The animated movie KPop Demon Hunters swiftly captured the attention of viewers worldwide following its release in June 2025 — ending the year as Netflix's most-watched film of all time.
KPop Demon Hunters follows the story of the superstar K-pop girl group trio HUNTR/X — made up of singers Mira, Zoey and Rumi — and their battle to defend the world from a demon army. The film has been praised for its animation techniques, screenwriting and action-packed scenes — with the movie winning a Golden Globe for best animated feature and receiving two Oscar nominations, including one for best animated feature.
The film's chart-topping soundtrack has proven to be just as successful as the movie — with the album earning five Grammy Award nominations, including the movie's song "Golden" being nominated for best pop duo/group performance and song of the year. "Golden" also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and won a Golden Globe for best original song.
Behind the singing voices of the fictional HUNTR/X are the real-life music artists Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami and EJAE — entertainers who, much like the characters they voice, have built successful music careers. Audrey Nuna, who sings for Mira, and Rei Ami, who sings for Zoey, are both singer-rappers. While EJAE, who is the voice of Rumi, is a singer-songwriter and producer, with EJAE sharing writing credits on several songs on the Kpop Demon Hunters soundtrack, including "Golden."
In an interview with All Things Considered at a recording studio in Los Angeles, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami and EJAE discussed Kpop Demon Hunters and its breakout success. Speaking to NPR's Ailsa Chang, they explored their journeys as artists, the dreams they have for the future of the Kpop Demon Hunters universe and how they've honored their Korean heritage through their work in the film.
The interview text below has been edited for length and clarity.
This interview is part of an All Things Considered series featuring first-time Grammy nominees, ahead of the April 3 awards.
Ailsa Chang: Why do you think this movie and its music have resonated with so many people of all ages?
Rei Ami: I think the world, the universe, they were yearning for something new and refreshing. New faces, new ways to show Asian women that are multifaceted, that are not just one character, like that nerdy schoolgirl, you know, that's quiet and submissive. Like, you look at Mira. She's so cool and she's not eager to please. But Zoey, she's very eager to please and she's very loud. And then we have Rumi, who's just very like…
Ejae: A workaholic.
Chang: Not that that's ever an Asian stereotype.
Ejae: Also we're super silly, we have funny jokes, and we make funny faces and we're not always perfect.
Chang: And you guys love to eat! It's so nice seeing Asian women in a movie love to eat.
Audrey Nuna: And we eat like… [makes eating noise]
Chang: Yeah, you stuff your mouths in this film.
Chang: Ejae, you've been a songwriter for a really long time, right? And a producer? You were one of the main songwriters for this soundtrack, including for the hit single 'Golden.' What does it feel like for you as an artist to get this level of recognition now at this point in your career?
Ejae: It feels very serendipitous. I'm glad it happened now, than when in my twenties, figuring life out.
Chang: You're glad it happened later in life.
Ejae: I'm really glad that it happened now.
Chang: Tell me why.
Ejae: Because I think when I was a K-pop trainee — I got dropped, first of all. But I also really intentionally chose not to go that route because I don't think I would — it's kinda dark – but I don't know if I'd be here.
Chang: You mean alive?
Ejae: Well yeah, it was hard. And the industry's not easy. So as dark as that might sound, it just kind of was the truth at that moment. And I don't think I was mentally prepared for that at that age.
Chang: You guys are huge globally. Very huge in South Korea. Your music has its own life there. Has this film, has this whole experience, made you want to reconnect even more deeply with your Korean culture, your Korean heritage, your Korean identity?
Rei Ami: Absolutely.
Ejae: I went recently. I go there twice a year because I work in K-Pop as well. So I'm used to hearing my songs like in the convenience store or something. But hearing my voice like — you know the tteok-bokki stands? You eat tteok-bokki and you hear my voice blasting. It's so trippy.
Audrey Nuna: I feel like it's deepening roots for sure. I went to Korea. I played Pentaport Festival about a few weeks after this film came out. And this was kind of when I didn't realize how big the film was actually going to be. But I saw a Korean grandpa street-performing "Golden" on this traditional Korean instrument outside of Dongdaemoon station. And I was like, okay, that's crazy. And then when I played Pentaport a few days later, I remember just looking into the crowd. This was one of the few moments in my life where I really felt so emotional. Like I almost cried on stage. Because just staring into a sea of Korean faces — and I can just see like the raw heart and soul. And it just rocked me to my core. I was just like, what a resilient culture.
Rei Ami: We're very resilient people.
Ejae: Korea's resilient.
Rei Ami: I think this movie kind of validated my expressiveness. Because I'm very expressive now. I refuse to dim, water down any color because all my life I spent doing that. And so I just refuse now. The most validating thing is seeing other Korean girls look at me and be like, "Thank you. Thank you for teaching me that it's okay to be expressive, and to show myself and be emotional." Because as a culture, especially as Korean women, if we're not submissive, quiet or docile, or if we're taking up too much space, we are punished. I just was so inspired to maybe break those generational curses and inspire this new generation of people that it's okay to feel. It's okay to express.
Chang: So KPop Demon Hunters is set to have a sequel in 2029, I believe it is. What are your hopes for this sequel?
Audrey Nuna: I think it would be cool to see us or see the characters in different cities — and kind of explore the lore of different demon history throughout different cultures. I think Huntr/X should go global for this one.
Rei Ami: Yeah. World tour fighting Chinese demons, Brazilian demons, Mexican demons. There's demonology everywhere, and they're all very unique. Fighting Bigfoot. Is he a demon? I don't know. I don't care. We're fighting him.
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