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Tag: Saja Boys

  • 10 Of Our Favorite K-Pop Debuts Of 2025

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    From rookie groups to some of the most-established idols finally going solo, K-Pop was full of iconic debuts in 2025. We saw record-breaking sales, one-of-a-kind concepts, and more idols getting hands-on in the production process than we could’ve dreamed. It was really hard to narrow down our favorite K-Pop debuts from this year, but here’s our top 10 in 2025!

    MARK

    Considering it sometimes feels like MARK debuted 802 years ago and is in more groups than we can count, it feels kind of strange to think that he hadn’t had a solo debut yet. But all that experience led to one of the most versatile and fully-realized K-Pop debut albums, not just in 2025, but ever. The concept of The Firstfruit, led by the title track ‘1999,’ is built around the four cities that made MARK who he is today: Toronto, New York City, Vancouver, and Seoul. We’d love this debut for the concept alone, so the tracks being that good just feels like a bonus.

    Hearts2Hearts

    Hearts2Hearts’ 2025 has been so strong that it’s kind of hard to believe it’s their debut year. ‘STYLE’ might be the group’s biggest hit of the year, but there’s no denying the statement that their debut, ‘The Chase,’ which was written by fellow THP faves FLO, made. ‘The Chase,’ and Hearts2Hearts concept so far, is a pure embrace of pop in all its open-hearted, bright, “sparkle, sparkle,” glory.

    CORTIS

    CORTIS was arguably the most-anticipated K-Pop debut of 2025, and the rookie group seemed to take that all in their (very tall) stride! BIGHIT’s third boy group, after BTS and TXT, CORTIS was always going to be under scrutiny. However, not dissimilar to their predecessors, CORTIS jumped onto the scene with an anarchic attitude, determined to do their own thing. Their debut track, ‘What You Want,’ and pre-debut release, ‘GO!,’ show off this energy perfectly, as well as their commitment to a hands-on approach to their music.

    JURIN ASAYA

    In 2025, leader JURIN ASAYA became the first member of XG, a Japanese group based in South Korea, to have a solo debut. Collaborating with Rapsody on the track ‘PS118,’ JURIN ASAYA put her skills on display perfectly, with her quintessential delivery and lyrical wordplay. The track was a great example of what a solo debut should be: a clear statement of individual identity with just a lil’ sprinkle of the group’s character, too.

    XLOV

    Four-member K-Pop group XLOV had a truly unique debut in 2025. They promote a genderless concept, spotlighting their intricate choreography, decadent styling, and impressive production skills instead. Of course, this has earned them a lot of attention, both positive and negative, and shines a light on how gendered the expectations but on boy groups and girl groups can sometimes be. But, even putting all of that aside, XLOV would still be one of our fave debuts this year, thanks to how great ‘I’mma Be’ was. And they’ve just gotten better since!

    YEONJUN

    Does this count as a debut? Technically, yes, so we’re gonna talk about it. TXT’s Yeonjun released his official solo debut album in November, and we’re already anticipating a NO LABELS: PART 02 in 2026…maybe? Taking the stage by storm, as always, Yeonjun brought his quintessential power and charm to the record. NO LABELS: PART 01 deftly balances the opulence of K-Pop with the grit of Yeonjun’s other musical influences blending, hip-hop, hard rock, and more, seamlessly.

    BEOMGYU

    Ok, so we might be contradicting ourselves just a teeny-weeny bit. Like Yeonjun in 2024, Beomgyu didn’t have an official solo debut this year, but he did release his debut mixtape track, ‘Panic.’ The indie-pop song grows from a gentle intro to a searing anthem, with one of the sweetest concepts in any 2025 debut. The track came to life thanks to Beomgyu’s personal experience of music’s healing powers and how he’s been comforted by his own favorite artists. In turn, Beomgyu wanted to pass that hopeful energy onto MOA, and so, ‘Panic’ was born!

    YEJI

    ITZY’s formidable leader, YEJI, finally had her solo debut in March 2025. Air is all about embracing excitement, and there were few releases more exciting than this one! A mix of synth-pop and dream-pop, this EP had exactly the energy we had dreamed of for a YEJI debut, but it still exceeded all our expectations, with killer performances and fairytale references. YEJI’s intention with this solo debut was to showcase her aura, and she definitely achieved that!

    HUNTR/X

    You knew we had to include our girls, HUNTR/X, right? In 2025, the girl group that stars in K-Pop Demon Hunters had a debut year that most idols couldn’t even imagine! ‘Golden’ has topped the Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) chart for a record-tying 19 weeks, and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 weeks, too. And all of that success is before we even mention their other songs, like ‘How It’s Done’ or ‘What It Sounds Like!’

    Saja Boys

    Where HUNTR/X go, the Saja Boys will follow! Just like HUNTR/X arguably became the world’s favorite girl group in 2025, Saja Boys became a top boy group, in our hearts as well as charts all over the globe. From ‘Soda Pop’ to ‘Your Idol,’ there are few debut tracks that have gotten stuck in our collective heads like the ones from K-Pop Demon Hunters!

    And that’s our ten! Do you agree with our picks for favorite K-Pop debuts of 2025? Anyone you wish we had included on this list? Hit us up! You can find us at @thehoneypop on Twitter, or by visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.

    Want more K-Pop content? We got you!

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    Anna Marie

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  • KPop Demon Hunters Live Action Plans? Creator Maggie Kang Gives Major Update About Story’s Future

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    The breakout winner of the year is Netflix’s animated film, KPop Demon Hunters, which observed unprecedented success. The songs of the movie have been going viral, taking over music charts around the world, beating the likes of some very popular stars. There were rumors of the film being renewed for two sequels, one live-action and musical adaptation. However, the creator of the movies has finally debunked one big speculation, denying the possibility of seeing the HUNTRIX members and the Saja Boys in human forms. 

    KPop Demon Hunters creators shut down live-action questions
    After much talk about there being a real-life version of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey as weJinu, Mystery, Abby, Romance, and Baby that the mastermind behind the animated characters has finally shared an update. “There’s so many elements of the tone and the comedy that are so suited for animation,” Maggie Kang told BBC News. “It’s really hard to imagine these characters in a live-action world. It would feel too grounded. So, totally it wouldn’t work for me.”

    Chris Appelhans, the co-creator of the film, also shared his views on the debate. “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 free-falling through the sky.” He added that the joy of the movie comes from its exaggerated gestures, and doing the same to their artwork would make it ‘stilted’.

    With these statements, many hearts in the K-pop world have been broken, but the imaginations for which K-drama actor would suit the roles of these characters best are still going strong. Meanwhile, KPop Demon Hunters recently confirmed talks about a second part to the film going into production. The potential back stories of the characters are likely to be explored in the possible sequel.

    ALSO READ: Not Lee Byung Hun but THIS K-pop idol was first choice for KPop Demon Hunters’ Gwi Ma role, director reveals

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  • 5 Things We Want to See in a ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Sequel

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    The future of KPop Demon Hunters as a franchise remains unclear even as the massive Netflix hit acquired from Sony Pictures Animation continues to dominate pop culture. The fandom, of course, expects a sequel—and it’s already abuzz with what’s next for Rumi, Zoey, and Mira and their destiny to keep the Honmoon sealed from the demon world.

    Here are just some of the things we’d love to see explored in an eventual (and probably inevitable) KPop Demon Hunters 2.

    Different Demon Hunter Eras

    © Netflix

    The mythology of the Demon Hunter lore goes deep if there was always a trio of singers holding the Honmoon down. It would be so cool to explore spinoffs of different eras through a series or anthology of shorts (think Star Wars: Visions) that jumps around time periods and perhaps other countries.

    I’m interested in learning if other cultures also have music magic wielders and how demons might work through commercial music to try to gain control. I want to learn about other bands, maybe in short-form spin-offs, to set up new characters for the future. There are so many possibilities!

    Rumi’s Family Backstory

    Rumi Demon
    © Netflix

    Rumi being the love child of a demon and a hunter is an origin story we want to see. It’s perfect for a prequel or somehow pulling a Godfather 2 with dual timelines arcing into how that informs Rumi’s destiny.

    Perhaps we could glimpse her father’s and mother’s past as they meet in the present to further the complexities of good vs. evil between the demons and the humans. If Jinu could be a good-guy demon, maybe Rumi’s father was too. There was so much left unanswered by Celine (Rumi’s guardian); we don’t really know what happened to her parents or how they were dealt with by Gwi-ma and the other good guys.

    Theories have abounded about Rumi being related to Gwi-ma, but being his daughter directly seems unlikely—maybe his granddaughter? Would that be too Star Wars-y? It would be best if Rumi’s lineage was explored without her having to be a product of pure good and pure evil.

    Bringing Jinu Back

    Jinu Soda
    © Netflix

    Usually we think characters should stay dead but not this man. Our boy Jinu deserves a second chance. His sacrifice was huge so we’d like to see him return in some way. A popular theory online is that he’s trapped in Rumi’s sword, which would make sense as he gave her his soul and became a part of the prism Honmoon. Plus, if Derpy and Sussie are still around, they might be able to find him through their connection to pull him out of a backdoor of sorts. Maybe he’s human again but doesn’t remember who he was? We want the drama and to have him earn his way back to Rumi; that’s both fulfilling and romantic. We don’t need any more tragic star-crossed lovers; that could have been Rumi’s parents story but it doesn’t have to be hers.

    And speaking of bringing back characters, maybe let’s give the Saja Boys a chance at redemption too. It would be nice to see them come back as comedic relief and try to do good while making more good music. We miss Baby and Abby. Perhaps they can team up with Huntr/x to defeat a bigger threat. Also, more Derpy and Sussie always and forever, please.

    A Full Huntr/x Album

    Huntr:x Song Sesh
    © Netflix

    As someone who wished there was a Powerline album out of A Goofy Movie and who excitedly bought that special edition Josie and the Pussycats (2001) vinyl, I cannot stress enough that we need a whole Huntr/x album. Songwriter EJAE (who does the singing voice for Rumi), along with voice cast singers Audrey Nuna (Mira) and Rei Ami (Zoey), will soon be performing awards-season contender “Golden” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which feels like a test run for a real-life Huntr/x and more music, we hope.

    Huntr/x could really do a whole sequel companion album—that would be so meta! The future of Huntr/x feels unlimited because we’d be seated to see a sequel movie in a theater or at home and go to the official tour with Huntr/x light sticks in hand. Do it for the fans!

    Demon Hunter World Song Contest

    Huntrx Trio White
    © Netflix

    Picture it: Huntr/x is the main band we follow as the sequel introduces a bigger global threat that’s connected to Rumi’s family. Who you gonna call? A story along these lines could bring in other Demon Hunters for an Avengers-style team-up from around the world that’s part world song contest (like Eurovision) and part Mortal Kombat.

    Maybe the latter might be too extreme for the world of KPop Demon Hunters but the baddies have to be vanquished somehow. And these potential team-ups can be characters introduced through friendly competition in the sequel, with their side stories featured in an anthology leading up to a third film where it all comes together.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Sabina Graves

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  • 5 Halloween Costumes Inspired By K-Pop Demon Hunters

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    We think it’s safe to say that K-Pop Demon Hunters is one of the best things to ever come out of 2025. Most of the movie soundtrack will make it into our Spotify Wrapped, to be sure. And we’ve lost count of how many times we’ve rewatched this incredible animated movie that took the Internet by storm.

    As we near the Halloween season (or should we say “THPloween”), we’re more than happy to cook up some costume ideas inspired by K-Pop Demon Hunters. There are, of course, the option to cosplay as any of the characters from the movie. But here are just a few more K-Pop Demon Hunters-inspired costume ideas for you to consider this Halloween!

    Soda Can x Ramen Cup

    Our first costume idea inspired by K-Pop Demon Hunters is a soda can and ramen cup duo. We all know the Saja Boys’ iconic ‘Soda Pop’ jingle by heart at this point. And we can only hope that there’s no shortage of soda can costumes out there. You can grab a partner and dress them up as Huntrix’s ramen cup, found in one of the most meme-worthy scenes ever. Bonus points if the two of you can get ready for Halloween in three minutes flat…We’re timing you!

    Lion x Huntress

    This Halloween costume idea plays with the symbols between the two main groups in K-Pop Demon Hunters. You or a bestie can dress up as a lion to represent the Saja Boys’ pride, complete with a mane, tail, and set of paws. On the flip side, you can rock a killer huntress (HUNTR/X) stage outfit, on the hunt for demons and (fake) lions alike. If you’re feeling extra creative, channel your inner Rumi, Mira, or Zoey and try crafting a personalized demon hunting weapon for yourself!

    Vacation-Mode Bobby, Mira, & Zoey

    Workaholics, this one’s for you! If you’re running out of time to come up with a K-Pop Demon Hunters-inspired costume for Halloween, you can put this one together pretty easily. Just find a fluffy white robe (a 34 short or whatever your size is), add a face mask or hair towel wrap, and you’ve got vacation-mode Bobby, Mira, and Zoey! To add some more flair to this costume, feel free to put together the ultimate snack tray for your party while chanting “couch, couch, couch!” all night.

    Sleeping Bag

    This costume idea is a nod to Mira’s Met Gala appearance, where she’s absolutely slaying in a sleeping bag that speaks for itself. But it also doubles as a reference to the Saja Boys camping outside of Huntrix’s fansign event so they can be the first ones to enter. You can do this costume solo or with a group. Just remember that only one of you gets to sit in a chair at any time while everyone else has to fend for themselves sitting on the ground. (IYKYK)

    All Gold Everything

    We’re always trying to think outside the box for our annual THPloween costumes. So, what if you dressed up as the K-Pop Demon Hunters honmoon itself? Walk with us. Imagine the shiniest, most golden costume you can find. It can be anything from a ballgown or satin dress to a jacket or poncho. Glittery lines and shimmery details are a plus! Accessorize with as much gold jewelry as you can find, and you’re well on your way to sealing the honmoon.

    What did you think of our Halloween costume ideas inspired by K-Pop Demon Hunters? Which one speaks to you the most? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

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    Julie Dam

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  • ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Producer Accused of ChatGPT Use for Songwriting

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    Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters has stayed in the conversation in large part because of its blockbuster soundtrack, but now one of those songs has come under scrutiny for potentially getting an assist from ChatGPT.

    In a recent discussion in Seoul for OpenAI’s newly opened Korean office, songwriter Vince reportedly claimed he used the controversial technology to help pen the song “Soda Pop,” performed in the movie by the demonic Saja Boys. He is credited as one of several co-writers on the track, according to a Netflix blog post.

    A now-deleted tweet (preserved in a screengrab on Reddit) said to be penned by an OpenAI exec read: “Fav moment from the launch celebration was hearing singer/songwriter Vince share that ChatGPT helped him write ‘Soda Pop’ from KPop Demon Hunters! It apparently gave him ideas to make it sound ‘more bubbly.’”

    Here’s where things get complicated. The alleged use of AI to help write “Soda Pop” was first reported in the English-language version of Joongang Daily—but the original Korean text of the article makes no mention of ChatGPT being used specifically during the production of KPop Demon Hunters’ music.

    A translator on Gizmodo’s staff revealed Vince instead made a far broader statement—”I sometimes use ChatGPT to get some inspiration while producing K-Pop”—while discussing how AI technology is already being used in the K-Pop industry.

    As Kotaku has pointed out, KPop Demon Hunters has previously had to fend off allegations surrounding its characters being made with AI. Rei Ami, one of the singers for the movie’s girl group Huntr/x, has also had to insist that she and co-singers Ejae and Audrey Nuna are real human beings.

    io9 has reached out to Netflix for clarification and will update should we hear back.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Justin Carter

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  • ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Just Can’t Stop Breaking Billboard Records

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    The shine hasn’t worn off KPop Demon Hunters or its music quite yet. According to Variety, the film’s soundtrack has hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200, and the Huntr/x song “Golden” has held at #1 in the Hot 100 for the fifth week in a row.

    As a result, it’s now the longest-running song by an animated band in charting history. That can be owed to a recently released deluxe edition that features the movie’s songs combined with sing-along, instrumental, and a cappella versions of each track. With this, Huntr/x has dethroned 1969’s “Sugar, Sugar” by the Archies and the Chipmunks’ 1958 hit “The Chipmunk Song,” which placed at #1 for four weeks each during their respective years. Its place in the Top 200 marks the first animated movie to lead since Encanto back in 2022, which it held for nine consecutive weeks.

    If that weren’t enough, three other KPop songs placed in the Top 10 for the 100 bracket. Saja Boys’ “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop” stayed in the middle at numbers 4 and 5, respectively, and Huntr/x’s “How It’s Done” went up to number 8. The two fictional bands previously went to war on the charts earlier this summer and went back and forth as to which was charting better than the other, just like in the film.

    That KPop Demon Hunters is continuing its momentum bodes well for Netflix and Sony, who are hoping to have a long-term franchise on their hands and possibly get some Oscars in the process. Until news on either breaks out, the only thing to do is keep listening to the music.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Justin Carter

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