a global franchise.

In the Korean market as well, IP expansion for “KPop Demon Hunters” is underway. Publisher Seoul Culture Publishing acquired the rights for a Korean version and has released a total of 13 different types of books, including picture books, movie comic books, storybooks, and poster books. These books maintain the original universe while being tailored for Korean readers. The editorial team leader at Seoul Culture Publishing described “KPop Demon Hunters” as an epic that can be enjoyed by all generations, regardless of age or gender, adding that it will serve as a special source of enjoyment for families and couples to watch together and discuss.