HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys seem to be taking over the world.
The two K-pop groups exploded onto the scene June 20 with a playful rivalry across songs like “How It’s Done,” “Soda Pop,” “Takedown,” “What It Sounds Like,” and “Your Idol” that still captivates their ravenous fanbases. These hits carved out a place on Spotify’s charts, with their joint album currently ranking fifth globally on the music streamer’s Weekly Top Albums chart and No. 6 in the U.S.
As of Sunday, June 29, these superstars have the most spots on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global chart, with HUNTR/X’s “Golden” ranking the highest at No. 6. Some fans on social media even noted these titles are challenging the rankings of songs from K-pop sensation BTS and mega star Ariana Grande in various territories.
Why is this so significant? These artists are not real — not technically.
Netflix
Rumi, Mira, and Zoey of girl group HUNTR/X; and Jinu Saja, Abby Saja, Mystery Saja, Romance Saja, and Baby Saja of the Saja Boys boy band are the main characters of KPop Demon Hunters, an animated movie musical from filmmakers Maggie Kang (directorial debut) and Chris Appelhans (Wish Dragon).
It’s a fantasy family film, about how the HUNTR/X trio secretly protect the world from soul-eating demons. The powers of their music uplifts the human spirit, generating a shielding force field that prevents the demonic realm from invading. The hell spawns change the game when five demons, led by Jinu, disguise themselves as the Saja Boys in attempt to win over the fans and steal their souls that way.
The success of the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is a credit to how Kang and Appelhans took the musical elements quit seriously, assembling a team capable of composing songs that could rival the great K-pop hits of today.
“It is truly surreal,” Kang tells Entertainment Weekly, writing over email. “Our goal has always been to create a K-pop group through the movie, but it was a dream, a long shot, we didn’t know if it could work. So to see HUNTR/X and Saja Boys on the Spotify charts…I feel so proud. It tells me we really pulled it off. I’m so thankful to the fans for embracing them.”
Members of The Black Label, the South Korean record label that signed Rosé of BLACKPINK and launched their first K-pop girl group with Meovv, helped develop the music. EJAE, Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk, Lindgren, Mark Sonnenblick, Daniel Rojas, and Ian Eisendrath from the K-pop space also worked on the film.
“We really strove to write songs that were both specific to our story and tapping into something universal,” Appelhans says. “The dream was that they could live inside the movie and stand alone on the pop charts — so to see that happening is a literal ‘dream come true’ moment for both of us.”
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The voice talent is there to match. Spotify recently celebrated the soundtrack’s success by using the image of HUNTR/X on the cover of the service’s official teen beats playlist. Arden Cho (Rumi), May Hong (Mira), and Ji-young Yoo (Zoey) provide the dramatic voice performances powering these characters; while EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI actually sing the songs as these characters.
TWICE, the real-world K-pop group comprised of Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung, also recorded versions of “Takedown” and “Strategy” for the soundtrack.
On Team Saja Boys are Ahn Hypo Shop (Jinu), Sungwon Cho (Abby), Alan Lee (Mystery), and Joel Kim Booster (Romance) voice acting; and Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, Kevin Woo, and samUIL Lee together singing the songs.
“I get, honestly, ‘Soda Pop’ stuck in my head a lot,” Yoo admits. “That’s why I’m very much like Zoey. I am having trouble not grooving to that song when it comes on.”
Cho agrees “Soda Pop” is her favorite song on the soundtrack, while “Golden” remains her favorite HUNTR/X hit. “It’s just a special song and a special moment when they first perform it, when they release the music video, and then when they girls are on stage. That is the most epic concert performance of the girls doing ‘Golden.’ I just feel like every young Asian American girl is going to be like, ‘Ah!'”
“That’s the best,” Hong says of “Golden.” “I’ll just start singing the chorus. It’s such an ear worm.”
The success of KPop Demon Hunters extends beyond the soundtrack. The film, which premiered June 20, spawned countless pieces of fan art, memes, TikToks, and Instagram reels. Kang admits she has consumed “a very unhealthy amount” of them.
“It’s been almost impossible to put my phone down because there’s just so much amazing content being shared by fans, and I don’t want to miss a single one,” she says.
As for Appelhans, “Yeah, I haven’t slept in a week,” he says of scrolling through them all. “I think the passion and enthusiasm you see from the fans is a direct result of the passion and enthusiasm that our incredible crew put into the movie from day one. We’re really grateful for both.”
KPop Demon Hunters is now available to stream on Netflix.
