1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: From the newsroom I used. 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:04,840 Speaker 2: To come to. 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: Gooday. 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 3: There, I'm Andrew Bucklow, and today we are talking about 5 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 3: a new Netflix movie that has taken. 6 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: The world of buy storm. 7 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 3: It is breaking streaming records, its songs are smashing music 8 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 3: charts across the globe, and it is dominating social media. 9 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: Wow, this movie was freaking awesome. 10 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 2: I didn't know what I was expecting going into it. 11 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 3: The trailer seems fine. 12 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 2: I was like, Oh, it'll be fun, phenomenal, phenomenal. 13 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 3: Well, let's dive into this phenomenal film to find out 14 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 3: how it became the biggest entertainment story of the year. 15 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 2: Well. 16 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: I'm joined now by Kathy McCabe. 17 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 3: She's part of the entertainment team at news dot com 18 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: dot au. And Kathy, you've written an article about a 19 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 3: movie called k Pop Demon Hunters. Now, I'll be honest, 20 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 3: before I read your piece, I had never heard of 21 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 3: this movie. Just tell everyone quickly what it's all about. 22 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 4: Okay, So this is a classic good versus animated movie. 23 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 4: So you've got HUNTERRICKX, who are the cute, gorgeous but 24 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 4: also kind of goofy and normal silly pop girls in Hunterricks, Rumy, Mira, 25 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 4: and Zoe, but they must creators demon hunters who are 26 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:21,639 Speaker 4: trying to keep these horrible soul sucking demons from taking 27 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 4: over the earth, and they have to fight the Sajar 28 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 4: Boys led by hot guy Jinny with their songs and 29 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 4: their very fancy swords. If you remember the Buffy the 30 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,559 Speaker 4: Vampire the musical episode once More with feeling, it's kind 31 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 4: of an k pop Korean animated version of that on steroids, 32 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 4: but with much better songs. 33 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: Let's have listened to the trailot. 34 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 5: The world will know us pump stars, but you will 35 00:01:51,080 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 5: be much more than that. You will be hunters, Demon 36 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 5: boy Bend. They're coming after the fans. 37 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:12,639 Speaker 1: You're the sub Let's. 38 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 5: Go get these guys. You think we're just gonna let 39 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 5: you steal our fans is you're gonna have to fight 40 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 5: us for that? Man? 41 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: Okay, well that sounds hectic and interesting. So this film 42 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: was released on Netflix in late June and it has 43 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: popped off. It's been a big success. Hasn't a kathy. 44 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 2: It's just gone nuts. 45 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 4: It kind of bubbled away for the first couple of 46 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 4: weeks and then in the last month it's just gone ballistic. 47 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 4: It's had more than one hundred and eighty million views 48 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 4: well pined, and it's become the most watched animated movie 49 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 4: ever on that streamer. It's also the second most popular 50 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 4: Netflix original movie ever, next to I Think The Red Notice. 51 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 4: And people are loving it because, I mean, it's this 52 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 4: neon soaked original concept. It's not some you know, comic 53 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 4: or sequel or you know, reboot of some kind of 54 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 4: movie we've already seen seventeen times. 55 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,519 Speaker 2: So people are really loving that. It's kind of gone. 56 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 4: Out of the box is what we've come to expect 57 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 4: from animated movies. 58 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 3: And it's been a hit with kids. Apparently, that's what 59 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 3: all the mums in the office tell me. It's also 60 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 3: been a hit with critics. It's rated ninety seven percent 61 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 3: on Rotten Tomatoes. The Hollywood Reporter called it a fast 62 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 3: and funny genre mashup that puts most theatrical animated releases 63 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 3: to shame. It also mentioned the film is chock full 64 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 3: of and I quote, earworms whose melodies will be lingering 65 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 3: in your brain for weeks. Let's talk about the music, Kathy. 66 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 3: From what I hear, there are some absolute bangers in 67 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 3: this film. 68 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: Is that right? 69 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 2: Oh man? 70 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 4: They have taken up resonance in my head for the 71 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 4: last month, and you know it's just once you listen 72 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 4: to Golden, which is the lead track that's really going off, 73 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 4: it's there on repeat for like at least the next 74 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 4: six to eight hours, unless you know, you play something else. 75 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 4: Why this has been so successful musically is they did 76 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 4: it so differently to how most kind of theatrical musicals 77 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 4: are done. So instead of getting the Hollywood, you know, 78 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 4: a list of movie soundtrack people, they went to the 79 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 4: A list K pop people because one of the co 80 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 4: directors and creators that Maggie. 81 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: King wanted this to be, you know, this homage to 82 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: K pop that she grew up with. 83 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 4: So they got the black label producers and songwriters led 84 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 4: by Terry Park. He's done Black Pink production since day 85 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 4: dot and all of them, all the people on the 86 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 4: credits have have had hits for BTS and twice and 87 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 4: you know everybody else who you can name, but Golden 88 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 4: is nuts. It's just gone number one both in Australia 89 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 4: and the US pop charts. 90 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 2: It's the first. 91 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 4: Gold group number one in the US since Beyonce's Bootylicious, 92 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 4: which I think was two thousand and one. Wow. 93 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: So it's making history all over the place. 94 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 4: And so the other big track that's popping off is 95 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 4: called Soda Pop and that is the lead track for 96 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 4: the boy band Sajia Boys. 97 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 2: Have a bit of a listen to it. 98 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: Oh that is catchy, cappy. 99 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 2: Isn't it. 100 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 4: It just kind of reminds me of like in sync 101 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,919 Speaker 4: circa nineties and boy bands, and and also like I 102 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 4: don't know why, but it's got a little. 103 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 2: Bit of what makes You Beautiful by one d about 104 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 2: it for me too. 105 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 3: So this movie has a couple of big songs, and 106 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 3: from what I hear, the soundtrack is doing really really 107 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 3: well on the charts as well, not just those songs 108 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 3: in particular. 109 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, yeah, I mean the k par Demon Hunters 110 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 4: soundtrack was number one in Australia for four weeks and 111 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 4: only got knocked off last week by Hilltop Hoods Return, 112 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 4: which Go Australia. But it's already those songs have already 113 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 4: had over a billion plays just on Spotify, and you know, 114 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 4: Hunterrick's and Saja Boys songs are now kind of leapfrogging 115 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 4: what Black Pink and BTS have done for K pop 116 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 4: groups on the US charts. 117 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, the success of this movie is mind blowing and 118 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 3: people are already saying it could clean up next year's Oscars. 119 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 3: We'll hear more about that in just a moment. Welcome back. 120 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 3: I am chatting to Kathy mckabe about K pop demon Hunters, 121 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 3: the Netflix film which has become a worldwide phenomenon. 122 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: Now, Kathy, you're wrote in your. 123 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 3: Piece about the fact fans are really embracing this film 124 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 3: beyond just watching it. 125 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: Tell us more about that. 126 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 4: Well, because this is why it's been successful is because 127 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 4: it's been really tween lad like, you know, eight to 128 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 4: kind of ten year olds have completely ushered this thing 129 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 4: into pop culture superstardom, and there's so much for them 130 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 4: to love about it. Like it's the costumes, so you've 131 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 4: now got you know, the internet is flooded with pop 132 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:48,119 Speaker 4: up shops where kids can buy, you know, the latest 133 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 4: dresses from Hunters, kind of like the Frozen. You saw 134 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 4: the Frozen, you know, costumes everywhere at Barbie Costumes, whatever. 135 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 4: So that's all going off. But it's also because of 136 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 4: the beautiful animation of this film. It's really inspired artists. 137 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 4: You've got so much fan art and how to draw 138 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 4: it and how to do stuff flooding all TikTok, pinterest ideas, 139 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 4: it's just everywhere. So there's kind of something for everyone 140 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 4: about this, which is inspiring a lot of creativity, not 141 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 4: just amongst kids, but amongst adults who kind of you know, 142 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 4: it's revenge of the pop nerds because everything about this 143 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 4: is celebrating the stuff that you loved as a kid. 144 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 3: I was having a quick look on TikTok before, and 145 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 3: there's so many videos made by parents, whether they're all 146 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 3: kind of making the same joke, they say that, you know, 147 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 3: you kind of put this movie on in the background 148 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 3: for your kids while you're making dinner or doing the 149 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 3: dishes or cleaning the house, and before you know it, 150 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 3: you are up against the screen with your kids watching 151 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 3: K pop Demon Hunters doing all the dancers, singing all 152 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 3: the songs, and like it just hooks everyone in. 153 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:04,359 Speaker 4: There's already flood of like parenting sites doing parent cheat sheets, 154 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 4: like if you haven't watched it so you can speak 155 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 4: it with your kids, but it's so be cool to 156 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 4: your kids because you know everything about ay Pot Demon Hunters. 157 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 2: It's really cute. 158 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 4: But they're also sort of saying that it is because 159 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 4: it's that kind of subtext plot of be yourself, don't 160 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 4: be ashamed, you know, because one of the characters is 161 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 4: part human, part demon. That is kind of you know, 162 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 4: parenting sites are all saying, oh, you. 163 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 2: Know, this is a good way to talk to your. 164 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 4: Kids if they're having problems with their friendship groups and 165 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 4: things like that. 166 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 2: So it's it's that classic, you know. 167 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 4: It enters the pop culture by just how fabulous the 168 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 4: film and music is, but then it gets all little 169 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 4: House on the Prairie, you know, here's the moral to 170 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 4: the story. 171 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 3: So last question, given the bars and the numbers, what 172 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 3: do you think is next for K Pop Demon Hunters. 173 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 2: Massive Oscars campaign? 174 00:09:55,720 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 4: So today, well, you know, sort of today tomorrow the 175 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 4: first round of movies are put up for consideration for 176 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:09,239 Speaker 4: oscar Noms and I think animation is one of the categories, 177 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 4: and they've confirmed that K Pop Damon Hunters is going 178 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 4: to be in there. I think it's got a really 179 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 4: good chance for Best Song too, because it's an original song. 180 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 4: Despite a bit of AI controversy that blew up that 181 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 4: one of the songwriters said no, I am not code 182 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 4: I wrote that song. 183 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: So would that be for Golden. 184 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, that would probably be for Golden I'd say it's 185 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 4: the lead song. It's also kind of the whole theme 186 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 4: of the movie about how the girls are trying to 187 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 4: create this golden barrier to keep the demons away from 188 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 4: Earth forever. 189 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 2: So you know, it's got to be golden. 190 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 1: And what about a sequel? I mean they must be 191 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 1: talking about it, right. 192 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 4: I think they're pretty much confirmed that now there's going 193 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 4: to be a sequel. You just know there'll be stage musicals, 194 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 4: live adaptations, TV series. 195 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 2: Dolls, everything in the mix. 196 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 4: But what's happening first is these big singalong events on 197 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 4: August twenty three and August twenty four worldwide. I think 198 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 4: Hoints are doing them in Australia and you can buy 199 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 4: tickets and go to this one weekend only screenings and 200 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 4: sing along in the audience. 201 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: That's a bit of fun. 202 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 2: Are it to be hilarious one? 203 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: All right? Well, maybe I'll go and do that. 204 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 3: I'll save my virgin viewing of this movie for one 205 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 3: of those sing along events. Kathy, thank you so much 206 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 3: for telling us about this pop culture phenomenon. I can't 207 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 3: wait to see what we hear next about K pop 208 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 3: Demon Hunters. 209 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 2: May it rain for at least another year? 210 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,679 Speaker 3: All right, my little soda pops. That is it for today. 211 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:46,199 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for listening, and I will chat 212 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 3: to you again tomorrow. 213 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 1: Stay Golden, follow or subscribe to from the newsroom wherever 214 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:53,479 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.