6 Books to Pick Up After Watching KPop Demon Hunters
If you thought this summer couldn’t get even hotter, think again: KPop Demon Hunters just dropped on Netflix, and it’s already the streaming platform’s No. 1 movie in the U.S. Released on June 20, the animated film from Sony Pictures Animation weaves together Korean folklore, pop culture, romance, and, of course, addicting K-pop songs.
KPop Demon Hunters sets the stage with a story: Demons used to overrun the human world until a trio of singers saved the day with their voices. Their songs strengthen the barrier — also known as the Honmoon — between the Earth and the demon world below. Throughout the ages, three young women are called forth to be Hunters and to protect humanity from demons.
The 21st century’s Hunters? K-pop girl group HUNTR/X, composed of main vocalist Rumi (Arden Cho), main lyricist and rapper Zoey (Ji-young Yoo), and main dancer Mira (May Hong). But just as they’re about to seal the Honmoon, the demon world sends a wrench into the carefully laid plans — the new K-pop (demon) group on the block, the Saja Boys.
To help ease the void left by the heart, humor, and angst of the film, EnVi rounds up six books to read after watching (and re-watching) KPop Demon Hunters.
DARKER BY FOUR
by June CL Tan
Inspired by Chinese folklore — particularly the 10 Courts of Hell and their Kings — Darker By Four brings readers on a wild ride. The death god has disappeared, and now the barrier between the human world and Hell is thinning. In this contemporary fantasy, the story follows three main characters: Rui (who loses her magic), Yiran (who receives Rui’s magic), and Zizi (who is a powerful enigma). Together, they must fight through thick and thin to return the missing king to his rightful throne — before it’s too late.
Socials: IG | TikTok | website
THE GIRL WHO FELL BENEATH THE SEA
by Axie Oh
If you love the folklore aspect and the K-drama vibes of KPop Demon Hunters, look no further than Axie Oh’s sweeping story, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea. Oh’s novel reimagines the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong” through a feminist lens. Mina throws herself into the angry sea in the stead of the legendary beauty Shim Cheong, who also happens to be the beloved of Mina’s older brother. So begins Mina’s journey into the Spirit Realm and this emotional tale of unwavering sacrifices, uncovering histories, and unexpected love.
LEGENDBORN
by Tracy Deonn
Set at the historical University of North Carolina (UNC), protagonist Bree discovers that her school’s campus is teeming with more secrets than she originally thought — secrets in the form of demons and figures from Arthurian legend. Although she chooses to infiltrate the secret society The Order of the Round Table to understand how her mom died, Bree soon gets swept into the world of the Legendborn. Tracy Deonn excavates bloody histories, (particularly America’s history of slavery in the South), unwanted inheritances, and the power received from knowing yourself through her precise prose and her layered plot twists.
THE GOD & THE GUMIHO
by Sophie Kim
Retired gumiho, a clever nine-tailed fox from Korean folklore, Kim Hani doesn’t want to devour souls anymore. Although in a past life she was known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, now she is perfectly content working at a coffee shop. But then there’s the fallen trickster god — who happens to be infuriatingly handsome, too — to keep an eye on. Both the god and the gumiho have their fair share of secrets (which they would prefer to remain secrets). Except when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and terrorizes the mortal realm, they’re in for a plot twist: teaming up to take down the demon. Full of bickering, undeniable attraction, and mayhem at every turn, the god and the gumiho will have to reckon with one pressing question: Can your most precious secrets stay hidden?
THIS RAVENOUS FATE
by Hayley Dennings
What if you combine Jazz Age Harlem, vampires and their hunters, and enemies-to-lovers together? You get This Ravenous Fate by rising talent Hayley Dennings. Now a New York Times bestseller, Dennings’ debut tells a tale drenched in blood, luxury, and a hunger for revenge. In This Ravenous Fate, once-human vampires are on the rise, but the Saint’s reaper-hunting enterprise keeps New York City in check (so far). Elise Saint is the heir of this powerful empire; however, its protection doesn’t mean much when Harlem reapers are out for her blood. Meanwhile, Layla Quin is a younger reaper haunted by her past — and how Elise betrayed her on that fateful night. As a new wave of fear sweeps through the city — reapers are turning part human again — Layla and Elise become unlikely teammates after a deal that can’t be refused is made. But while their feelings for each other might be able to stay hidden, they begin to understand that some things are best left in the dark.
Socials: IG | TikTok | YouTube | website
WICKED FOX
by Kat Cho
Gu Miyoung is a gumiho, surviving in the human world by devouring the energy of men. Modern-day Seoul serves as her hunting grounds — and where she can hide. But Miyoung is forced out of the shadows when she rescues Jihoon, a human boy who was attacked by a goblin. During the fight, the gumiho unknowingly loses her fox bead, or her soul — and Jihoon finds it. Soon Miyoung faces an impossible choice: her immortal life or the human boy she is beginning to care for. Tenuous friendships, learning to trust, and self-acceptance weave their way into Kat Cho’s debut, braiding together a world where mythology and the present-day intertwine.
Socials: IG | TikTok | website
KPop Demon Hunters is now streaming on Netflix.
Want more film recommendations? Check out EnVi’s piece about South Asian adaptations of Jane Austen’s famous works here!
