The following contains spoilers for KPop Demon Hunters, now streaming on NetflixKPop Demon Huntershas a terrific soundtrack, but there are some songs that stand above the others. The K-pop-inspired animated film benefits from a murderer’s row of talented artists, both behind the scenes and in the lead roles. Many of the film’s biggest characters are voiced by two characters, ensuring they have the genuine pop music chops to believably bringKPop Demon Hunters’cast of characters to life.
There isn’t a bad song on the soundtrack, with even the lesser songs inKPop Demon Huntersstill being good pop songs performed well by great artists. The issue is that some tracks are simply better than others, whether that be because of the strength of the accompanying visuals, the emotional heft of the track, the impressive dance choreography, or even just the execution of the moment. Here are alleight original songs fromKPop Demon Hunters, ranked.
8"Takedown (Twice Version)"
Sung By Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung
The credits song forKPop Demon Hunters, the Twice version of"Takedown" is a good song that just can’t competewith the energy and style of the other songs in the film. Performed by Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung of the South Korean girl group Twice, “Takedown” was released as the lead single for the film.
It’s a solid track, with all three fitting easily into the hip-hop vibes and aggressive vibes of the song. However, the song is ranked at the bottom of the list because of how it stands removed from the rest of the film. The other rendition of the song is built to fit more naturally into the tenor of the surrounding film.
As it stands, the Twice version of “Takedown” is good, butit feels more like a typical K-Pop song than the other songs in the film. This is because of the way the performers bring their own natural energy to the track instead of embodying Huntr/X, which means it’s good but doesn’t quite match the energy of the film.
7"Takedown"
Sung By EJAE, Rei Ami, and Audrey Nuna
The version of “Takedown” that appears inKPop Demon Huntersworks better than the Twice version, but it’s still the least memorable song on the soundtrack. The aggressive lyrics and harsher tone of the song make it a good fight track, but itlacks the soulful and playful edge that defines the rest ofKPop Demon Hunter’s songs.
This is actually brought up in the film, with the song purposely meant to feel “wrong” compared to the more optimistic and upbeat songs performed by Huntr/X. As such, by its very nature, it needs to be a little bit off.This works in the narrative, but it means that the song just doesn’t hit as well as the rest of the soundtrack.
That’s not to say the song is bad. Just like the Twice version of the track,“Takedown” is still a very good and very catchy K-Pop number. However, the strength of the rest of the soundtrack makes it easy to place the two versions of “Takedown” at the bottom of the list.
6"What It Sounds Like"
The climactic song ofKPop Demon Hunters,“What It Sounds Like” is a stirring and emotional beat that benefits from the narrative weight behind it. Beginning as a rebuttal from Rumi to the crushing effects of the world at large, the song highlights EJAE’s skills as a singer before the rest of the band (and eventually the crowd) join in.
It’s a great moment for the film, especially as it builds to Jinu’s sacrifice and Rumi’s final blow against the demon king Gwi-Ma.It’s also one that works especially well with the visuals, which spread out the big emotional spots with moments of levity, action, and heartbreak.
“What It Sounds Like” is a good song that works well in the film,but isn’t as solid as a stand-alone track. It gains emotional heft because of the context of the film around it, and loses that effect when removed from the narrative. It’s a good song, but it doesn’t have the irresistible charm of the movie’s best songs.
5"Soda Pop"
Sung By Andrew Choi, samUIL Lee, Kevin Woo, Neckwav, and Danny Chung
“Soda Pop” has quickly become one of the more widespread songs fromtheKPop Demon Hunterssoundtrack, and with good reason.The bright and bubbly pop song is a perfectly fitting K-Pop boy band track, complete with good choreography, charming moves, and a catchy beat.
The song takes on greater meaning when taken into the full context of the film. The song’s lyrics are sneakily grim, referencing the plans the demons have to consume the souls of the living. The movie also breaks up the track with cutaways and gags about Huntr/X and their reaction to the song.
“Soda Pop” has one of the best dances in the film, with the Saja Boys performing an impromptu concert with the natural swagger of a star band. The song works perfectly well as a stand-alone pop song, especially when coupled with the Saja Boys' dance and Baby Saja’s rap. It’s a good song and a great beat in the movie.
4"Free"
Sung By EJAE and Andrew Choi
Perhaps the most conventional song in the K-Pop-inspired film,the emotional “Free” benefits from the extended focus on EJAE and Andrew Choi’s vocals. The song, a duet which Rumi and Jinu sing together while reflecting on their respective places in the world and what they potentially mean for one another.
Bolstered by a mix of stirring visuals and EJAE and Andrew Choi’s strong vocals, “Free” is an elevated take on the musical love song.
Emotional in all the right ways,“Free” is a romantic track that doesn’t necessarily feel like a standard love song. It’s a very personal song for both Rumi and Jinu, exploring both of their doubts about themselves and the hope they find in one another. This gives it a unique touch that fits perfectly into the film surrounding it.
It’s a good track, and arguably the most conventional song in the film,seeing how it doesn’t try to match the pop-ier and peppier elements of the other songs. Bolstered by a mix of stirring visuals and EJAE and Andrew Choi’s strong vocals, “Free” is an elevated take on the musical love song.
3"How It’s Done"
The first full song inKPop Demon Huntersis also one of the best songs in the film,thanks to striking visuals, clear characterization, and a great beat. The song, which plays as Huntr/X are introduced fighting demons aboard their jet, is a rousing pump-up/fight track that never lets up.
The song does a great job showcasing the trio at the top of their game,moving at a great clip while still doing a lot to establish the differences between the trioin terms of combat style, vocals, and even personality. It also has some genuinely good gags and clever visual touches breaking up the action, making a perfect introduction to the film’s style.
As a statement of intent, especially after the prologue established the lore of this world,“How It’s Done” is terrific. It works great on its own, has some great synchronization with the fight scene around it, and feels perfectly attuned to the K-Pop influences behind it. “How It’s Done” is a great way to kick off the film and establishes the tone of the movie.
2"Your Idol"
The second Saja Boys song in the film,“Your Idol” is an absolutely stunning track and one of the best villain songs we’ve seenin a while. The song, which plays after the Saja Boys' machinations have splintered Huntr/X, sees the boy band perform a purposefully mesmerizing song that never loses its malicious touch.
The lyrics and darker imagery feed into the true purpose of the song, which sees the demon king Gwi-Ma come closer than ever to consuming thousands of souls. The song is elevated by the performances, especially a killer rap break by Baby. It helps, too, that the song has some stand-out visuals.
From the dancing on stage to the framing of Jinu looking horrifying yet nevertheless appealing,“Your Idol” isKPop Demon Huntersfiring on all cylinders. The accompanying visuals are among the film’s best shots. It’s a great track that works wonderfully well as a memorable track, but benefits the most from the visual fusion of music and film inherent to animation.
1"Golden"
The best song inKPop Demon Hunters,“Golden” is designed in-universe to be a culmination of everything Huntr/X is about. The track itself matches that ambition, giving all three performers a chance to showcase their talents while benefiting from stirring imagery and a naturally uplifting tone.
Designed in-universe as the key to unlocking the Honmoon’s true power, “Golden” is an emotional and vulnerable showcase for the trio, giving the audience teases about the backstories of all three while uniting them into a single group and voice. Notably, the song is performed twice.The music video for “Golden” is full of interesting visuals, while the stage performance features some great dance choreography.
“Golden” is also maybe the catchiest song in the film, even more so than the purposeful earworm “Soda Pop.” “Golden” has an uplifting chorus, a stirring emotional core, and connects well with the visuals in the film. In many ways, “Golden” is the perfect example of how the music and visuals inKPop Demon Hunterselevate each other to greatness.
