Summary
KPop Demon Huntershit the scene like a surprise album drop, stealing the hearts (and souls) of fans across the internet. It shines through its inventive action scenes, gorgeousvisual style, goofy humor, and rich character work. What makes it stand out beyond its peers is right there in the name: the K-pop.
A lot of the film’s storytelling is done through expertly crafted music, telling the audience about the characters and their backstories in a way that feels perfectly natural and fluid. These feel like actual songs one would hear on streaming, and would be undeniable platinum hits. In a battle (literally) between rival K-Pop groups, and with absolutely zero misses between them all, it’s tough to say who truly topped the chart, but we’ll do our best to rankall the original songs inKPop Demon Hunters.
7Your Idol
A Tragic Victory Lap
The Saja Boys had already proved they could capture fans across the nation with “Soda Pop,“so having their second song in the film be the polar opposite was a fun surprise. This arriving right after Huntrix’s falling out made it feel like an utter stomp. With costumes sleeker than sleek and lyrics that dug deep into the minds of Zoey and Mira,“Your Idol"is a glorious, yet harrowing, low.
The hypnotic choreography, striking visuals, and lyrics designed to perfectly claw at the insecurities and desires of their newfound fanbase, all while they built themselves up, made this avillain songto remember. Powerful and catchy; a deadly combo.
6Takedown
A Recurring Banger
Giving the audience a look into Huntrix’s creative process through the creation of"Takedown"was an absolute delight. Seeing the parts that worked, the parts that didn’t, and everything in between made the final usage of the song that much more satisfying —and that much more heartbreaking.
Introducing it as a diss track for the Saja Boys with petty, demon-centric lyrics was the perfect narrative disguise for when the song finally hit. Having thedemons disguised as Zoey and Mira sing it to Rumias everything falls apart around her made the song live up to its name. It was a takedown, and an absolutely brutal one at that. Along with that, TWICE’s rendition in the credits solidified this song as one to remember.
5How It’s Done
A High-Flying Opener
In a movie likeKPop Demon Hunters, an exciting action scene is a natural way to introduce the audience to the characters, and"How It’s Done"does that expertly. Pairing each beat of the song with the swing of the group’s unique weapons makes the action flow perfectly. That, and the incorporation of an everyday object—the coffee pot—into the action and percussion creates a dynamic and fluid battle that’s a feast for the eyes and the ears.
With this being thevery first song of the film, it’s vital to capture each member of Huntrix and their vibe. Rumi takes the lead with her incredible high notes, Zoey mixes in her quick-witted rapping, and Mira showcases her powerful vocals; it captures each of them perfectly in such a short span, and would immediately get any viewer on board for the rest of the film.
4What It Sounds Like
A Climactic Finish
It’s tough to see Gwi-Ma conquer the world, and tougher to see the girls break up, so this song comes in at the perfect time. A bombastic and thrillingfinal battleplayed to the triumphant return of Huntrix hits hard, all while everything is wrapped up in a touching, yet often funny, bow. It encapsulates everything brilliant about the film.
Everything that happened inKPop Demon Huntersled to"What It Sounds Like,“and it’s felt in every single second. Lyrics that expose the trio’s deep-seated fears and insecurities make the conquering of these feelings and the demons feel deeply earned. “Golden’s” leitmotif sneaking its way in just adds to the experience. There couldn’t have been a better finisher for this concert of a film.
3Soda Pop
A Devilishly Catchy Tune
It’s no surprise that the Saja Boys were able to easily capture the souls of so many fans with this one. An infectiouslycatchy tunethat roots itself deep in a listener’s brain,“Soda Pop"also acts as a comedically perfect introduction to the Saja Boys. Gag after gag it pulled off as this song plays, and it instantly endears the viewer to these villains to a point where one almost forgets they’re villains at all.
That, of course, is stripped away entirely once the film is over. Making breakfast, trying to sleep, or attempting to get work done, the lyrics will eventually come rushing back into the brain. “My little soda pop,” floods back in, and proves that the musical magic isn’t tied to the world of the film; the Saja Boys could very well take over the real world, too.
2Golden
A Perfect Introduction
After the exhilarating rush of “How It’s Done,” a more personal song was the perfect choice to further solidify these characters. It feeds thecharacters' backstoriesthrough lyrics snuck into a catchy melody, while digging at Rumi in its ironic lines.“No more hiding, I’ll be shining” hits a lot harder as the film carries on.
Tossing in bits from a song Rumi sang as a child to this already fantastic tune adds so much as well. It all blends together into an unforgettable song that brings the film’s world to a standstill.As"Golden"comes true by the end of the film, it becomes the gold standard of Huntrix songs.
1Free
An Emotional Duet
The most powerful song in a soundtrack composed of many powerful tracks, it’s a feat to create a song this captivating. Rumi’s vocals draw the audience in from the start, accompanied by emotionally resonant lyrics that strike a deep chord. When Jinu joins in,“Free"solidifies itself as the most memorable song on the soundtrack.
Anunbearably romanticduet between characters that feel as if they don’t belong anywhere makes everything that happens afterward hit that much harder. It drives every character beat home, while also acting as a song one can listen to for years after. Even if it weren’t attached to such a gripping pair of characters, it would still be a showstopper.
