K-pop Demon Hunters: Beyond the Songs and Sparkle

When my child came home humming a tune I didn’t recognize, I thought it was just another catchy K-pop chorus. But when I realized almost his whole class was humming the same song on the bus to an excursion, my curiosity was piqued.

The title K-pop Demon Hunters didn’t exactly sound child-friendly, so I asked around. A few parents had watched it with their children and said it was “quite nice.” That got me wondering – how nice could it be?

Since we don’t have a TV at home, we joined a classmate (and her very kind mother) for a little movie date.

My Experience Watching

To be honest, the pace of the film was fast (as animation often is), and the songs were undeniably catchy. But beneath the bright colors and dazzling music, I found themes that ran deeper than I expected.

The story touched on self-acceptance, honesty, friendship, shame, hope, and inner talk. These are big themes for children to grasp, but they were woven into the music and characters in a way that still made it engaging.

A few lines stood out to me:

• “What if this monster inside me… isn’t a curse? What if it’s just me?” – Rumi

• “That’s the funny thing about hope. Nobody else gets to decide if you feel it. That choice belongs to you.” – Rumi

• “In order to heal a part, we must understand the whole.” – Dr. Han (Tonic Man)

• “Why couldn’t you love me – all of me?” – Rumi

These words weren’t just for kids. They spoke to the human in me too.

My Takeaways As a Mother

Watching K-pop Demon Hunters gave me more than just a soundtrack stuck in my head. It offered reminders I carry as a mother:

🌱 Self-acceptance has been one of the hardest, yet most freeing lessons for me. As Rumi reminds us, “This monster inside me… what if it’s not a curse? What if it’s just… me?”  To mother from a place of wholeness means acknowledging not just our strengths, but also our shadows, our flaws, and our tender places. It is in accepting ourselves fully that we can truly extend acceptance to our children.

💪 Courage to choose: Parenting often asks us to make choices without guarantees. “That’s the funny thing about hope. Nobody else gets to decide if you feel it. That choice belongs to you.” This line reminded me that courage isn’t about always knowing the outcome, but about moving forward aligned with our values anyway.

⏳ Healing takes time: As Dr. Han says, “In order to heal a part, we must understand the whole. Focus is good, but focusing on one part leads to ignoring other parts, making you separated, isolated.” Healing, whether for us or for our children, isn’t a quick fix. It’s about gently holding the whole i.e. our light and our dark while learning and growing in rhythm with life.

A Parent’s Perspective

As parents, we know every child has their “inner demons” e.g. fears, insecurities, and the little voices that whisper, “I’m not enough.” Some of these are protective, but when left unchecked, they can hold our children back.

The movie reminded me that our role isn’t to erase these fears for our kids, but to help them name them, face them, and grow alongside them.

Yes, the animation had its darker elements e.g. soul-sucking demons, big battles, intense emotions. It’s why the film is recommended for ages 10 and up. Younger children may find it overstimulating or miss the deeper meaning. For now, I let my son simply enjoy the songs without pushing the heavy themes too hard. His amygdala (that emotional “alarm system”) is still developing. There’s time for the deeper conversations later.

But one line stayed with me: “Why couldn’t you love me – all of me?” It’s a piercing reminder that our children don’t just hear our words, they feel the quality of our love. They know when we embrace them in their wholeness, and they also know when we only celebrate the parts that make us proud or comfortable.

Celine’s line said: “Our faults and fears must never be seen” It echoes the struggle many parents carry. We hide our flaws, believing it protects our children. Yet children sense the unspoken. When we show them that we, too, are works in progress, they learn that love isn’t earned by perfection. It’s given in the wholeness of being human.

And then there’s Rumi’s defiant cry: “No more hiding, I’ll be shining like I’m born to be.” As parents, this calls us to ask: Are we molding our children into who we are, shaped by our own fears and limits? Or are we giving them the space to shine as who they were born to be? The difference matters and they can feel it.

Closing Reflection

As I walked out of that movie date, I realized this: childhood only happens once. And while schools may teach academics, it’s families that shape values.

So yes, I’ll let him hum his songs and laugh with his friends. But I’ll also be here to hold space for the deeper conversations when he’s ready.

Because whether it’s demons on screen or doubts in real life, what matters most is this: our children knowing they don’t have to face them alone.

✨ #ThriveMomCoaching | Walking with mothers as we make choices that keep us whole and help our children shine.