Musicals come in all shapes and sizes. There are the classic ones, with a narrative fueled by songs, either performed by actors or lip-synced by singers. They can be live-action or animated. Then there are concert films, which are essentially documentaries of the star's live performances, juxtaposed with behind-the-scenes details to underscore the effort, both physical and psychological, required to pull off these world tours. And then there are what I call album films, which are made for the sole purpose of promoting a new song (or songs), and their narrative is extremely shallow so as not to distract viewers from the product being sold.
The entire Trolls franchise has been consistently used to promote Justin Timberlake's latest songs. Jennifer Lopez's This Is Me… Now: A Love Story was labeled as a "visual companion" to her self-titled album. K-Pop Demon Hunters by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans tells the story of a band called Huntrix, composed of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, who are responsible for maintaining the veil between the underworld and the mortal realm, called the Honmoon, with their songs. Since the 17th century, demons, led by their king, Gwi-Ma, have been trying to steal the souls of humans and become powerful enough to rule the world.
Directors: Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang
Writers: Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang
Stars: Arden Cho, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo
But three superpowered singers used their godly voices to create a barrier between Gwi-Ma's domain and the surface dwellers. This shield has to be diligently maintained by each generation of Hunters until it becomes permanent—i.e., the Golden Honmoon. And while Rumi, Mira, and Zoey are very close to achieving that feat, their efforts are jeopardized by the rise of a rival gang called the Saja Boys. Of course, they're not your "normal" singing group; In reality, Gwi-Ma sent them, knowing that if Huntrix's fanbase weakens, they won't be powerful enough to stop his rise. However, a budding romance between Rumi and Jinu (the lead singer of Saja Boys) has the potential to defeat the demon king if he can't separate Huntrix first.
It's astonishing that K-Pop Demon Hunters feels so undeveloped despite having four screenwriters: Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang, and Chris Appelhans. It strikes a kind of balance between supporting the culture surrounding K-pop and questioning how that same culture prevents its idols from behaving like natural human beings. So, while the film highlights how fans deify these singers and how they dedicate their entire personalities to "protecting" their fandom, it also attempts to critique how stifling and fragile this dynamic is.
The entire subplot about hiding one's true identity—represented by literal body markings—to maintain this image of "purity" feels like an attack on the homophobia that plagues K-pop. But it doesn't go deep enough to draw any real meaning from it, likely for fear of angering K-pop's "true fans." The central trio supposedly have an unbreakable bond, mirroring the brotherhood of real-life K-pop bands. However, the film never attempts to unravel their carefully constructed characters, giving the impression that their public and private activities are one and the same. The writers create plenty of opportunities to delve into the characters' familial ties—to be honest, there's a lot of fuss about one idol's demonic past in particular—but the way this is ignored by the third act is baffling.
What really saves K-Pop Demon Hunters from being a disastrous bore is its animation. Appelhans, Kang, and the talented animation team apply the style popularized by films like Spider-Verse: Into the Spider-Verse, Entergalactic, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Havoc, and Turning Red, creating a visual spectacle. The characters are so expressive that you almost forget their personalities are superficial. The musical sequences are so vibrant and dynamic that you don't care that the songs aren't as catchy as the film claims (one criticism: 4*TOWN's songs are better).
The action sequences are so hypnotic and dynamic that they make you forget they lack emotional charge. Plus, there are quite a few sight gags that brim with originality, like the fan with an endless supply of T-shirts, the popcorn abs, and the antics of the spirit tiger and his three-eyed magpie friend. Which makes me think I'm being too hard on the film. I mean, it's enjoyable and enjoyable enough for everyone. However, I think that is the attitude that prevents good films from being great.
I was really excited for K-Pop Demon Hunters, but now I'm disappointed. I don't think I would have felt that way if the film had simply been a rock musical produced to introduce Twice's latest act. But, watching it, I saw its potential to be something more. I saw that it was trying to talk about the parasocial relationship between fans and idols, the "righteousness" forced upon these stars, and how these global icons are deprived of any hint of their unique personalities. And then, the way it backed away from all those ideas bothered me. Who knows? Maybe, initially, the plan was to talk about K-pop culture under the guise of telling a story about demons and hunters. Then, some studio executives felt they shouldn't make this product "too edgy" because they might end up angering the "fans." That's how we ended up with this generic story, barely bolstered by the amazing animators who worked on this project. If you like it, be sure to give K-Pop Demon Hunters a try. If not, go see Turning Red.
Agreed 100%
ReplyDeleteIt felt like they took 10 minutes of plot and stretched it to 1 and half hours. I felt so frustrated. The movie just scratched the surface of compelling plot points, but they left them unexplored.
!spoiler! Ahead
When I shared with a friend that I was glad that Jinu died, cuz the movie wouldn't have a single plot point that was worth mentioning, she almost exploded in rage. Apparently to her, kpop is something to be enjoyed with your brain shut off, no deep thoughts involved. To quote her "it's a movie about kpop. It's not that deep".
So yeah, the fandom itself might have been the reason they cut out the "serious" content.