Storytelling With KPop Demon Hunters
What We Can Learn From the Show!
Welcome to the Apple Hair CANON!
Here, I’ll explore creating a fictional universe, and I’m hoping you’ll follow along with your own world. I’m by no means an expert, so let’s discuss how to create a believable, magical, and captivating world. Let’s be storycatchers together!
Want to read Apple Hair, the boy band fantasy novel, from the very beginning? You can start here! Apple Hair is a fictional, Asian American boy band from Hawaiʻi.
Welcome to the newsletter, and I’m excited to lay down the foundations of our storyworlds together, one word at a time.
Hi, storycatchers! In the last edition of the CANON, I talked about the lovely GMC: goal, motivation, and conflict. I still have a post about stakes coming up for you! But first, we have to talk about a very important movie released on Netflix—KPop Demon Hunters! If you’re anything like me, you were probably super excited about the announcement of the show. If you’re just finding out about it now, I’m happy to say that it’s released. You should definitely watch the show. It’s filled with heart and excitement and K-pop, and the soundtrack is quite epic too.
KPop Demon Hunters is right up my alley! My book Apple Hair is also a fantasy K-pop novel, so I felt a strong need to watch the show as soon as I could. The story follows three demon hunters, who happen to be part of a K-pop girl group HUNTR/X. The main character is Rumi, and she’s joined by Mira and Zoey. To strengthen the Honmoon, which keeps the demons at bay from the human world, the members of HUNTR/X must perform their songs and connect with their fans.
The first thing we can learn about KPop Demon Hunters is how important it is to nail your premise. The idea of the HUNTR/X girl group fighting demons through their songs and performances is a strong premise. It grips you immediately! I know that when I first read the story snippet, I was hooked and needed to find out more about this group of idol hunters. Also, the idea that the antagonist is a K-pop boy group is brilliant. The Saja Boys steals the show for many viewers, especially when it features Jinu, the clumsy yet powerful and handsome main member. One of the first clips I saw of the show was the scene of “Soda Pop,” the Saja Boys’ first song. The concept of the villains singing a catchy bubblegum pop song is just everything. So, as storycatchers, we have to nail the premise!
The second thing we can learn is to never skimp on backstory and motives. Honestly, the show writers were under a time crunch since the movie is less than two hours. They could’ve focused purely on the action, music, and glimmering parts of K-pop. Instead, they chose to spend time developing Rumi. No spoilers here, but you’ll find out why she takes her job as a demon hunter so seriously, and why she’s so dedicated to making her two group mates proud. The viewer understands very well why Rumi wants to fight, why she wants to protect the Honmoon. Also, when Jinu and Rumi meet, sparks fly, but there is also a reflection of their backstories and motives. It makes the story that much stronger!
The third lesson I’m going to talk about is simple yet important: make the story fun! The K-pop element already offers a lot of material for the story. The opening scene is a banger already, jumping into HUNTR/X’s hit song “How It’s Done.” I read comments that this song makes K-pop fun again for many people! A great song coupled with plenty of action starts the film off strong. And the fun doesn’t stop there. We get quips from Zoey and Mira, and a lot of clashing with Rumi with their different personalities. We also get more songs, each one different than the last and offering a new mood.
With the Saja Boys, we get a stunning change in concept from their opening song “Soda Pop.” There is just so much to rejoice about in this story. And I think that’s what we might forget in our storytelling. Sometimes, the best choice is to write that fun scene. Don’t be too scared of being cheesy or over the top, and don’t care about trying to be really deep or to resonate in your message. Sometimes, we just need a “Soda Pop” in our story that’s going to make things come to life.
Even though KPop Demon Hunters and Apple Hair share a lot of similarities, they really are quite different! My story is quieter and doesn’t feature so many thrilling action scenes. My story also features a boy band as the protagonists rather than a girl band. Still, I made sure to follow the three lessons I talked about today: making the premise alive, fleshing out motives and backstories, and making it fun! I’m so happy to see K-pop shine in the world of storytelling.
Thank you very much for joining the CANON this week. Be sure to check out KPop Demon Hunters. And if you’ve watched it already, let me know all your thoughts about the movie! Who is your favorite character? And what is your favorite song from the soundtrack? I’m very curious to know. What would you like me to discuss in the next post? Comment below. Or jump into my Chat or on one of my Notes, and I’ll be happy to hear your input. Let’s continue exploring all kinds of stories this week!