Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans unpack the visual cues, idol archetypes, and K-pop references that shaped Netflix’s breakout animated hit.

In the age of multiverses and music biopics, K-pop Demon Hunters dares to do something different: it builds a brand-new universe from scratch. The animated action-comedy follows a K-pop girl group that sells out stadiums, dominates the charts, and secretly slays demons. And somehow, it all …