"'K-Pop Demon Hunters' (hereafter 'K-Demon') was a love letter to Korea," said director Maggie Kang.
Director Kang appeared on the Arirang International Broadcasting special program 'K-Pop: The Next Chapter' on the 20th. President Lee Jae-myung, 'Twice' members Jeongyeon and Jihyo, producer Alti, and critic Kim Young-dae were present.
Kang went to Canada at the age of five. "When I was a child, my teacher asked where I was from. I answered 'South Korea,' but I couldn't find it on the map. From that moment, I wanted to do something to revive our country," she recalled.
The result is 'K-Demon.' "I wanted to show our culture without hiding anything," she emphasized. Korean elements such as the tiger character 'Duffy' and the magpie wearing a traditional hat were prominently featured, leaving a strong impression on international viewers.
Director Kang mentioned, "I thought the images of goblins, water ghosts, and grim reapers were unique," adding, "Naturally, the idea of demon hunters came up. When I combined that with K-Pop, the concept became exciting." She highly praised the potential of Korean culture. "There are no limits to Korean cultural content," she stressed. "While researching 'K-Demon,' I discovered many aspects of Korean culture I was unaware of. There is still much we can show to the world."
She also shared a behind-the-scenes story. "When I was creating the character Lumi, I was pregnant with my actual daughter. I named my daughter Lumi as well," and she revealed, "My daughter provided the voice acting and singing for young Lumi in the film."
Jihyo and Jeongyeon performed 'Takedown' by Huntress. This song reached No. 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Jeongyeon reflected, "During our world tour, I met many global fans, and every time, they sang along with us."
Jihyo expressed a deep resonance with the representation in the work. "There were many scenes I enjoyed. I related to the members wearing pajamas at the accommodation and just looking for the sofa," she said, adding, "In reality, I often visit acupuncture clinics with the members."
President Lee Jae-myung also mentioned his favorite scenes. "The scene of adding radish kimchi to seollongtang was the best. I was impressed by how they depicted the tiger character 'Duffy' adorably and transformed the image of the grim reaper associated with death into something related to idols," he laughed.
He further remarked, "I feel confident that what is most Korean is the most global," and stated, "For K-Pop to become a core industry, we need to establish solid roots. The government will faithfully fulfill its role in creating the environment."
He promised support for the K-Pop industry, saying, "You can have confidence in showing our culture," and noted, "As the new government's development strategies for key industries include cultural industries, the potential of Korean culture will only grow."
Meanwhile, director Maggie Kang also participated in the recording of tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block,' which is set to air on the 27th.
<Photo credit=Netflix>
