The new animated film Kpop Demon Hunters is packed with clever nods to real K-pop groups and Korean dramas. The movie follows a girl group called Huntrix who secretly fight demons while maintaining their pop star image. Their rivals, the Saja Boys, are actually demons in disguise.
Director Maggie Kang filled the film with subtle references to K-pop culture and Korean entertainment. Here are seven key details fans might have missed.
1. BTS and BLACKPINK Inspired the Characters
The Saja Boys were designed based on popular K-pop boy groups like BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, and TXT. Each member represents a common K-pop archetype—like the muscular one (Abby), the romantic (Romance), and the youngest (Baby).
Huntrix, the girl group, took inspiration from BLACKPINK, ITZY, and TWICE. Kang said the team studied these groups to create distinct looks for Rumi, Mira, and Zoey.
2. Jinu’s Look Was Modeled After Cha Eun-woo
Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys, was designed to resemble Korean actors Cha Eun-woo and Nam Joo-hyuk. Kang wanted him to have a classic Korean drama look.
Actor Ahn Hyo-seop, who voiced Jinu, wasn’t the original inspiration. But fans noticed similarities between Jinu and his role in the hit drama Business Proposal.
3. A Business Proposal Easter Egg
When Rumi first sees Jinu, the song “Love, Maybe” plays in the background. This track is famously from Business Proposal, where Ahn Hyo-seop starred.
Fans loved this small but meaningful reference.
4. Jinu’s Final Scene Mirrors Goblin
The ending of Kpop Demon Hunters has a moment similar to the K-drama Goblin. In Goblin, the female lead pulls a sword from the male lead’s chest, leading to his death.
— Femi🌸La querida de Ábba🌸 (@Femi_Ifunanya) June 21, 2025
In this film, Jinu sacrifices himself to save Rumi and vanishes in a similar way.
5. ITZY’s WANNABE Dance Move Gets a Nod
In one scene, Huntrix’s manager Bobby does ITZY’s famous shoulder move from their song WANNABE. Zoey joins in before Mira and Rumi tell them to stop.
Previously confirmed by the director to be inspired by ITZY, K-Pop Demon Hunters features a scene with a move resembling the group’s iconic WANNABE shoulder dance pic.twitter.com/Pfrsfp363z
This was a fun reference for K-pop fans who recognized the viral dance.
6. TWICE’s Hidden Cameo
During an awards show scene, a nomination for TWICE’s song “Strategy” appears briefly. The film’s soundtrack also includes “Takedown”, sung by TWICE members Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung.
7. NewJeans-Inspired Merchandise
Some fans in the movie wear Huntrix hoodies with Powerpuff Girls designs. This is a nod to NewJeans, who used the same aesthetic in their branding.
Kang wanted the film to feel authentic to K-pop culture. By including real-life inspirations, she made the world of Kpop Demon Hunters more relatable for fans.
The movie is now streaming on Netflix in multiple languages.
“I love this nod to Business Proposal. IYKYK.” — Facebook fan comment
“They really worked on Jinu a lot.” — Another viewer reaction
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