KPop Demon Hunters 2: New film officially confirmed

"KPop Demon Hunters 2" is a done deal. As with the first installment, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans will direct the sequel to the extremely successful Netflix film. The animated adventure is the first project in an exclusive, multi-year partnership between the creative duo and the streaming channel, as Netflix announced.

It is not yet clear when "KPop Demon Hunters 2" will be released on Netflix. It was previously speculated that a second part could possibly be expected in 2029. However, in view of the production efforts of such an animated film, there are doubts about this. A later date seems more likely.

Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans are thrilled

In view of the now confirmed second part of "KPop Demon Hunters", Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans are already enthusiastic. In a statement, Kang hints that the cosmos of "KPop Demon Hunters" still offers plenty of room for further stories:

"I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters. There's so much more to this world we have built, and I'm excited to show you. This is only the beginning."

Appelhans emphasizes how much they have grown fond of the characters in the film:

"These characters are like family to us, their world has become our second home. We're excited to write their next chapter, challenge them, and watch them evolve — and continue pushing the boundaries of how music, animation, and story can come together."

The double lives of Rumi, Mira and Zoey

Exactly what "KPop Demon Hunters 2" will be about remains to be seen. The first film focuses on the K-Pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey. However, the trio don't just spend their time giving concerts in sold-out stadiums. Rumi, Mira and Zoey lead a double life. As demon hunters, the girl group also face supernatural threats. With the rival Saja Boys, they have to deal with a boy band that is also at home in both worlds.

The three protagonists are dubbed by Arden Cho (Rumi), May Hong (Mira) and Ji-young Yoo (Zoey). The screenplay for the first part was written by the directing duo Kang and Appelhans as well as Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan.

KPop Demon Hunters: a huge hit

Given the immense popularity of "KPop Demon Hunters", the announcement of a second film comes as no surprise. The first part has achieved over 500 million views since its debut in June 2025, making it the most successful Netflix film of all time. The music from the film made it into the charts, the track "Golden" was awarded a Grammy and is also in the running for the Oscar for Best Song.

Indeed, "KPop Demon Hunters" could be one of the big winners at the 2026 Oscars. The Netflix hit is considered the top favorite in the race for the award for Best Animated Film - despite the strong competition from the theatrical hit "Zootopia 2", which is also nominated.

Director Maggie Kang initially had doubts

Although the Netflix film, made in collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation, was realized as a US production in English, it is anchored in Korean culture. This is not least due to director Maggie Kang, who was born in the South Korean capital of Seoul but moved to Toronto, Canada, at the age of five and grew up there. The Korean background of the film was particularly important to her. In an interview with the website Korea.net, she explained:

"I knew this would be the first Hollywood-made movie, animated or live action, to be 100% rooted in Korean culture."

The special responsibility that came with it initially worried her a little. She doubted whether she was the right person for a movie that would represent Korean culture worldwide. In view of the overwhelming success of "KPop Demon Hunters", it is fair to say that her fears proved to be unfounded.