WATCHLIST WEEK 3:

K-POP DEMON HUNTERS

“K-Pop Demon Hunters” was such an unexpected success that Netflix ended up releasing it in theaters months after it had already been on their streaming platform so that children could experience the movie with a room full of other fans, all singing along to the catchy songs as loud as they could sing! As of the time when I’m writing this, the movie remains on the Netflix Top 10 where it holds the record for longest consecutive streak on that list (it has never dropped below the top 10 spots in over a full year). Why is this movie so popular? Well, of course, we can credit the original story, the incredible animation, the cultural impact, the well-crafted songs sung by talented artists, or the way that viewers relate to the characters. But the reason that viewers of all ages end up watching the movie over and over again is because they are FANS.

If we’re honest, all of us are fans of something. We are collectors, or we have a sports team that we root for almost religiously, or we’ve amassed a wealth of knowledge on a particular subject just because we enjoy it. There are singers or music groups that we would pay for an expensive ticket to see perform live, there are shows or movies we’ve watched more times than we can count (or that we can quote word-for-word), and there are hobbies that we pour hours and hours of our time into. And there’s nothing wrong with being a fan! But we have to be careful not to make an idol out of anything that can distract us from our relationship with God and those we love and care for.

In the movie “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” the main characters are a singing group called Huntrix and they have tons of fans! But things start to change when a new boy band begins to take the attention of the fans who were previously loyal to Huntrix. When The Saja Boys come on the scene, it’s clear to us as the audience that the singers are using strategic tools to manipulate the audiences to follow them…because we know that The Saja Boys are actually demons in disguise trying to distract the audiences in order for them to gain control of the realm. But after putting many fans under their spell, even when they show their true colors and sing a song called “Your Idol” that plainly lays out their intentions, most of the audience continues in their unwavering devotion to The Saja Boys.

Now, in our lives, most of the fandoms we’re a part of aren’t inherently evil or a tool of the enemy… but if we’re not careful, anything that we place above God can become an idol and can be used to draw us even further away from God’s plan for us. Remember that the enemy can disguise himself as an angel of light, and we must put on the armor of God each day, ready to fight the unseen spiritual battles going on all around us by keeping God’s Word in our hearts and minds and by diligently seeking God’s presence and Spirit above all else. Let’s have fun and be fans of the things we love, but always make sure your most fervent and passionate fandom is reserved for worship of the true God that we serve.