On April 1, a press conference celebrating the Academy Award win of Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters was held at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Seoul. Attendees included directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, along with contributors Ejae and IDO (Lee Yuhan, Kwak Jung-gyu, Nam Hee-dong).

The film’s original soundtrack “Golden” achieved historic success, winning Best Original Song at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 68th Grammy Awards marking a first for KPop. It also took home Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles last month, setting an unprecedented milestone in KPop history.

With the film’s immense popularity, anticipation for Season 2 has been steadily growing. Recently, news confirming production of the sequel further heightened expectations. Addressing this, Maggie Kang said with a laugh, “I don’t think I can reveal anything. I’d like to keep it a secret no spoilers at all.”

She continued, “Honestly, we already have a big idea in mind, though nothing is finalized yet. Like the first film, Chris and I want to create something we truly want to see. Please look forward to it it will be bigger and packed with even more exciting elements than the first.”

Kang had previously mentioned her desire to incorporate genres like heavy metal and trot into Season 2. She reiterated, “My thoughts haven’t changed, but the story isn’t set yet. Trot is such a uniquely Korean style, and I’d love to introduce it more globally. Heavy metal is also part of KPop’s foundation, so I want to showcase that as well.”

Meanwhile, Chris Appelhans responded playfully to a question about whether Jinu would return in Season 2: “Jinu is, of course, alive in our hearts. Beyond that, I can’t say anything more.”

He added, “The relationship between our film and its fans feels very special. The fans discovered the movie and helped bring it to the world. To me, they feel like family. As we work on Season 2, our main source of inspiration is the spirit we had when we first created the film. That doesn’t mean repeating the same thing we want to surprise fans, break rules, and expand boundaries. But at its core, the soul will remain distinctly Korean.”

He also emphasized Netflix’s continued support, stating, “We feel a strong sense of responsibility in how we use the resources given to us. Whether it’s writing, character design, or storytelling, we always keep that in mind. No matter the scale, we aim to deliver as much visual excitement as possible. But above all, the most important thing is the story and its soul. Only with that foundation can everything else truly shine.”

With these hints, expectations are rising for a more ambitious and globally resonant Season 2.

Sources: Nate