Maggie Kang pitched KPop Demon Hunters in 2018. It took nine years to make.
The demon mythology came first. The idea was a secret society of hunters who needed a cover that let them move everywhere, access everyone, stay invisible. K-pop was the answer. Hunters who were also idols could travel the world with no questions asked.
The lead character, Rumi, came from a scrapped project called Plastic Walrus. When the K-pop concept finally clicked, Kang pulled her out of the drawer.
The film was released in June 2025 on Netflix. In early 2026, it won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Kang became the first woman of Korean descent to win in that category.
She has been developing it since before Parasite won Best Picture.
Backlot members are watching it now.
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