K-pop fans, you were right! THESE idols inspired the characters of ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

Los Angeles/New York: Ever since the teasers for the animated film K-pop Demon Hunters dropped online, fans have been buzzing with theories about which K-pop idols inspired the stylish and dynamic characters. Now, director Maggie Kang is finally opening up and confirming that fans were definitely on the right track.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Kang revealed that while the characters aren’t directly based on specific K-pop stars, many were inspired by popular idols and groups. The animation team created a digital inspiration board filled with photos of their favourite K-pop artists and actors, and everyone from BTS to BLACKPINK made an appearance.

“It’s fun to see this conversation happening because everyone’s picking the right member who fills that archetype and that kind of role and looks for each group,” says Kang.

Meet the characters inspired by K-pop groups

One of the fictional groups in the film, The Saja Boys, includes members named Jinu, Abby, Mystery, Romance, and Baby. Kang confirmed that this group was inspired by real-life K-pop bands like BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, Tomorrow X Together and Monsta X.

Each character reflects typical K-pop group roles:

Jinu, the handsome lead, was inspired by popular K-drama actors like Cha Eun-woo and Nam Joo-hyuk, known for their classic Korean visuals.

Mystery, whose face is mostly hidden behind long purple hair, was inspired more by anime than K-pop, but was intentionally left vague by the team to keep fans curious.

The girl group: Huntrix

The film also features a powerful girl group named Huntrix, consisting of Rumi, Mira and Zoey. According to Kang:

Rumi’s look evolved over the years and was influenced by lighting techniques and animation styles used in Korean visuals. “[We looked at] ITZY, BLACKPINK, and [TWICE],” says Kang.

Mira, the fashion-forward character, was directly inspired by Korean model Ahn So-yeon, a favourite of Kang’s.

Zoey brings a cute and bubbly charm, with design cues taken from various idols.

Kang explained that the main goal was to give each Huntrix member a unique look, beyond just hair color. She wanted them to stand out in their own way.

Fan engagement adds to the excitement

While Kang didn’t confirm exact idol-to-character pairings, she enjoyed seeing fans make those connections themselves. The buzz and speculation online have only added to the hype surrounding the film, especially among the global K-pop community.