Kpop Demon Hunters is taking over every part of my life. I’ve watched the film several times; the soundtrack is on repeat. Hell, I’ve even bought the limited-edition vinyl of Takedown (give me the full soundtrack, Sony!). I’m also really tempted to buy one of the hoodies from the Netflix store, if I can get over the ridiculous pricing (I also reviewed the film). Suffice it to say, but I really like the film, and I’m clamouring for more. Kpop Demon Hunters took nine years from concept to finished product, but we shouldn’t expect such a long wait again now that the world and characters are already built. On the statistics side of things, the film is trending worldwide on Netflix, ranking as the #1 film in multiple countries and topping Netflix’s global charts.
Needless to say, there is a chance of a sequel coming in the next couple of years, and that’s not just the copium talking. But if they’re (hopefully) going to do a sequel, what would the story be? I have some ideas if you, or any Netflix/Sony people, are interested.
One of the biggest plot points in the film is Rumi’s (Arden Cho) parents and the fact that Rumi is half-human, half-demon. Her parents’ past was mostly shrouded in mystery, with the one exception being that her mum was a former hunter along with Celine (Yunjin Kim), Rumi’s mother figure. But aside from that, we don’t actually know anything about them, and the sequel is the best time to dive into it. The mystery could even be a major plot point in the sequel, with it being the end goal for Rumi to learn more about herself.
Was her mother in love with a demon? How did they even meet? Was Rumi really a mistake in some real depressive way? That last one in particular would be painful, but that’s where Mira (May Hong) and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) can swoop in and be the family Rumi needs. But that’s the most depressing route, and I would much rather it doesn’t get that dark.
Speaking of Mira and Zoey, the sequel needs more of both of them. The first film was pretty much Rumi’s story, with her arc being the main focus of the plot. While Mira and Zoey were established as phenomenal characters, we didn’t get much development or backstory for them. We got a brief glimpse into Zoey’s people-pleaser past and Mira’s estranged family being mentioned, but not much comes of it. They do play a part when Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun) takes control of them for a little bit at the end, but there’s so much more that could be explored.
On top of that, we could see how they ended up becoming hunters and how they met Rumi. I would also like to see more scenes with the three of them talking or hanging out. The few moments we got in the film were fantastic, and I would love more. Also, as a Zoey bias, I really wanna see that 700-video playlist all about turtles.
The intro to Kpop Demon Hunters has HUNTRX performing the final show of their World Tour. We don’t know how long they were touring for, but using real life as an example, probs close to nine-ish months. At the end of the film, a billboard is shown announcing the group’s next comeback (K-pop terminology for new music), which normally has a high chance of also meaning a new World Tour. So it wouldn’t be out of place whatsoever for the sequel to be that next World Tour, but it can be more than that.
The Honmoon doesn’t just protect South Korea, it protects the entire world, so what if the World Tour is a way to strengthen the Honmoon even further? HUNTRX created a new Honmoon at the end of the film, so maybe it has some gaps that need fixing. This could also lead to Gwi-Ma regaining power through these gaps and influence which cities the girls have to visit. You could also bring back the two Saja Boys that we didn’t see get murked, those being Romance and Baby. Maybe they’re helping cause chaos to help Gwi-Ma, but also get revenge on HUNTRX. A World Tour sequel would also allow for worldbuilding on a global scale and could maybe even tie into Zoey’s character arc if they go to the USA (where she grew up).
Speaking of travelling, what if HUNTRX, or a member of HUNTRX, gets taken to or invades the Demon Realm? We only see Gwi-Ma’s temple in the film, so it would be interesting to see what the rest of the Realm looks like. This could be how to pay off the mystery of Rumi’s dad because he could either be a prisoner of Gwi-Ma for falling in love with a human, or maybe this is where it’s revealed Rumi is connected to Gwi-Ma itself. I can see the entire final act of the film taking place in the Demon Realm after the girls just couldn’t close the final Honmoon breach in time. Or, they did seal it, but realised that the world will never be safe until Gwi-Ma is gone for good.
Travelling to the Demon Realm not only has these story opportunities, but it can also let the animators go wild with designs. I can only imagine what sort of batshit crazy architecture, demons, and overall aesthetic the Demon Realm has. Do they have homes? Public infrastructure? There’s so much artistic potential with setting at least part of a sequel in this place; it’s an untapped gold mine of creativity.
Like everyone who watched Kpop Demon Hunters, I was devastated when Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop) sacrificed himself to save Rumi. The music, the visuals, and Jinu confessing to Rumi that she gave him his soul back, and that he now gives it to her (god, that’s so sad!). It was an incredibly emotional moment, and one that, in a way, is a satisfying conclusion to Jinu’s character. As someone who has only looked out for himself across the centuries, the way he goes out is by finally helping someone else. This moment of self-sacrifice is what his journey was leading up to, and while yes, I would’ve loved for Rumi and Jinu to have at least kissed, I was still satisfied with his end. That is to say that I want him to stay dead… for the most part.
There are two ways Jinu can return to the story. The first is that he’s part of Rumi’s sword after giving her his soul. He’s always with her, but in a different way. He can be a spiritual support for her when she needs him the most, like if maybe her demon dad is revealed. He can be HUNTRX’s guide to the Demon Realm this way as well, as he’s literally connected to Rumi. The other, more depressing option, is that Gwi-Ma is using the façade of Jinu to mess with Rumi. Gwi-Ma could make Rumi see Jinu in the crowd at one of their shows or just on the street. This could cause her to doubt what she sees, leaving her open to a surprise attack that could drag Zoey, Mira, and her into the Demon Realm.
While I much prefer the first option for having Jinu return, I’m fine with Jinu returning in one of these ways or something similar. Otherwise, just having him come back for shits and giggles would low key ruin his perfect arc.
These were just some of the sequel ideas I’ve had since I first finished the film, and I’m sure there will be more. I just need Sony or Netflix to confirm that a sequel is in the works soon, or I might give myself a panic attack over the thought that we’ll never see these girls again! Anyway, go watch Kpop Demon Hunters and listen to the soundtrack (which I ranked here).
Do you want a Kpop Demon Hunters sequel? What are your sequel ideas? Do you agree with these theories? Let us know in the comments where we can all yell at Sony and Netflix for a sequel.
