Korean pop music, or K-pop, has become more and more popular in the West over the past decade, so it makes sense that Hollywood would try to capitalize on the genre’s growing popularity. However, not many people were expecting Sony’s animated take on the genre, KPop Demon Hunters, to be as popular as it is, but it’s eclipsed almost everybody’s expectations. Not only is there an absolutely phenomenal soundtrack that deserves the acclaim it’s getting, but the film also boasts expressive animation, some genuinely cute and charming comedy, and a love story that would feel right at home on any K-drama. It’s a certifiable hit for Netflix, which clearly has Oscar ambitions for the film. But what if you’ve listened to “Golden” or “Your Idol” on loop all summer and want something just like KPop Demon Hunters?
After looking through JustWatch’s huge library of films and TV shows, I’ve settled on five different movies that will scratch the same itch that KPop Demon Hunters does. What makes a film like KPop Demon Hunters though? Being a musical most definitely helps, but animated movies about a small group of people saving the world from evil will do just as well, and bonus points if it has some Asian influence/aesthetics to back it up! So, with that in mind, here are five films like KPop Demon Hunters, ranked from least to most recommended!
5. La La Land (2016)
If you want something a bit more dramatic and adult that builds on the will-they-won’t-they relationship drama of Rumi and Jinu, then La La Land is an easy recommendation. It’s a movie musical set in Los Angeles about two struggling artists, Mia, an aspiring actress played by Emma Stone, and Seb, a young jazz pianist played by Ryan Gosling. The two meet and eventually fall in love, but it's not easy as they try to find a way to balance their careers and dreams. While it’s definitely a bit more complex than the dynamics in KPop Demon Hunters, it’s a great romance with a gut-punch ending that’s surprisingly grounded in its depiction of love.
La La Land knows how to perfectly shift between the high energy and excitement shown in songs like “Another Day of Sun” and “Someone in the Crowd” to more somber and dramatic numbers like “City of Stars” and “Audition (The Fools Who Dream).” Director Damien Chazelle knows how to showcase music on film, and La La Land is arguably his best movie. The songs aren't quite as catchy as KPop Demon Hunters, but what they lack in memorability they more than make up for by pulling at your heart strings. If you want to see a musical that really explores love and loss through music, La La Land is the perfect choice.
4. Mamma Mia! (2008)
ABBA may be a band you either love or hate, but if you want a feel-good movie musical that’ll have you sing way more than La La Land, you can’t really go wrong with Mamma Mia!. Adapted from a Broadway musical of the same name, Mamma Mia! is a comedy about how a young bride-to-be named Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried, invites three different men to her wedding to figure out which of them is her biological father. From there, hijinks occur, everyone sings, and by the end, we’re all filled with joy and happiness.
Mamma Mia! is stuffed to the brim with energy and joy to the point where the more dramatic moments are quickly forgotten in favor of just having fun. While the songs may not have as much bite as “Takedown” or “How It’s Done,” if you loved earworms like “Soda Pop,” then Mamma Mia! will spoil you with a plethora of songs just like it. The film is also bright, inviting, and doesn’t take itself too seriously, channeling a lot of feel-good musicals like High School Musical and Hairspray. So, if you liked the earlier and middle parts of KPop Demon Hunters and want something that captures that same vibe, then Mamma Mia! will get the job done.
3. The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
KPop Demon Hunters has plenty of expressive and wild animation, so if you’re trying to match its energy, another Sony animated movie that excels in a similar way is The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Set in the middle of a robot apocalypse, the Mitchell family, at first, are trying to drop their eldest daughter off at college but instead end up being the only people who can save the world from a robot uprising.
While the film also explores themes of family and mending strained relationships, the animation is the main selling point. The Mitchells vs. the Machines has a lot of the same unique quirks of KPop Demon Hunters' style, like bizarrely off-model faces, as well as cartoonish proportions during more lighthearted scenes and the, at times, cringey humor. Some people may wince at the amount of cringey humor here, and there’s way more of it when compared to KPop Demon Hunters, but it’s a brisk 110 minutes that feels much shorter than it is. Plus, The Mitchells vs. the Machines is also available on Netflix, making it a great choice for a double feature if you want some high-quality 3-D animation.
2. Wicked (2024)
KPop Demon Hunters may be the queen of the pop charts right now, but let’s throw some respect to the former heavyweight champion, Wicked. Also adapted from a popular Broadway musical like Mamma Mia!, Wicked tells the story of Elphaba, a young, aspiring sorceress who has been ostracized from society due to her strong magical powers, but wants nothing more than to meet the ruler of the land, the Wizard. There's a lot more going on under the surface, with plenty of set-up for its sequel, which helps make the land of Oz feel fully realized and alive.
Music is obviously one of the most important elements in a musical, and Wicked stands apart from other movie musicals with a strong, memorable score. Songs like “Popular,” “Defying Gravity,” and “What Is This Feeling?” have been iconic in the musical theatre community for years. Wicked goes all in on being a spectacle much in the same way The Greatest Showman and West Side Story do, which will definitely be a plus for those who loved the climax of KPop Demon Hunters. Plus, if you empathized with Jinu and his struggles between good and evil in the film, Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba may be a kindred spirit of sorts to him, and with a great set of vocals to boot.
1. Turning Red (2022)
One of the first choices I had when thinking of movies similar to KPop Demon Hunters is Turning Red, which may seem odd just looking at the two on the surface. While Turning Red isn’t a musical, it captures a lot of the heart that KPop Demon Hunters does. The film follows Mei, a Chinese teenager growing up in Canada in the early 2000s, who discovers that she’s forced to turn into a Red Panda whenever she experiences strong emotions due to a family curse. She tries to keep this power a secret from her mom, and instead, uses it to help raise money for her and her friends to go see a popular boy band visiting Toronto, 4*Town. Because of this, there’s a lot of love clearly on display for pop music and boy bands in particular, even if the songs themselves aren’t the main focus.
Turning Red goes to great lengths to show the complicated relationship Mei and her mother have, much like how Rumi and her mother have a strained relationship due to the secrets they keep from the other members of HUNTR/X. It’s one of the more minor elements of KPop Demon Hunters. However, Turning Red also stresses the importance of found family. Both films are love letters to pop music and the power/importance of friendship, so even if Turning Red isn’t a musical in the traditional sense, the themes it carries makes it a perfect complement to KPop Demon Hunters, and all you’ll need is a Disney+ subscription to enjoy it.
