Come for music, stay for the cosmology: The Korean folk symbols and beliefs of 'KPop Demon Hunters'
by Korea JoongAng Daily
A still from Netflix's animated film ″KPop Demon Hunters″ [NETFLIX]
K-pop is not the only Korean element featured in Netflix's immensely popular "KPop Demon Hunters." Derpy the tiger, the three-eyed magpie, the fashionable gat (a traditional Korean male hat) and many more items in the film have also taken their motifs from Korea's traditional culture and myths.
For those curious, the Korea JoongAng Daily has compiled some of the traditional Korean cultural elements woven into the film, beyond its unforgettable “Golden” tunes.
Norigae and knots
The norigae, traditional Korean tassel ornament, designs for the members of HUNTR/X from Netflix's ″KPop Demon Hunters,″ which Euni Cho, who participated in the production's character design, posted on her X [SCREEN CAPTURE]
K-pop is known for its glossy stage outfits and strong visual concepts, which the film’s girl-group trio HUNTR/X thoroughly showcases.
At first glance, the group’s outfits in their performance of “How It’s Done” might appear to be standard K-pop fashion. However, when examined closely, each member is seen wearing a norigae, a traditional Korean tassel ornament. This decorative accessory was worn with hanbok, or traditional Korean dress, by women of all social classes during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), from the royalty to commoners.
Traditionally, the accessory’s connecting cord would be tucked under the jeogori, the top jacket of hanbok, and hang from the skirt portion. HUNTR/X reinterprets this accessory, wearing it stylishly on their pants — a clever blend of tradition and modernity.
Beyond being just a simple jewelry, the ornament was also carried as a charm to ward off misfortune and bring good fortune. Additionally, depending on its knotting style, it held its own symbolic meaning.
Rumi’s norigae, for instance, features various knotting styles, including a byeongari (chick)-shaped knot and gukhwa (chrysanthemum)–shaped knot. The former takes the metaphor of breaking out of an egg like a chick, symbolizing a new beginning and growth.
The latter signifies long life, loyalty and purity, and when it is made into a decorative knot, it is believed to gather good luck and carry the hope that blessings will last long. This knotting style is also seen in Zoey’s norigae.
Meanwhile, Mira’s norigae incorporates a distinct butterfly knot. In Korean culture, butterflies are thought of as joy, harmony and love.
A tiger, a magpie and a sacred tree
Still from Netflix's animated film ″KPop Demon Hunters,″ featuring on the left is Derpy, the tiger, and Sussie, the magpie, of Saja Boys' Jinu [NETFLIX]
One of the beloved characters, apart from the fictional idols, is Jinu of Saja Boys' blue tiger, Derpy, and his magpie, Sussie.
A jakhodo, a traditional Korean folk art featuring a tiger and magpie [BUSAN MUSEUM OF ART]
Both are inspired by jakhodo, a traditional Korean folk art featuring a tiger and magpie. In Korean culture, magpies are believed to bring good news, and tigers are regarded as guardians that drive away evil and protect the household. Because of these associations, this folk art was popular because it was believed to keep away evil spirits and bring good fortune.
Maggie Kang, the director of the animation, said she referenced multiple Korean traditional folk art pieces containing tigers to create Derpy.
The painting is also interpreted as a satire of the power dynamics between commoners and the ruling class. In jakhodo, the magpie represents the common people and the tiger symbolizes the powerful. Following this interpretation, most jakhodo depict tigers in a comical manner to mock authority, while the magpie is painted above the tiger as if it is trying to tell the tiger something or taunt it.
The film also features a large tree adorned with colorful ribbon ties. Known as a dangsan tree in Korea, it symbolizes a sacred space. Villagers often worship these trees as the guardian spirit of the village. The vibrant ribbons also reflect Korean shamanistic traditions used during shaman rituals, aligning with the girl-group trio’s role as shamans protecting people from demons.
Grim reapers, dokkaebi and water demons
A still from Netflix's animated film ″KPop Demon Hunters″ [NETFLIX]
Don’t be fooled by the Saja Boys' looks and hooking songs and dance, as in the end, they are demons who steal the souls of people.
During its “Your Idol” performance, the members change into a Korean traditional grim reaper outfit — dark black robes with a black gat, traditional Korean male hat — the classic depiction of the demon figure. In Korean folklore, these grim reapers are servants sent to retrieve the souls of the dead and guide them to the afterlife.
Dokkaebi, a familiar mystical creature in Korean folk stories, bears similarities to the West's goblins and are depicted in the film as evil entities fighting against HUNTR/X. Featuring various appearances, from having a single eye, a horn on the head, or sharp teeth, the film captures the traditional characteristics of dokkaebi found in Korean folklore.
Also, when the two idol groups fight in a bathhouse, water demons emerge from the surface. Often described as having long, wet hair and pale figures in Korea — just like in the film — these evil demons are believed to lure people into the water and pull them under, drowning them.
Traditional Korean weapons and shamanism
Still from Netflix's animated film ″KPop Demon Hunters″ [NETFLIX]
Though it may not seem so, the film falls under the occult genre as HUNTR/X’s primary mission is to vanquish evil spirits. And how they defeat these demons closely resembles traditional Korean shamanism rituals, also called gut in Korean.
In a gut, shamans sing and dance — often holding a sword, bell or fan — to connect with the divine and fight off evil spirits. This characteristic of the ritual inspired director Kang to blend K-pop with shamanism, saying in an interview that she thought, in a way, the gut could be seen as “the early version of a concert.”
As the members of HUNTR/X battle demons, they each wield their own unique weapon infused with elements of Korean shamanism and historical tradition.
Rumi’s long sword is based on saingeom, which literally means “sword of four tigers” in Chinese characters. The sword is believed to possess the power to ward off ghosts and slay evil spirits through the fierce courage of tigers. It was often used in traditional shaman rituals, thoroughly reflecting Rumi’s job.
Mira wields a traditional gokdo, a curved sword, inspired by a weapon from the Gaya Confederacy (42-562). Zoey holds a comparatively shorter weapon that she wields by throwing them. Her weapon reflects the ritual knife used by shamans during spiritual ceremonies.
Reference Written by KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr] Provided by Korea JoongAng Daily
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A still from Netflix's animated film ″KPop Demon Hunters″ [NETFLIX] 
