Why you may not see a live-action version of ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ any time soon

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — “Kpop Demon Hunters” has left fans craving more, but there appears to be one wish that won’t get granted.

Maggie Kang, creator and co-director of the hit Netflix animated musical film, talked to the BBC along with her co-director Chris Appelhans about what comes next. One thing of which they sounded sure? Those hoping for a live-action version won’t be seeing that any time soon.

“There’s so many elements of the tone and the comedy that are so suited for animation. It’s really hard to imagine these characters in a live-action world,” Kang said. “It would feel too grounded. So totally it wouldn’t work for me.”

Appelhans agreed.

“One of the great things about animation is that you make these composites of impossibly great attributes. Rumi can be this goofy comedian and then singing and doing a spinning back-kick a second later and then freefalling through the sky,” he said. “The joy of animation is how far you can push and elevate what’s possible. I remember they adapted a lot of different animes and often times, it just feels a little stilted.”

K-pop is a genre of music that originated in South Korea and has produced global superstar groups like BTS and BlackPink.

“KPop Demon Hunters” follows a popular all-girl singing group who makes hit records and also hunts soul-eating demons, in a bid to protect their fans. One of their biggest challenges is a rival boy band that are actually demons in disguise.

The film’s popularity has moved beyond just being a viewing pleasure. Three of the songs from its soundtrack – “Golden,” “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop” – have hit the Top 10 on the Hot 100 chart, according to Billboard.

There is now a great expectation that the movie might be nominated for an Academy Award, to which Appelhans joked “the title alone is obviously Oscar bait.”

“We tried to do something new and it was really hard and I think we’re really proud of how it came out,” he said. “But if people are going to reward that, that would be awesome.”

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