Huntr/X takes over the charts

You really have to hand it to the creative minds at the helm of the pop music culture of South Korea. Not only are they dominating the global hit charts with sounds from the likes of groups like Blackpink and BTS, they have now added fictional bands to their assets like KPop Demon Hunters.

Sony Pictures Animation is the producer behind the animated musical sci-fi adventure titled “KPop Demon Hunters.” Now streaming on Netflix, it tells the story of a K-Pop band named Huntr/X made up of Rumi, Mira and Zoey, who, in secret, are also demon hunters. They are something like angels, but with a K-pop vibe, tasked with keeping this world safe. On the opposite side are the Saja Boys, the demons in the guise of a boy band.

The Huntr/X and the Saja Boys do their duties with colorful visuals, exciting action, comedy, fantastic costumes including lots of cute covetable thingamajigs and loads of fun. Take note, too, of the show’s wholesome appeal and the presence of important moral lessons that young viewers can easily grasp and hopefully take to heart. The Saja Boys are naughty throughout, but they are bad, so they never win.

Now because Huntr/X and Saja Boys are K-pop bands, music is also an important part of the “Demon Hunters” package. The show is an American production. The dialog is in English, but everything about it is Korean and the songs are all K-pop. If you think that there is no way that K-pop producers can top their earlier outings, you have another guess coming.

The sounds of Demon Hunters are not only as infectious as the output of BTS, TWICE, etc., they are even better. Heartfelt, energetic. Totally relatable. Best of the lot are Golden and Takedown by Huntr/X and there are also tunes to enjoy from the Saja Boys like Your Idol and Soda Pop.

Ironically, the soundtrack is supposedly performed by a fictitious band. Humans perform with synths but it is the characters that are credited. Nothing new really. Cartoons and animated films have been doing this for many years, think Mickey Mouse, Snow White and her seven dwarfs or Olaf of “Frozen.” Recent times have given us virtual bands like Gorrilaz from the UK and idols like Hatsune Miku from Japan. The edge enjoyed by the music of Demon Hunters though is the fact that it is K-pop. Sounding like that counts a lot nowadays.

And now the current hits.

Despite the onslaught perpetrated by the “KPop Demon Hunters,” Multo by the Filipino band Cup of Joe remains comfortably lodged in the No. 1 slot of all local charts. Here is the daily listing provided by the streaming web music player Spotify.

Multo by Cup of Joe; Saksi ang Langit by December Avenue; Naiilang by Le John; Golden by HUNTR/X, performed by EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI; back to friends by sombr; Aura by IV of Spades; Your Universe by Rico Blanco; You’ll be in my Heart by NIKI; Tingin, again by Cup of Joe and Janine Tenoso; Bulong by December Avenue; DAISIES by Justin Bieber; Kalimutan Ka by Skusta Clee; Soda Pop by the Saja Boys, made up of Andrew Choi, Nick Woo.

Gabriela by KATSEYE; Mundo by IV of Spades; Tibok by Earl Agustin; Sa Bawat Sandali by Amiel Sol; My Day by HELLMERRY; Isa Lang by Arthur Nery; Misteryoso, also by Cup of Joe; Umaasa by Calein; Pangarap Lang Kita by Parokya ni Edgar; Sino by Unique Salonga; The Man Who Can’t Be Moved by The Script; and Tadhana by Up Dharma Down.