Netflix’s latest animated phenomenon, “KPop Demon Hunters,” is being hailed as one of the platform’s most successful films. However, Pastor Vlad Savchuk is warning that beneath the glitter, there are dangerous spiritual messages hidden in plain sight. “Parents need to be alert,” he says. “This is not just entertainment. It’s an entrance into your soul.”
1. Normalizing the supernatural through shamanism.
The film portrays demonic battles as something overcome through magic songs and mystical barriers. Savchuk warns that this approach reflects elements of Asian shamanism and New Age spirituality rather than Scripture. “Instead of teaching kids to look to Jesus Christ as the deliverer, the movie presents this mythical barrier and magic songs as the way to fight demons,” he explains. This risks desensitizing children to the reality of spiritual warfare and the authority of Christ.
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2. Blurring the line between good and evil.
By making one of the main characters both a “half-demon” and the savior figure of the film, it presents a worldview where darkness can coexist with and even contribute to good. “The Bible clearly states that light and darkness should not mix,” Savchuk says, pointing to verses like 2 Corinthians 6:14. Rather than depicting deliverance from demonic roots, the film glorifies embracing them.
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3. Music as a weapon apart from God.
Throughout Scripture, music is powerful when tied to God’s Spirit—David’s harp soothed Saul’s torment, and worship brings God’s presence. But in “KPop Demon Hunters,” music itself becomes a mystical force of self-expression with power apart from God. Savchuk cautions that such portrayals may lead children to believe that all spiritual music is harmless, when in reality, music can open doors to bondage if divorced from God’s presence.
4. The gospel of self-acceptance instead of repentance.
The heroine’s big turning point is self-embrace: accepting herself as part demon. Savchuk notes how this parallels cultural messages of self-discovery and empowerment but directly contradicts the gospel. “Biblically, shame can serve a holy purpose,” he says. Shame alerts us to sin and drives us to the cross, where Jesus removes both guilt and shame. Instead of embracing sin as identity, Christians are called to crucify the flesh and walk as new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
5. Glamorizing demons for young audiences.
With its bright colors, catchy K-pop tunes and idol-like characters, the film packages darkness as attractive and fun. By showing one of the characters fall in love with a demon and singing emotional duets with him, the story plants sympathy for demons—desensitizing viewers to their true danger. “What Scripture calls dangerous, this film packages as entertainment,” Savchuk warns, citing Ephesians 6:12 and 1 Peter 5:8.
Why This Matters for Families
Pastor Vlad emphasizes that “KPop Demon Hunters” is more than a cartoon. “It’s teaching a worldview where sin is identity, shame is good and demons are lovable,” he says. In a culture already blurring lines between right and wrong, the film’s themes risk planting seeds of confusion in young hearts about good, evil and identity.
Instead, he urges parents to ground their children in the truth of God’s Word. “Jesus—not self-discovery or self-expression—has authority over demons,” he says. Identity is not found in a balance of light and dark but in being born again through Christ. Shame is not embraced but brought to the cross, where it is lifted and healed.
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As the film dominates global charts and captivates the next generation, Savchuk’s call is clear: do not let Netflix disciple your children more than Scripture does. “Parents, be alert,” he says. “Teach your children that their true identity is found in Christ alone.”
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
