This summer, the movie K-Pop Demon Hunters exploded in popularity on an international level. At first glance, it may be confusing why. The premise of the movie appears to be little more than a fever dream. It follows the fictional K-Pop band HUNTR/X and its members Rumi, Zoey, and Mira. To the public eye, they are the most popular singers in the world. However, their true purpose is to protect humanity from evil demons who take human souls and give them to their master. In this world, there is a protective layer between humans and demons called the Honmoon, which is powered by how popular the girls are.
Sounds crazy, right? But this movie is popular for reasons beyond the catchy songs and stunning animation. It goes further than even its impactful messages of acceptance and forgiveness. The true driver of its success was an untapped audience: girls.
For one of the first times in modern movie history, we finally get a film that genuinely understands and loves women. K-Pop Demon Hunters allows its female characters to struggle without shame. It doesn’t belittle them when they want romance. It also shows realistic, healthy female friendships.
This movie is more than just a fun and successful summer blockbuster. It is a blueprint for how Hollywood should write female characters.
Spoilers Ahead!
If you haven’t seen the movie —spoilers ahead.
She is Everything or Nothing
The media today often portrays women in one of two molds. The first is the Captain Marvel-type: powerful, perfect, and flawless. The second is the Bella Swan-type: unable to do anything for herself. Both extremes are problematic.
If women followed the Captain Marvel route, we would isolate ourselves from connection and community. We would burn out because it is impossible to be perfect and do everything alone. On the other hand, the Bella Swan mold robs women of agency, individuality, and power.
In K-Pop Demon Hunters, we see each female character struggling with demons, with self-acceptance, and with the impossible mold society sets for them. Yes, they are fierce, funny, and strong. But we also see them hurting, breaking, and ultimately thriving.
This balance between strength and struggle makes them inspiring role models for young girls. At the same time, they are deeply relatable reflections of the challenges women face every day. This is why K-Pop Demon Hunters‘ feminism stands out in Hollywood.
The Limit of Romance
Two additional molds often forced onto women are the “soft girl,” whose sole purpose is romance, and the “strong girl,” who has forsaken it entirely. Like before, this is also problematic. These roles teach girls that they can only be complex human beings if they are single. But if they dare to desire love, they become accessories to their partners.
Although romance is not the primary theme of K-Pop Demon Hunters, it is consistent throughout the story. When female characters do experience romance, they grow from it rather than being diminished by it. What is love if not a way to connect, accept, and grow with another person?
The movie does not mock women for wanting love. It does not show them losing themselves to it. Instead, they find themselves through it. When looking for love, girls should seek one who gives, not one who takes.
Alone
No matter if a female character is everything or nothing, if she has no partners or a million, one thing she almost never has is genuine female friendship. Out of all the female characters in media, how many have we seen share a scene with another woman without thinking about a man, talking about a man, or having a man present? And out of those rare interactions, how many were between two women who truly cared for each other, supported one another, and shared love for one another?
Rumi, Zoey, and Mira are some of the first female characters to experience this kind of connection on screen in abundance. Their relationship is not always perfect, but it is messy, beautiful, and authentic in a way movies before have not bothered capturing.
Breaking Free
At its core, K-Pop Demon Hunters is proof that the world is ready to change. It breaks away from damsels in distress and the impossible super-heroine. It challenges the lover girl trope, as well as the Independent-Boss-Queen stereotype. It fosters a sense of sisterhood between its female characters. By breaking the molds that have held back female characters for decades, K-Pop Demon Hunters’ feminism welcomes a new era on the big screen.
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