Kpop Demon Hunters Directors Reveal BTS and Blackpink Inspired Characters and Soundtrack

Netflix’s animated film Kpop Demon Hunters has taken the world by storm with its mix of K-pop, action, and fantasy. The movie follows girl group Huntrix—Rumi, Mira, and Zoey—who secretly fight demons while performing as idols. Their rivals, the Saja Boys, are demons disguised as a popular boy band.

Director Maggie Kang shared that real K-pop groups like BTS, Blackpink, and TXT inspired the characters. She said fans correctly guessed many references.

“I think what I like to talk about is that there are so many certain archetypes that every group has. It’s fun to see this conversation happening because everyone’s picking the right member who fills that archetype.”

The Saja Boys were modeled after groups like BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, and Monsta X. Each member fits a classic K-pop role—the muscular one, the romantic, and the youngest (maknae).

“Baby Saja is, obviously, the maknae. They have this look and they’re usually the rapper of the group.”

For Huntrix, Kang looked at ITZY, BLACKPINK, and TWICE. The character Mira was directly inspired by Korean model Ahn So Yeon, while Zoey was designed with a cute, bubbly vibe.

The film’s music also drew from K-pop hits. Music producer Ian Eisendrath said they wanted songs that felt like Blackpink’s explosive energy. The opening track, “How It’s Done”, was crafted to introduce each member’s strengths—Zoey as the fiery rapper, Mira as the unpredictable dancer, and Rumi as the powerhouse vocalist.

“We wanted something that felt like a K-pop hit, something that had the energy of when you first heard Blackpink.”

The Saja Boys’ song “Soda Pop” was designed to sound like BTS’s “Butter”—a fun, catchy track hiding darker lyrics about demons feeding on souls.

“It’s the demons who are evil, but they decide to masquerade as a K-pop boy group, and just be the most appealing, innocent, charming people that have ever been seen performing a K-pop song.”

Fans noticed BTS’s Jimin influenced Baby Saja’s cute charm. Character designer Marion Borden confirmed:

“I actually took a lot of inspiration from BTS’s Jimin for the cuteness aspect!”

Social media reactions showed fans loved the references:

“My Jimin so cute and very handsome. Haters crying because you’re gorgeous and they’re not!”

“None of them look like Jimin. Mmm probably only the blue-haired one.”

The film also includes easter eggs like ITZY’s “WANNABE” shoulder dance and a TWICE cameo during an awards scene. Even NewJeans’ Powerpuff Girls aesthetic appears on Huntrix merch.

With its mix of K-pop culture, mythology, and animation, Kpop Demon Hunters has become a global hit. The directors teased potential sequels, saying there are more stories to explore in this world.

Credits: Sources include Netflix Tudum and Facebook fan reactions.

---