K‑Pop Demon Hunters is the animation hit no one saw coming. A K‑pop girl group that slays demons by night, Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Josie and the Pussycats with a dash of Blackpink, sounds like the stuff of late-night anime,

Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and Netflix film boss Dan Lin weigh in on how a unique concept and authenticity propelled the animated feature into long-term success.

The surprise is, Netflix isn’t Disney, naturally, but that’s exactly the point. At first glance, K‑Pop Demon Hunters looked like a risky genre blender: high-gloss animation, ancient spirits, bubblegum pop bangers.