K-Pop happiness hunters | 3.5 minute read

Lessons from Netflix's most-streamed movie

Hey Rumi or are you Jinu? Maybe Gwi-ma?

Happy Sunday. The K-Pop Demon Hunters is the most streamed movie of all-time on Netflix.

My sister-in-law hosted us and other family members last Friday night for pizza, crafts, and drinks — all in the name of this movie.

We watched the sing along version and yes, we sang along holding up our crafted signs. The four young girls danced and sang, the two pre-teen boys hid upstairs playing video games. My wife and I hit 17 years married. The gift is supposed to be furniture. We skipped Ikea and became chairs for our kids instead.

The meaning behind K-pop Demon Hunters

Watching it (for the third time but this time the whole way through), on the surface, the story plays out as good vs. evil — demons vs their hunters.

But it goes deeper, with competing values: order vs. chaos. That push-pull gives the story tension, momentum.

For these hunters:

  • Perfection vs. emotion

  • Fame vs. authenticity

  • Mask vs. truth

We’re drawn in because both sides refuse to lose.

Is the world protected by keeping up the perfect façade or does true strength only come from showing your real self?

I won’t spoil anything for you, hopefully it gives you enough reason to watch.

My biggest takeaway was this story is an internal battle between guilt and shame.

Rumi, the lead character is part demon (not a spoiler, it’s part of the plot). She hides her demon markings because she’s trying to end the demon world — internal conflict.

But, she lies (guilt) to her best friends and bandmates. She’s hiding her markings, ashamed of her demon-self.

Her values are at war.

Guilt and shame are both self-concious emotions. They often travel together: you feel guilty about something you did and shame creeps in about who you are.

  • Guilt = I did something wrong.

  • Shame = I am wrong. Instead of pointing at what you did, shame attacks our sense of self. We isolate and hide.

To win, Rumi must tell the truth and live her most authentic self.

And that is a path to happiness.

The pebble

The songs slap. Listen to Golden. The lyrics wrestle with the same tension:

No fears, no lies. That’s who we’re born to be.

Waited so long to break these walls down…

No more hiding, I’ll be shining…

Like I'm born to be.

The challenge

Think of a mistake. Something you did wrong. Did you fix it? Apologize? Adjust? That’s guilt. You can let it go.

Still holding it? That’s shame. Shame only heals with compassion. Remind yourself: You’re still worthy. You’re not your mistakes.

Use guilt as a teacher. Treat shame like a wound. And maybe, like Rumi, choose to be real.

It’s there you'll find your happiness.