(Credits: Netflix)

Every hit Netflix movie has its secret ingredients. But sometimes, the biggest hits have the recipe come from an unexpected place. The same thing happened with Maggie Kang, co-director of Netflix’s animated sensation KPop Demon Hunters.

For Maggie, the spark of inspiration didn’t just come from K-pop culture or Korean folklore. It came from one of South Korea’s most iconic filmmakers: Bong Joon-ho.

Speaking at the Busan International Film Festival, Kang revealed that Bong’s 2006 monster movie The Host had a profound impact on her approach. “He’s a huge inspiration for me,” she said, explaining that it was the first time she realised a film could juggle so many tones at once.

Thinking about it, you realise KPop Demon Hunters did have all the elements, including horror, humour, and family drama. Bong blended them seamlessly, and Kang wanted to capture that same energy in her own project.

That influence is easy to spot in KPop Demon Hunters, which mixes the flashy world of idol concerts with the darker business of, well, fighting demons. The film roots its mythology in something very real: the tradition of mudang, Korean shamans who use song and dance to ward off evil spirits. By linking that practice to the idea of K-pop idols moonlighting as supernatural protectors, Kang found a way to make the story feel both culturally specific and universally engaging.

Netflix, for its part, encouraged her to go all in. Kang described how the platform supported her vision to make the film unapologetically Korean, knowing how global audiences have embraced Korean content. It was a shift from her years in Hollywood animation. You see, projects often shy away from cultural specificity. Here, she had the freedom to blend tradition, modern music, and genre storytelling into something entirely new.

And it worked spectacularly. KPop Demon Hunters didn’t just become a hit; it shattered records. In just 67 days, the movie overtook Red Notice to become Netflix’s most-watched film of all time, racking up more than 300million views.

For Kang, the impact goes beyond numbers. Just as her father introduced her to Bong Joon-ho’s films, she hopes KPop Demon Hunters will inspire future generations. She believes that the film will inspire many coming generations while also imagining today’s young viewers revisiting the film with their own children one day.

It is a full-circle moment: Bong’s The Host inspired Kang to take creative risks, and now her film is breaking records on Netflix and carving out its own place in pop culture. KPop Demon Hunters may be an animated fantasy, but its roots and its success are very much real.