tvN You Quiz on the Block** Director Maggie Kang of K-Pop Demon Hunters appeared on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block and shared stories behind the film. Below is a summary of that conversation. – A K-Pop Demon Hunters sing-along bus appears in Chicago– Only two days of special screenings… K-Pop Demon Hunters ranks No.1 at the North American box office– The film that captivated audiences around the world– K-Pop Demon Hunters– No.1 on Netflix in 43 countries– Achieved 236 million views– The Korean creator who sparked the global K-Pop Demon Hunters phenomenon– Director Maggie Kang (Kang Min-ji) 〈Golden〉 – “The most Korean becomes the most global” has become a reality.Maggie Kang: I never imagined a single movie could become this popular.Yoo Jae-suk: The combination of K-pop and Korean culture in the battle against evil spirits was a masterstroke. – An animation set in Korea that uses K-pop music to tell the story of a girl group, Huntrix, who protect fans from an evil spirit boy group, Saja Boys, while saving the world from demons.– Released in June, ranked No.1 in 43 countries– Cumulative views surpassed 236 million– Became the most-watched film in Netflix history– Still breaking records– OST GOLDEN ranked No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart, with eight OST tracks charting simultaneously Yoo Jae-suk: Did you expect this kind of global phenomenon?Maggie Kang: When we made the songs, I hoped K-pop fans would accept them as real K-pop and see Huntrix and Saja Boys as actual idol groups. But I never imagined the songs would reach Billboard. It feels surreal—seeing Huntrix and Saja Boys “compete” on the Billboard charts. – Scenes from the movie becoming reality (Soda Pop, Golden) – The singer and composer of Golden, EJAE, drew attention after it was revealed she had been an SM trainee for 10 years.Maggie Kang: I watched the recording of Golden in New York. She sang extremely high notes 20–30 times in a row. It’s a very difficult song. I asked her to make it challenging because high notes naturally lift people up emotionally. I wanted a song that makes you feel uplifted and overwhelmed. Our movie gives positive energy. Yoo Jae-suk: The lyrics keep saying “UP.” Lyrics:– We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment– You know together we’re glowing– Gonna be, gonna be golden – With its bright, empowering message and addictive chorus, Golden spread through SNS cover challenges– Loved by all ages– Countless parodies followed– Only two days of screenings, yet No.1 at the U.S. box office… earning 25 billion KRW– “Shall we seal the soul gate with a chant?”—7-hour waits for sing-along buses in the U.S.– The world is in the middle of the K-Pop Demon Hunters craze Iconic Scenes &Cultural Impact Yoo Jae-suk: Not just the music, but scenes from the movie are going viral.– Iconic scene: eating an entire gimbap in one bite– Many people are recreating the scene– Interest in gimbap surged, with homemade gimbap videos trending– Soda Pop Challenge reached 13 million views Director Maggie Kang’s Childhood – Emigrated to Canada at age five– Though Korean could have been forgotten, she remains fluent Maggie Kang: When I first moved to Canada, I only used English and stopped speaking Korean at home. After six months, my English became perfect. Then my mom gave me Korean books, and I couldn’t read them. She said, “This won’t do,” and started teaching me Korean—dictation, reading, repetition—three to four times a week. I hated it then, but now I’m so grateful. – Studying Korean at age five was difficult but became a priceless asset– Despite immigrating, she visited Korea oftenMaggie Kang: I spent every summer vacation in Korea. My parents always believed we would return someday. – Korean sensibilities naturally embeddedMaggie Kang: Every summer in Korea, there were hit songs. I went to karaoke with my cousins and sang popular songs. Those memories are precious. Yoo Jae-suk: Which singers did you like?Maggie Kang: H.O.T. and Seo Taiji and Boys. – Influences from childhood favorite artists appear throughout the filmMaggie Kang: My mother always said, “You are Korean. Never forget the Korean language.” Even though I hold a Canadian passport, I’ve always felt 100% Korean at heart. Journey into Animation – Inspired by her father’s love for films– Began 2D animation after discovering animation could be a career– Passed DreamWorks’ story test and joined the studio – Favorite animations: Dooly the Little Dinosaur, Candy Candy, Korean comics, Disney, and Western animation – Worked as a storyboard artist on Shrek 3, Kung Fu Panda 2, Minions 2 Role of a storyboard artist:– Visualizing scripts through camera angles, character placement, movement, and mood– The foundation upon which animation is built– Progression: storyboard artist → storyboard supervisor → director – Her first directing project: K-Pop Demon Hunters Why She Made K-Pop Demon Hunters Maggie Kang: I’ve worked in animation for 20 years. I always wanted to see an animation that represented Korean culture. When no such project appeared, I decided to make it myself. Korean folklore—grim reapers, goblins—felt unfamiliar overseas, so I connected those ideas to demon hunters. – Goblin-faced demons inspired by folklore– Grim reapers reimagined as stylish, mysterious figures – To hide their identities while fighting demons, idols felt like the perfect cover– Girl group demon hunters Huntrix– Demon boy group Saja Boys – Korean traditional culture woven throughout:① Shamanistic rituals (gut)② Irworobongdo (Sun, Moon, and Five Peaks painting)③ Norigae ornaments④ Shaman tools (ritual knives) – The tiger character Duffy, inspired by folk paintings and the director’s cats – Real Korean locations depicted:Namsan Seoul Tower, Bukchon Hanok Village, Naksan Fortress Trail, public bathhouses, herbal clinics, subways – Extensive on-site research across Korea, from Jeju to Seoul Voices &Korean Cast – Demon King Gwima voiced by Lee Byung-hun– Maggie Kang also voiced minor roles– Jinwoo (Saja Boys leader): Ahn Hyo-seop– Celine: Kim Yoon-jin– Young Rumi: Director’s daughter – Created by a largely Korean production team– Meticulous Korean cultural details praised by viewers Impact &Legacy