Maggie Kang, director of Netflix’s animated hit "KPop Demon Hunters", opened up about why she set out to spotlight Korean culture in her film.
Speaking at a press conference at CGV Yongsan in Seoul on Aug. 22, Kang recalled a moment from her childhood after immigrating to Canada. “A teacher asked me where Korea was. I said it’s between China and Japan, but they still couldn’t find it on the map,” she said. “That stuck with me, and I think the seed was planted then.”
Kang added that portrayals of Asian culture in global productions often miss the mark. “There are plenty of films that get the details wrong in the name of ‘Asian fantasy,’” she noted, pointing to "Mulan" as an example of mixing cultural elements, like kimono-style outfits, despite its Chinese setting. “As a Korean, I wanted to represent Korea and Korean culture accurately. Of course, it wasn’t just me―our team was mostly Korean, and they were instrumental.”
Asked if she anticipated the film’s global breakout, Kang said, “Story and character come first. If you craft something universal, audiences will connect regardless of language or culture. I wanted to showcase the breadth of our culture. Even if some viewers didn’t get everything right away, I trusted they eventually would―so we showed it as it is.”
"KPop Demon Hunters" follows K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey, who moonlight as secret heroes protecting the world beyond the bright stage lights. Released on Netflix in June, the film has become the streamer’s most successful animated title and ranks as its No. 2 most-watched movie of all time.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)